Dance, like sunlight, is a fundamental art. Who has never danced? The world of nature and the worlds of art coexist to create expressive ecologies in which the stories of our human lives play out on the world stage. Nature, of which we are a part, is intelligent design—an ever unfolding artistic expression. When we recognize nature itself as artist, it may become easier to access and express our own inherent creative life force and expression. 

So go ahead and throw open wide, the windows of your heart and soul—dance with the sun and stars, sing with the wind and waves.

舞 dance

after passing so many moons
my feet
reunited with tabi and tatami
delight, in mosslike spring of steps
while the folds of my kimono
breathe, together with this dancing body
and obi’s embrace
yields floating spaces
in the light orbits of wrists
elbows and hip creases,
and knees lowering to the floor

i raise my mai-ohgi skywards
leaving trails of sparkles twinkling
in this room full of twilight
i am dancing my love
into prayer
my heart into song
my soul
into a poem
for this weary world,
and for my beloved
who, among the stars dances 
with me 

*tabi: a kind of Japanese sock with a split between the big toes and other toes
*tatami: traditional Japanese flooring made of straw
*kimono: traditional Japanese clothing
*obi: the belt-like sash worn to secure kimono in place
*mai-ohgi: dance fan (a close-up is pictured in the photo above)