Getting Jammy at the Jam

I went to a local jam yesterday, which I rarely do these days due to my busy work and teaching schedule. I was struck at first with the sweetness of coming together with food, greeting each other with hugs, and finally sitting down to play consciously with one another. 


Then, I noticed another element of disharmony. There were a lot of competing energies in the space. Dogs being dogs, dividing their owners’ attention, curious passersby, and no rules. 


Someone new to the group had been attending this jam for three months and still did not know the basics of l-base (low) Acro. It started to feel like a free-for-all, and that’s when my Spidey senses go up. 
I saw something almost going awry, and went over immediately to spot a couple that was playing without rules.

They were new to playing together. The flyer was very capable, and doing a good job of explaining what she needed from her base, and the base was very accommodating in doing his best to respond. The flyer was freestyle - completely so - and the base did not know the basics, which made their practice unstable, even though they had some successes here and there.

I ended up starting to coach and by the end, ended up giving the new base a private tutorial in the basics of Acro. 
I suggested other local weekday classes, and over the course of our conversation about his work schedule, invited him to come take a weekend class with me.

Jams are great, but they are meant to be a complement to your weekly class practice. You learn in class and play at a jam. A lot of people who are new to the acro community do not understand this. 


In the end, I was able to receive a lot from playing with old friends who knew what they were doing, and I certainly gave my teachings away for free because it was needed at that time.

Gratitude all around for this somewhat messy, and beautiful practice that we share. 
It’s OK to get messy with awareness, kind of like the cake that I brought, with a layer of messy jam and cream in the middle. It’s OK to get a little messy in order to connect with others.

Please feel free to share your thoughts! #acro #bipocacro #acrothoughts #inclusiveacro #valleyacro