There are many times I’ve relied on soaring melodies and earth trodden beats to flip my mood from ick to awesome.
And that’s not even including my time at the gym where the playlist is EVERYTHING.
The other day, I felt the magic of music do it’s thing– uplift, connect and negate negativity– and the school bus was involved.
Check it out.
It was G’s school trip at the ice-skating rink. As a chaperone, I was responsible for both G and another little one. Turned out this other little one wasn’t very comfortable on the ice. At all. Her tiny limbs went crazy, zig-zagging around with limited hope of finding balance. I tried to help. She cried. I started to sweat. She fell. I fell too. I looked around for G who was gliding by in unison with the soundtrack. Lorde was blasting from the speakers. G loves Lorde. I love Lorde! Suddenly, the little one with no skills on the ice didn’t seem like such the burden. Team had energized and picked both of us back up.
A little later — on the school bus — screaming children and NYC traffic were the only sounds surrounding my brain. I felt my winter layers start to suffocate my skin, and my cramped legs prickly with lack of circulation. Then something shifted. The kids started to sing. And so did the teachers. The entire bus broke out in I’ve Been Working On The Railroad. Then Jingle Bells. And then some song about how they Ain’t Going to Study War No More. Their music had not only pulled me out of my misery. It connected the kids, and brought us all into the present.
The singing children eventually stopped after over an hour on the bus (damn second avenue subway construction — will that train ever exist?) By the time we arrived back at school I was done. As in brain-fried, body-beat, completely toast.
So what did I do on the walk home? I popped in my ear buds and hit start on Spiritual Grooves (I really do have that playlist, and I’d love to share, if you like…). Pretty quickly I found my happy place.
What’s your story on the magic of music?
Love blogs about the magic of music! One of the 13 Principles of Nia (www.nianow.com) is “Music, Movement, Magic”. There’s a “click” that happens when, as a teacher, my choreography creates a magical moment — the body senses it and responds with joy, my mind lights up just a little more, my heart does a little happy dance of its own and spirit soars. Thanks for being you!
I listen to my music most while running. All of a sudden I feel like my running is dancing, flying, moving with rhythms that connect me to others across the world. Perhaps this is why I love to run so much, my body and imagination are set free to play! Music really can be pure joy 🙂
Niachick, So if I understand correctly, the Nia principle is about how the music feeds the choreography (+movement), and when the body is open, ready to receive…”click” there’s the MAGIC! That sounds pretty fantastic. I need to find myself more Nia! Thank YOU for being YOU!
I love when my running turns into a dance– and you’re right, it’s the music that makes that happen!
I listen to my music most while running. All of a sudden I feel like my running is dancing, flying, moving with rhythms that connect me to others across the world. Perhaps this is why I love to run so much, my body and imagination are set free to play! Music really can be pure joy 🙂
My music magic is with my kids. Nothing like turning up the volume to bust a bad mood or a lousy day. Dancing it out is the only way!
So true– We often throw dance parties in our living room to shake it all off!