creations born...

we were immersed in our own work during the 2 weeks at aTi. artists elsewhere on campus were busying crafting and creating in installation art, book making and stained glass. here's a peek at the absolutely stunning work they birthed ( in just 10 days!!!).

reading your writing

the day had arrived, our presentations. a nervous energy filled the room. we decided to meet in our classroom and go over last minute details for the presentations. Anndee gave us a slew of information before we walked to the Whitman Center ranging from memoir books to read and writing groups to connect with. she handed each of us a postcard and asked us to jot down some words about how the 2 weeks at aTi had been. what inspired us? what made us feel good? what would we like to remember? she collected the postcards and told us that when we least expected, she would send these postcards to us as a reminder. perfect, i thought. what a lovely way to be reminded of our spirits and how important it is to replenish, learn and be challenged.

we packed up our belongings and walked, like a pack, to The Walt Whitman Arts Center where we would reveal, open up and let others in with our words. what a wonderful 2 weeks. now nerves set in. but the readings would go beautifully and both poets and memoir writers shared of their souls.

an offer of an apple for the teacher's pet

together we rise

Whitman

windows on Camden

the class tests out the microphone

let's dance!

Anndee Rocks!

Anndee is the kind of teacher you can't help but love. She's generous of her knowledge, witty, smart and let's you do your thing, all the while guiding and nurturing your work. Anndee is also an inspired writer who sees the world and writes about it from her own keen and honest perspective.

We had finished our time with Anndee and now we had to work with the poetry class to tack down the reading order for our Friday presentations. Here we were, as one whole crew. Anndee was jotting down our names and the kinds of pieces we would be sharing (a la - funny, morbid, erotic, historical).

Anndee got to my name and asked about my piece. I tried describing it as bittersweet, but Anndee wasn't having it.

She replied with a loving smirk, "Intense, I would call your piece...intense."

It didn't matter what we called it. I was going to read it - out loud. and without Anndee and the friends in my class, I would have never had the guts and glory to share it.

Anndee

Peter Poetry

the list

salsa safely

we made it through to our second week of salsa without any injuries, spills, falls or cracks! WOOHOO! Dancing requires one to be safe, especially when dancing with a partner. we have learned to take responsibility not only for what we say when we are dancing, but also how our bodies move when we are dancing.

we, as a class, are more courageous, ready to take more risks and try new things with our salsa. after a class trip to Cuba, in Chestnut Hill, we discovered that salsa is fun and that there are many other people outside our small salsa class that are beginners too.

we learned to smile, enjoy the company of strangers and learn from those who have something to offer of themselves.

dancing is much more than moving your body to a beat. dance is, in a lot of ways, a metaphor for the ways in which we live our lives.

i hope to live mine like i dance - fearlessly, with fun, purpose and abandon!

attempting turns - and smiling the whole way through

dancing

feeling the rhythm

the ladies let loose

flaco breaks it down

camden lunchbox

Arts in education is downright vital. that's why it was so delightful to walk to the park by the Walt Whitman theatre in Camden on Wednesday and enjoy a musical quartet playing classical, contemporary and rock music to an audience of children, artists, neighbors and worker bees.

As we sat and listened to the music I thought - what if every school lunch could be like this? what if children had the opportunity to hear music played by gifted musicians?

I cherished the time i had in the park. the musicians were generous. the audience - appreciative. the give and take of the afternoon was splendid. this is why i teach. to give children the opportunity to learn something new. to give children the option to channel their dreams, thoughts, fears and hopes through a lens that fits their spirit. i know that somewhere on that lawn, that hot summer afternoon, some child was inspired to pick up an instrument and strum, pick or fiddle their future.

splendor in the grass

all ages enjoy a musical picnic

Bach to Hendrix

a sweet accompaniment

giving back

going into the unknown, not knowing...

The phrase, "shake what your momma gave you" has found new meaning ever since our first Latin dance class with Flaco Best. we were forced to let go, give in and learn. We were all treading in new territory with this Latin dance class. Most of us had never taken a dance class, let alone an intensive 2 hour a day/5 day a week Latin dance class.

we were a group of mostly women with a smattering of 2 men and Flaco. The odds were stacked against the gentlemen from the beginning. We were learning salsa, and this particular dance is a partner dance. The men had to work extra hard to dance with all of the ladies in the class, sometimes they had to dance with 2 ladies at a time. Attempting turns, hand gestures, leading, and moving their feet all at the same time. I have to give it up to the men in the class for dancing with gusto and grace. They were wonderful!

This dance class was more than a dance class. Flaco imparted his gems of dance wisdom, which more often than not, applied to life in general. We were eager to learn, challenged from the very beginning and determined to dance.

