Transitions

I am learning everyday to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be, to inspire me and not terrify meTracee Ellis Ross

It seems like everywhere I look people I know are going through transitional periods in their lives. After waiting forever for spring to show up in Providence our seasons are turning over again as summer rolls in. My mom recently retired. Friends of mine are starting and finishing graduate school. Other people I know are getting married, having babies, or moving to new places, moving into new phases in their lives.

Luke and I are getting ready for our move and life in a new city. It’s exciting! At the same time, the period where one phase of our life ends and another begins feels strange. It’s different than a beginning. Transitions are the limbo gray area of finding your footing. Moving in-between. Transitions come with a feeling of “NOW WHAT?” After the shiny and new feeling wears off and before you reach the light at the end of the tunnel…NOW WHAT? Transitions should allow you to steps into a true and more authentic version of yourself. Hello, Caitlyn Jenner! Transitions are where you do the most growing.

Socrates says “The secret to change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Easier said than done, Socrates. Plus, I think saying goodbye to the old and finding closure in your transition is important too.

When I choreograph, transitions can be the hardest part. The movements that join sections of a piece together, change a formation or facing on the stage. Change the tone. These steps and moments are essential, but often they don’t seem to hold as much weight as the “actual” phrases do. When I watch a performance I love to see a smooth, thoughtful, seamless transition. Who doesn’t? Isn’t that what we are looking for in our lives, as well as our art?

Tell me Rabble-rousers, what is transitioning for you? Do the transitions in your life influence your creativity?