Heart beats and rests, lungs fill and subside: muscles demand rests from effort. Even in a general world of matter, tension and relaxation seem to operate as a law, energy filled day followed by the restful night: or the project that takes months of effort, followed by a vacation.

I decided it’s time my team took a short holiday, devoting us to rest and pure indulgence. My mind was screaming for one. Over, this leisure filled, laid back days….I caught up with my much avoided reading.

My choice in books vary from dancing, comics, management, décor, mythology, biographies, spiritual to Harry Potter : )

5-8-09, Madam Mayuri is engrossed in “Art of making dances” by Doris Humphrey. Cushion filled couch, cuppa tea and musical rain drops playing …ah! The supportive climate was just right. Now, half way through I’ve begun to approve this book as a bagavadgita for choreographers. Capturing the process of anything and taking it beyond a personal experience to etch many a young mind permanently is a bloody tough job. She talks about how hundreds and thousands of students, talented choreographers, professionals and some wannabes have been guinea pigs to her documental experimentation.

I’ve admired in every single page: its simplicity and articulate approach to help understand the book in its entirety. Fragments like: Group molding, choreographic shaping, teaching relationship and form, Imp of subject matter, stage space, phrasing etc are not just creative theoretical thoughts but indispensible for stage creators.

Most dancers are non verbal thinkers and yet, her book is interesting with darting observations, “potential choreographer’s predominant requirement is his Interest in people”. Wow! I thought. “Our choreographers had better have something to say”. She explains how it’s not just the subject but the treatment, enthusiasm for it, innate talent that keeps it alive and makes it palpitating on the stage. Basically, the works for dance creations

It’s the real thing, read it.

Btw I’m not paid by publishers into endorsing this but often we come across fascinating reads, old and new, and don’t recommend our friends to grab a copy too, right? So, do you have any paper friend to accompany others?