There so many things that have happened since I started this blog. As I think about leadership in the dance, I am really reminded of the servant leader model. So many people have very different ideas about leadership. Some believe if I am a leader you must follow me. Others believe leaders can’t be trusted and don’t have anyone’s best interest at heart except their own. I like think that leadership implies the ability to follow as well. Leadership is a conversation. So is dance. It’s a conversation inviting another to be and do something that is outside of themselves. The conversation requires trust in the other and a degree of listening to how the other responds and a deeper listening around the others basic needs, which is about connection with the human soul in a real and substantive way.

Ok, how does one communicate in this way? I believe it requires us to be aware of our own inner conversations about ourselves and what we think another might think of us. It requires the ability to be in “enrollment.” A fancy word describing the skill of “being with” and person and “being in their world.” It requires that we give up our own ego for that moment to understand and connect with another’s true self and essence. Yes, it’s not easy to do. In my leadership development classes that I teach and have attended, there are exercises that we do to help us get out of ourselves and be with another person to show that they have been “gotten” by us. But…you ask, how do we do this in the dance, when there is virtually no or little verbal communication in a three to four minute song? Great question indeed. In subsequent posts, I will attempt to talk about the various aspects of creating connection with another human being both in the dance and leadership outside of the dance. A foundational aspect of servant leadership and creating connection, is to be void of ego. Easier said than done, of course. However, it is a necessity if any connection can be made on a deep level.