The Watch + Ancestral Hum documentation

Here are some images from the show I was in with the talented ladies of The Understory. Images by Heather Zinger & Jubal Nance, costume & props made by Ruth Waddy, and choreography by yours truly. The first piece was called The Watch and was set to a poem by Erica Loloff and music by Eric Abate, the closing piece entitled Ancestral Hum was set to music by Rachels. So fun to be dancing again!
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Therapeutic Thursday

As an extrovert, catching up with friends rejuvenates me. To hear what other people are doing with their time gives me perspective and reminds me that life is much more expansive than my problems.

Acupuncture. I hated it the first couple of times and decided to give it another try yesterday at at the relatively new Montavilla Acupuncture. It instantly relieved a tiny little ache in my jaw I was unsuccessfully ignoring and improved my circulation tremendously, so I was warm even while waiting for the bus in the rain. Apparently this is the kind of experience people talk about when they enthusiastically recommend acupuncture, and all I can say is that it totally depends on the practitioner.

A hot bath. Magical.

Puppies. Portland has lots of rescue places and my favorite is the no kill shelter Family Dogs New Life. I sometimes walk a dog, but just looking at the photo shoots on their site makes me giggle.

A bite of cheese. My favorite indulgence lately is Cabot Creamery's Vintage Choice Extra Sharp Cheddar. It doubles as a cure for homesickness...aahh, Vermont. I'll be with you in August...
What is therapeutic for you?
xo,
Fawn
Oh yes, please check my summer schedule for upcoming classes!
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Marvelous Monday

I have been busy working on choreography which culminated in a performance this past Saturday. I promise to post documentation soon, and until then here's some inspiring content collected from the interwebs.

10,000 yogins in Central Park!? Read about the upcoming event and how you can participate.

Speaking of yoga, watch this techno yoga dance video!


Artist Monica Canilao's show at Cinders Gallery in Brooklyn reminds me of Andrew Moore's stunning images of Detroit, and here's Kyp Malone performing inside the installation (video by Tod Seelie.)


I love the lyrical movement in this video by Akino Kondoh (via boingboing).


Last but not least here is martial artist Cynthia Rothrock performing a short sequence in a boxing ring.


Love,

Fawn
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Silence

Try to spend one day not talking. If this is not possible then just spend one meal in silence. Notice how each bite disintegrates in your mouth and imagine the journey of the food before it landed on your plate. Mindful eating is key to self care.

Words can get in the way of hearing others. In social situations one often feels pressured to speak to make others or oneself feel more comfortable. Take people in with your eyes and your ears. You might begin to notice the effects of each word and have more meaningful conversations.

Read about the psychological benefits of silence.

Here's an interesting interview with a guy who wrote a book about noise pollution.

Ever heard of an acoustic ecologist? Check out Gordon Hempton who records sound in nature.

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Perfect Day Recipe

I've been thinking about how to make every day the perfect day and have realized that these main ingredients do it for me:
-wake up between 6-6:30am
-do an hour of morning yoga
-soak 20-30 minutes in a hot bath
-take a 20-30 minute afternoon nap
-birds of prey sightings! Not sure if they're following me or giving me messages from the depths, but for the past year I have come in very close contact with owls, hawks and eagles while doing yoga outside. I've been seeing more red-tailed hawks in the city lately, and yesterday near Alberta one flew overhead with a mouse in its talons!

Waking up around 6 and moving right into yoga is the foundation. The soak can be after yoga or before lunch. The nap is after the biggest meal, lunch, and aids digestion. Birds of prey are just amazing to me.

What elements make up your perfect day?
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Get Out There

It's Therapeutic Thursday! Go outside! Eat nice food! Preferably both at once!
Mercury is finally direct and communication has felt less reactive and more organic the past few days.
I love this quote by Twyla Tharp: "A great partnership is a lab where change happens every day."
Michelle of People's Yoga told me about a fantastic spiritual supply store Orleans Candle Company. The owners are keen to share all their wisdom and they make their candles in-house.
Check out Oprah's list of ten common misconceptions about life.
My brother Sean lives in Berlin and sent me this cool art/design blog.

Short and sweet today!

xo,
Fawn
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Books

I've been working hard the past few weeks choreographing movement for a performance, designing an identity for a friend's business, writing a proposal for an installation, and teaching yoga. To keep up with my own pace I stay receptive and focused. One of the ways I stay inspired is to ingest material in the form of books. Here are a few of my recent purchases from Powell's.

The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga in its original hardcover from 1960. It incorporates Ayurvedic principles, chakras and nadis, traditional sequences, and fantastic images. From the introduction: "Here, out of the secret lore of the ancient past, a young man has expertly drawn together the philosophy of East and West to integrate the individual life and to achieve a basic harmony with the environmental world surrounding us." Ooh, the intrigue!


SEEDS! This book was such a steal for $20. It has stunning photos of seeds from all kinds of plant life magnified 900 times.

Prolific choreographer Twyla Tharp's first book The Creative Habit. She pumped out over 30 productions with as many different companies in 2009 alone! She offers a very practical, gritty approach to generating work. On fear she writes, "Someone has done it before? Honey, it's all been done before. Nothing's really original. Not Homer or Shakespeare and certainly not you. Get over yourself."

What inspires you?


Love,

Fawn
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Burn Out


In college I loved reading self-help books and my focus then was on relationships and the endless advice dedicated to finding a partner. Lately I have been drawn toward spiritual tomes and stories about personal transformation. I guess you could say I am digging myself out of a rut.

Before college I dedicated my life to the performing arts: music theory, classical singing, and movement. My training was all about using my body as a tool for creative expression, and I happily danced and sang and played. When I decided I wanted a college education, I chose to attend art school in part because both my parents are artists and because I was working as a graphic designer and thought it would improve my design aesthetic.

Visual arts training was definitely a challenge. I was not used to being critiqued and had no idea that it would feel so uncomfortable. I broke down in tears my first year when at mid-term my drawing instructor let me know that I would receive a C in her class. In the end I busted my butt and earned a B. I felt isolated and ill-equipped. Conceptual art was easier, and from an art historical perspective it was related to the performance work I been doing previously with Theresa Dickinson. Nonetheless, I got out of there as fast as I could and graduated quietly with a degree in a brand new major with a tiny group of other students. My thesis project was exhibited twice as an installation and premiered once in a film festival.

After that I got a meaningless full-time job and shut down Fawn's performance factory (I just came up with that but like the sound of it). I was burned out. My journey has served me and during that span of time I was enormously creative in other ways: I was a dj, ran a radio station, created a relationship with a compassionate man, booked rock shows, designed countless cd booklets, performed in other people's work, and of course began teaching yoga.

Yoga has helped in countless ways to heal me spiritually and physically. The body informs the mind and the mind informs the body, until you see your way out and into the moment.

The photo above is the "Perform" card from Caroline Myss' Healing deck. I choose one card daily to help focus my attention and intention. I take regular breaks from projects, meditate, include meaningful work throughout each day, and make time for family and friends. I have also started making art again and currently am working on two projects, both collaborations with talented artists. I have a better sense of my strengths and the tools to pace myself.

Anyone else have a similar journey?

Love,

Fawn
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