Some years ago, pre pandemic times, one of my friends introduced me to the Levitation Wand. She had been posting videos of herself dancing on social media and shared footage from a number of music festivals. Her stylish movements intrigued me. I had so many questions about the wand itself; how is it floating, how is she able to move like that? She highly encouraged me to get my own Dance Prop and this helped start my Flow Journey.
As much as I wanted to emulate her moves, I have been exploring multiple Props and developing my own styles since then. However, I have her friendship and encouragement to Thank for all of that. Flow Arts has been one of the hobbies I’ve kept consistently these past few years that continues bringing joy and showing me personal growth. It keeps my mind and body active, so I hope I’m able to continue practicing for as long as I physically can.
Every now and then while I’m practicing at a public park, bystanders sometimes approach to ask if I’ve attend any Music Festivals. To be fair though, I started pursuing Flow Arts at the early stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Spring of 2020. For the first year that I received this question, I shyly answered that I had been to None. Public events, including all of the concerts I would have loved to see went on an indefinite hiatus until more recently.
One of my cousins found out that I got into Flow Arts and started encouraging me to attend Festivals. He sent multiple event invitations, so it was a matter of me making the time. Some weeks ago in June, I was able to go to one of the local festivals, “Soulnic” at Hansen Dam of California. I went in blindly in terms of what to expect; I brought my flow props and some rations to keep me hydrated and energized. This took place in a desert area and the heat quickly reached mid to high 90’s Fahrenheit.
All the movement kicked up so much dust, my asthma and allergies overworked my lungs that day. Despite the weather conditions, I was able to share time and energy within a safe space. I showed up for myself and had an amazing time with other people attending. Our love for music and art connected us for that moment and I knew that there were people looking out for my safety & enjoyment. I don’t know if and when I will attend another, but I hope exploring more venues will help me find the community that I desire.
In all actuality, the thought of attending large gatherings all alone still greatly intimidates me. Being around Hundreds of people at a time, there is an underlying fear of being vulnerable within any crowd. In my daily routines, I am actively stepping into my own power; exercising confidence, entering open spaces knowing that I am safe and surrounded by people who also want to enjoy their time. My apprehension has not stop me from pursuing my practice and exploration through movement.
“When I enter the event, I feel like I’m Home.” - my friend on attending music festivals. Home Coming Dance.
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