I am so proud of this particular group of dancers. On the first day we were all a bit clumsy and clueless. A little inhibited and nervous. By the end of our time together we knew how to dance salsa, cha-cha-cha, bachata, meringue. We knew about the 1,2,3 and the 5,6,7. We knew about different kinds of latin music and where certain dances are danced in Mexico and South America. We knew how to surrender to the dance. We found our rhythm.

learning to salsa (and chips)

Flaco imparts wisdom through words and dance

no sneakers here - strictly high heels

the gentlemen discuss the game plan

dancing with smiles and grace

1,2,3 and 5,6,7

deep thoughts with Flaco

Flaco's dance factory tee

lucky bracelets
aka - Flaco's tell (if you're playing poker and he starts to play with these - you know he's holding

hot heels

what must i say?

Meeting in Room 226 everyday for 2 straight weeks was soul satisfying. Our Memoir Writers consisted of 10 total strangers, from all walks of life, all ages, diverse experiences and varied stories to tell. We enriched each other by listening openly and supporting one another with honesty and hope.

Anndee would begin each session by reading a poem. The poems read were often telling of the work we would create that day. From there we would break into conversation about the ethics of memoir writing or the details that enrich story (show, don't tell) or the point of view from where you want to tell a story.

We were given lots of space and time to write and create our stories. Given these opportunities we would seek a quiet place to write and spill our stories onto lined paper. When we came together again we were all given the opportunity to read aloud to the group. These readings were poignant, telling and true. Each person felt safe and free to tell their story. And in some cases, these stories were not easy to tell. Anndee gave each of us beautiful, heartfelt critiques that energized and encouraged our writing.

Throughout the 2 weeks Anndee asked us to write about someone we used to be, about experiences/moments when we felt things change in our lives, about sensory memories (born out of a strong sense/connected to a memory - smell, touch, sound, taste), a cultural/world/technological event that smacked up against our own lives.

During that time I wrote about being a little girl in a big world, resisting becoming a Bat Mitzvah, getting reiki for the first time and the Columbine High School massacre.

Anndee always asking us, "Why are you telling this story? Why now?" Asking these questions was vital and helped my growth as a person, a writer, a teacher.

I learned so much in the 2 weeks spent with my Memoir class. I feel I was gifted this opportunity and am so grateful for the lessons learned. I will take these lessons with me, share them with others and learn from them.

Mostly, I hope to return to my yellow notebook, poems and stories that Anndee gave us and use them to inspire me to continue crafting my stories. God knows, I've got plenty to tell.

where all the magic happens

our morning poetry ritual

coffee and writing

walt whitman - i am to wait, i do not doubt i am to meet you again

(from To A Stranger)

light

it isn't everyday you spend creating, dancing, writing, painting. unless you are paid to do so or have the time and space to do those things in. i suppose that is why i felt so shocked and surprised that i was being encouraged and given the time and space to create. once i had someone say to me - go ahead, write. i felt all at once liberated and frightened. what if what i had to say wasn't funny or smart sounding, interesting. i did know that once i put pen to paper my words came spewing out. i couldn't stop them, they flowed and flew and grabbed the paper. it was a release, an exhale. it was all at once frightening and reassuring. i have the power within me to let go and i have the power within me to hold on. it is about finding a balance and recognizing the need you have to create and express yourself. i had not done those things for myself in a long, long time. almost like a genie in a bottle.

during our memoir class yesterday Andee asked us to break-up into groups of 3 and bounce our ideas off one another for a possible memoir. i worked with 2 fantastic gentlemen who were supportive, kind, open and generous. we listened to one anothers ideas. we shared in awkward silences and laughter and we gave each person the space to share their voice and their story along with it. it is a scary thing to put yourself inside-out for others to see. especially, strangers. but i placed my trust in these class members and i received what i needed.

we were then set off on our own to write. i found a quiet bench near the library, took my pen and pad out and tried to write. thoughts flooded. some complete sentences, other words, phrases, memories. pages were filled with scribbles and pain and laughter and fear. but after 90 minutes of scratching and clawing for a beginning - i wrote.

again we were asked to get back into our groups of 3 and read and respond. i felt a little crazy reading what i wrote and felt vulnerable and open. again, the group members gave me just what i needed: encouragement, thoughtful question and belief in myself. i am proud of my work and proud of the group members for their open hearts.

sweet-n-sour soul searching

a group member brought in a russian candy for the memoir class to share, akin to the american candy chuckles. lo and behold, another class member found chuckles in the vending machine downstairs.

a flood of thoughts, fears, memories and dreams

a bit of writer's block

his dancing shoes

her dancing shoes