Last weekend I was invited to the birthday of a friend. Lots of people were there. He invited all of us to visit the dance performance “Pink Cast” by Introdans, by bringing the performance to the party location. What a great surprise! Since I quit to work in theater lighting 25 years ago, I usually don’t visit theater or dance performances anymore.
Surprises always have something disruptive. They catapult you out of your routine, into something new. It makes you doubt yourself. Even when it is positive, like a smile or a greeting from a passing stranger, it is disruptive. You might feel guilty, wondering if you knew that person. Or it gives you a warm feeling, and you start wondering why you don’t smile more often to passing strangers.
When traveling, like many people do for summer holiday, like musicians do when being on tour, surprises become part of your life. When on tour, you usually want to stay in control and diminish all possible surprises. But with unfamiliar cultures, habits, food, you will always keep some surprises.
Though I love to be in control, the dance performance last Sunday taught me to let go control more often, and to be open to surprises. That’s the power of art. It surprises you.
In music and food I’m pretty much open to surprises. During summer holiday I will try to expand it to other areas as well. Enjoying other forms of art will be a good start!