The Unexpected Gift of Saying "Yes"
Dear Community,
I want to share a story about a rather synchronous connection — That is to say I believe that this meeting was meant to happen, that in the divine order of things, this person was supposed to become a part of my life and I, hers.
During the intense pandemic years as I devoted myself to rebuilding my business, I said yes to a freelance dance opportunity that was offered to me by a graduate school colleague. I hadn’t danced in a couple of years since the onset of Covid and the gutting of live performance in NYC and I felt I had lost a lot of what I’d gained in the previous years while obtaining my MFA. I hoped to recover some of that artistry and creativity and discover something new about myself as a dancer.
It was during this project that I met an incredible, young artist named Savannah Jade Dobbs. I was immediately struck by Savannah’s beautiful dancing, particularly her gorgeously long limbs, fluid spinal articulations, and refined technique. Her exquisitely pointed feet were enviable.
But maybe more importantly I was affected by Savannah as a person, someone who had a story filled with dreams and aspirations and determination and who had, like so many before, sought to fulfill those in the opportunity that is New York City. I couldn’t quite fathom what it would be like to relocate to NYC during that period, to a city that is always a difficult place to make it, but with the added stress of a global pandemic and the significant repercussions, particularly within the dance industry. I sensed that this was next-level hard.
The following Spring, I found myself with an extra ticket to a show that evening at BAM Opera House. I popped onto Instagram to spread the word that I had a ticket for Pina Bausch that night and instead saw a post from Savannah that indicated to me she was moving. I was aware that I felt anxious about this, that there was a part of me that wanted to make sure she was not leaving the city.
I realized I was relieved she was not leaving the city. I didn’t want her to give up on her dreams. I knew she had a future as a dancer. I didn’t say this though. Instead I told her my Pilates studio was in Williamsburg if she wanted to grab a coffee when she settled into her new apt.
I then remembered that I had the extra ticket.
This rather spontaneous moment marked the beginning of one of my dearest relationships, one that has greatly benefited me personally and professionally, and one that has profoundly impacted my studio and many of you who are a part of this community.
When I invited Sav onboard to help me out a few hours a week, I had a hunch that the studio would serve as a source of inspiration for her. Soon thereafter, I realized not only was Sav talented as a movement artist and teacher, but she was also uniquely organized and capable in ways I was not. She swiftly created a vital role for herself and became essential to our studio operations and creative, digital media while offering a level of deep care for the team and clients.
Savannah and I share a profound love for movement, self-development, and their intersection. As our relationship deepened I learned that Sav was constantly searching for ways to improve her artistry and her impact. With her background in teaching dance, yoga, and Pilates mat, it was inevitable that the studio and our creative team would nudge her along the path of becoming a fully certified Pilates apparatus instructor.
What’s been truly incredible is witnessing Savannah become such a highly attuned, powerful, and uniquely effective practitioner and teacher. Standing alongside Sav and her curious spirit and being able to offer mentorship and guidance to her as she further developed her skills has been a real gift. It is rare to meet someone so thirsty for knowledge and so willing to dedicate themselves to the pursuit. It has been an inspiration to me, to say the very least.
I wanted to share this story not only to acknowledge Savannah and honor her greatness, but to offer a story of connection, respect, care, and deep trust. A story of saying yes to one opportunity and of receiving myriad gifts from another, a story that serves to remind me of our intrinsic inter-reliance on one another, of the beauty of intergenerational friendship, of following a hunch, of synchronicity. A story about trusting that people are in our lives for a reason and that we get to make those reasons meaningful. We get to turn the story into poetry.