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Elderday Adult Day Health Care Lift Line Senior Center Without Limits Learn more at / Obtenga más información en www.CommunityBridges.org or call/ o llame (831) 688-8840 Day services for adults with complex medical conditions Servicios de dia para adultos con condiciones médicas complejas Transportation to medical appointments Transporte a citas médicas Online classes and workshops Clases y talleres virtuales Show Me Your ID By Peggy Pollard, Santa Cruz Waltz & Swing Sirens wailing behind me, I'm blinded by flashing blue & red lights in my rear-view mirror. While I sit parked on the highway shoulder, I hear the door slam of the black & white behind me, the crunch of gravel under police boots walk up to my car door, and the usual growl: "Show me your ID" As if this little plastic card in my hand can prove whether I'm an innocent or a villain, right? But, oh how little is revealed on that which we call an Identity Card. What scant info is printed on this card actually re- veals anything at all about my true identity. Sure "eyes: HZL," height: 5'7," etc. reveals some- thing, but not WHO I am. Not my REAL identity. We are what we eat? What we think? say? Wear? No. I say we are what we DANCE. Anyone can etch some words onto paper, or even blather about who they think they are — words are cheap. But when you move every molecule of your body through space, submitting your body to obedience of an ordained song rhythm, to the liturgy of an ordered sequence of movements from a specific genre of dance— in view of other people-- Now THAT is a com- mitment! That shows the world who you really are. It shows you are ALL IN with something . . . or with some ONES. Solo dancing is nice, but when you dance with another person, or with other people, well, my friends that is powerful identity. This is why Santa Cruz Contradancers whoop and holler as they spin in gleeful buzz step; why Salseros twist and tangle arms with their partners in snappy fervor why Viennese twirl like tops in a swirling tide of dancers around the ballroom, why Ugandans young and old customar- ily welcome guests with simple swaying wide- arm line dances, singing the greeting songs them- selves, or with a simple drumbeat. They are ALL IN with their community. Even the most simple dance can be deeply connecting with a tribal identity On our honeymoon trip to Alaska a few decades ago, Bob and I visited the museum in Anchorage. In its theater, we attended an Athabascan tribal cul- tural dance performance. While drum & chanting music played, the danc- ers stood in a semi-circle onstage. Their simple tribal dance consisted of shak- ing their fists up & down at waist level, while bouncing their knees, and slowly turning their torsos side to side. I imagine inside a very small home all winter one does not have much space. Dancers are limited to very small dance move- ments. After a couple of similar dances, the performers invited us in the audience to join them on stage. Bob and I instantly accepted, happy to be welcomed into such a cultural expe- rience. We were the only ones who did. "Our dance is very inter- nal," they explained. We joined in to the next dance "The Christmas Tree Dance" It was, as far as we could discern, identical to the previous dances. The only difference? Our internal imagination, pic- turing a family celebration around a Christmas tree. It worked! We really did feel a joyful connection to our host dancers. Even with such a simple movement, even with most of the dance being "internal," we shared in their happiness with our simple external move- ments. For a few minutes we felt the powerful goodness of connection with these Alaskan people, by simply sharing their traditional dance together. Less is more. Knowing who you are does not happen in isola- tion. When you purposely connect through shared synchronized movement… you weave an invisible tether to each other. Though simple, it can give us a great feeling of secu- rity, physical, relational, emotional, psychological. When we feel connect- ed with a social group, we feel safe. We grow confidence for our future, you know you have sup- port, the resources you need to survive: Water. Food. Shelter. PhD tuition. Identity = Self worth Identity = Power Identity = Happiness, meaning, purpose, having an important, respected role in our family, in our community, in the world. Dance unites us in a beautiful counter-bal- anced choreography of mutual value But do people today feel such a need for developing their personal identity? Tonight in my dance class, I whirled around the room with a young university student, whose personal pronouns are most creative, garbed in a striking medieval robes and elvin ears. These were purposeful clues to their owner's preferred "not quite human," identity, they informed me. Thus "they" ze, zim, zer.??? held open many options for their personal identity for themselves. So yeahhhh, the value of, and experimentational quest for, a suitable per- sonal identity is definite- ly A Thing these days. A BIG Thing. A Thing so huge that our great university on the Hill considers itself at the forefront of that issue, at the cutting edge of influence for our entire culture, and now college campuses and many others across the nation are doing likewise. And it may seem small, but the now de rigeur practice just in these past two years of needing to state one's personal pronoun is an indication of the need many people now feel to be ques- tioning, or accepting, of one's personal identity, gender-wise, and human wise. Personal identity matters. But why should that stop with just little plastic cards, or three little letters? No, I think we can do even better. I offer a more potent solution to this important social quest. "With all due respect Officer, If you want to see my REAL identity" I should answer, in my imagined scenario above, "then please step aside and allow me to show you." Whereupon I bust out of my car, flash some really awesome Tango and Waltz moves, and perhaps if she seemed spiritually ready, "The Christmas Tree" dance. Now THAT would prove to any authority figure my truest most fully human identity. Because I am what I dance, and who I dance with. No card or pronoun need- ed. Come discover your truest human (or beyond?) identity with Waltz Tribe. Signup by Oct. 26 for November's 3-week series in Waltz & Swing, online or in-person. No partner needed. www. PeggyDance.weebly.com Web photo