Duck Dance and Twyla Tharp

The title doesn’t do the book justice. It’s so much more than a how-to. It’s more of a peak into Tharp’s creative mind and her daily practices. Her writing style is lovely.  

She writes about her life; her love of dance, literature, classical music and opera. she loves Greek tragedies, billy joel and Buster Keaton. She’s one diverse, smart, disciplined  beyond the Half Century Mark muse. 

But it’s her discipline that shines through the most in this book. she uses rituals throughout her day. Every morning at 5:30 she takes a cab to her gym. That is her ritual, her way of keeping her body and mind in shape. 

And no, no matter how much i admire her dedication, this will not become my creative habit. 

I may, instead, every evening at 5:30, head to the lake to photograph dancing ducks and the setting sun. Actually i do head to the lake every evening…don’t always get the dancing ducks but at least i show up.