Though I generally begin with a sense of obligatory gloom, Perpetual Motion practice invariably morphs into fun once endorphins kick in. I need the purposeful parameter to simply get off the floor where I’ve blobbed down far too often, glazing off into dreamy stretching that is little better than a nap. Of course I love napping, but when stressed napping has become an escape rather than a healing. Opening the door of self-witness was something that I’d gotten out of practice with, not being able to tolerate much self-contact. Now that things have leveled out, I need to jump back inside. Perpetual Motion gets all my sleepy synapses popping, and my body wakes into her story.

In terms of combining this practice with Shadow & Light, I’ve found the right side of my body being very busy with space and time, very punchy, so Perpetual Motion suits the right side’s process.

One exercise in formal dance composition is to create symmetrical designs with the body. These are rather static as it is difficult to locomote in symmetry. With two or four people, symmetry is more lively but still suggests stability. I enjoy considering my body in light of these universal design principals, though they have no bearing on physical sensation.

In daily life, we employ our natural symmetries, for the most part, asymmetrically: dominant-handedness, driving the car, etc. If we could get our eyes to operate independently of one another we’d multi-task our vision. Limbs develop according to the tasks they are asked to do.

My ballet teacher began preparatory barre-work exercises always on the same side, often not bothering with the second side (unusual in ballet!) The Islamic prayer curls the right toes curled under in the Qa’adah. Dervish whirling goes only counterclockwise. (Those of us who do this practice feel how the two knees have opposing torques.) Examples are endless.

In Shadow & Light practice my body has an opportunity to object, react, and express her experience with these long-term habituations.