Hold my hand

It was one of those nights. I went to a design show opening. I wandered through the exhibition, touching paper, reading words, taking in the many ideas.
I was happy there by myself and yet I wished there was you. Taking my hand letting me know we belong together. We share this. We're in this together.
Here I am waiting and until then I save all the pictures and ideas and dreams as memories to tell you when we meet of that one time I went to the design show opening.

xoxo

Ramona


picture via

art.

I have said it many times on this blog how important I believe art is in general and in the context of the Church.
Lately though I have realized even more how important it is that I surround myself with art.
I remember spending time with my two friends, forgetting about time, seeing the world through their eyes with colors and shapes and shades. They both moved to New York City (what were they thinking???  - just kidding) and I cannot wait to see them in November during Thanksgiving week.
Two weeks ago when I visited Dresden the famous Semper Oper was open to the public the day we went and got to go inside and listen to some beautiful opera music. After that we walked passed the Frauenkirche when I heard piano music. I could not but follow the sound.
In the middle of this huge square sat a man with his grand piano playing beautiful music for everyone to hear.

So there I stood and listened as tears started streaming down my face. There was no way I could stop it. I was just moved by the music and by everything I was surrounded with. And I wasn't ashamed of my tears.
It was that moment where I realized how important it is for me to have art in my life in the form of visual art, music, dance, theater, poetry. It helps me stay creative, it helps me see the world through different eyes and it inspires me in many ways.

xoxo

Ramona

On a personal (dance) note

I apologizie in advance for the complete overload of dance that't coming today and tomorrow! I just cannot hold myself back from posting such beautiful routines.
Yesterday's episode of So you think you can dance was again breathtaking. I already started crying 10 minutes into the episode and was at the edge of my chair (sofa) the whole time.
Dance for me is an artform so expressive, so real, so raw it can transcend, it can show what words can't say.
You might say, "oh this is just commercial dancing, it isn't real." You might be right. It is commercial dancing. My question though is, "does it make the emotions expressed and the story told less real if a choreographer put their whole heart into creating such a piece to tell their personal story and the dancers performing such story bringing it to life?"
Anyways, here's two very emotional and very personally imporant dance for me from yesterday's show: This dance had me crying by the first note of the song mostly because of the song as it holds a special place in my heart ever since watching "Romeo & Juliet" by Baz Luhrmann when I was 13 years old. It is fearless and full of trust and a picture of true love. Of holding each other up, of doing life together. Again this song has had a very special place in my heart since last year when I had it on repeat for weeks. The dance is about the process of a break up and the letting go.

I hope you enjoy the dances as much as I did.

xoxo

Ramona

Step forward

I am a big fan of So you think you can dance and a lot of dances just simply speak to my heart, express exactly what I might be going through at that time. It is like I wrote in my post about Art in the Church that art touches the depth of your heart.
At the beginning of summer I blogged about Letting go and this week about Giving up and it is just so awesome to see how it fits together and how I regain freedom and clarity and peace and rest and ease. I love it.
So... to round this up I want you to see this beautiful dance that I keep going back to in various seasons because it is one of these pieces of art that goes straight into my heart.
Hope you enjoy it. It's called "Fear".



xoxo

Ramona

Art in the Church

Today I read a great article in the Relevant Newsletter which was called Why Art should matter to Christians.
The article describes how art is losing its worth in our society by reducing it to a product that has only worth if it sells. Art is therefore reduced to a consumer product.
But,

"Modern culture has forgotten that art is worthy without first having to prove it’s worth."*

Art matters - also within the context of the church. I believe often times the church sees art as something that can only be positive and preppy and nice, when art in fact should show feelings, should shake us by showing what is going on in our world. Art, may it be dance, music, poetry, paintings has the ability to speak right to our heart, it touches our feelings and can transcend us.
I believe we cannot abandon art from (especially) our churches. If we believe in a creating God, then we believe in a creative God also. A God who created this earth, who was able to make such beauty as the Alps, such powerful oceans and He cared for every detail. God is the ultimate artist. Therefore art should be appreciated and supported in our churches. This can be done in so many different and beautiful ways.
Sometimes we just have to look around us to find people with amazing creative potential. We must encourage this potential.

"[Art] is an acknowledgement that something eternal and full of truth lies behind the temporal world in which we live. It focuses our eyes on the pain around us, the injustice in front of us, the joy abounding within us, and the pull we feel towards meaning and significance. Music moves us. Poetry connects us. Paintings shout at us. Dance energizes us. Art draws us back into the fold of humanity when we wander out full of pain, discouragement, and bitterness. It whispers, “You are not alone.”"*

xoxo

Ramona


* quoted from "Why Art should matter to Christians" by Melissa Kircher