I went to Etienne's class on Friday. In the warmups, he had us stretching our arms a lot. At one point we had our arms stretched wide as we balanced on one leg, with our bodies perpendicular to our standing leg. He kept saying, "Breathe, breathe, breathe," as though it were the most important thing for us to hear. He smiled as we struggled, and gave us little pieces of encouragement or advice. It reminded me of an old workout class I used to attend at St. John's. The Iron Bookworm workout run by Mr. Venkatesh. It was essentially 20-30 people getting pushed harder than anyone could imagine to do pushups, sit-ups, handstands, squats, etc. It was run by Mr. Venkatesh, a faculty member, who had the awe-inspiring ability to do all the exercises harder, faster, and longer than any of us. He always encouraged us with a smile and a quiet, "Don't give up." He had charisma that made you just want to follow him.
Etienne does not have quite the same presence. He is so soft-spoken one can hardly understand him, but he always presents a smile and a clear demonstration of the movement. I suppose it's his smile that makes everyone follow him. Many times in class, the students will be chatting away as he explains something. I imagine only a handful of us are trying to really hear him, but when the dance begins, everyone instantly falls into line. To me, this is the sign of real work being done. Though chatting may ring through the class, no one misses the opportunity to follow Etienne. I've found myself drooping in daily life. It's hard to stand up, as I watch my finances drain. It makes one feel inadequate. But whenever I am in his class, I stand perfectly upright. I feel my whole body and am able to dance well. It is inspiring in the purest sense - it is a room full of love.
At one point in the class, he stopped everyone and said that we were letting our energy drop. He said, "When I dance I don't get tired. I might moan a little, but once the music comes on, the energy only builds on itself. If you add more wood to the fire, it doesn't get smaller."
I am amazed that there are only ever 1 or 2 men in his classes. In all African classes, I've been in, there have been more women than men, but Etienne presents such a clear example of masculine movement, I cannot understand where all the other guys are. Does no one see what I see?
