It's a friday morning. It's 8 am and 20 woman are finding their way to the showers in a beautiful old gymnastic building in Copenhagen, Denmark.
It feels like the winter and the snow absorbs excess sounds and here in the basement feels safe, warm and loving.
Shampoo, hairdryers and good tips for breakfast passes the room, as the women get dressed and say 'Bye, see you! Have a great day!' in the doorway.
In the middle is Janet.
She's survived great cancer.
Been through a rough ordeal, with surgery, chemo, rays and all the other crap (pardon my french!) that's part of being sick with cancer.
But there she is.
In the middel of everything this morning.
Naked.
Standing tall and proud.
I am so impressed and touched.
Cause there she is, with a breast that's undergone surgery.
In the midst of other naked women.
So vulnerable.
I am so inspired.
Because with this in mind, cellulite and love handles, ans what not of body worries, becomes so unimportant.
Congratulations and thank you
Janet has been part of a friday morning groove class I have.
She wanted to check out groove for a business project.
I insisted that she came by and tried it out her self.
I knew that groove could bring her something, in relation to having been sick, but how much and what is always up to the individual.
The last day, Janet brought me a birthday gift and a card.
I cried when I read the card.
And again when I asked her if I could tell her story.
As inspiration to others.
Luckily she said yes.
So bring out your Kleenex and get ready to read a story that's both vulnerable and so strong at the same time.
A testament to what groove also is!
With Love,
Kirk, groove facilitator Denmark
Groove Dance
By: Janet
'The thoughts were many before I decided to go check out 'the funny dance' called groove. I am not good with movement where no one tells me what exactly to do. When there's not a choreography and specifics I have to do.
But things happen for a reason. At this point I am already well out of my comfort zone. I just survived breast cancer. With surgery, chemo, rays, mastectomy, reconstruction of my breast, and 1+ year with anti hormons and a sudden menopause, I had a hard time recognising my body.
Life was no longer as I knew it.
This I felt in all aspects of life.
Who am I? What is life trying to tell me? How am I to embrace it and vice versa.
I decided I wanted to live. LIVE life.
I sensed the vulnerability.
I've been so strong during the sickness. Neglected that I could die from this.
But as it is in life, the boomerang always returns...
My thoughts went to how I could help my new self.
I had been warned about depression as a common reaction to the decease and wanted to avoid that.
Kirk came to my mind a few times.
We've worked together and I knew that Kirk had dance sessions with this 'funny dance' that I knew nothing about.
But this was the time.
I know what a wonderful and loving woman Kirk is, so I called her and we arranged that I should come and dance one time.
This turned into six groove sessions.
Six touching and captivating sessions.
Already in my first meeting with the dance I cried. So many times.
It was indescribably, beautiful, present and SO GOOD FOR ME.
Kirk is so wonderfully caring, nurturing and her mere presence, looks, humor and presence could bring out the tears with me.
I experienced a deep calmness within, while I moved around. My body dictated (and little bit of Kirk as well), what it needed and the steps. So I was not completely left on my own, which was my fear.
I gave room to my body, for it to express what it needed. Listened to where it led me and even know, describing the sessions, tears pop out.
It was so beautiful.
I've never experienced this before.
We were just dancing in between each other, without any greater control and my guess would be, that if you took a look on it, from the outside, it looked goofy... but that I didn't care about.
This was about me. For me.
I am not much of a meditating type. At least not as most people meditate; sitting, breathing heavily and letting the mind flow. I am too much of a control freak to do that.
But groove? That's my meditation. So unexpected.
Even during the song 'Don't worry be happy', where we all sang, I cried. So much the words didn't leave my lips. What was the lyrics about? Who am I? So many thoughts that just flowed.
I owe Kirk the biggest thank you. For introducing me to groove. You are such a beautiful and empathetic woman, with the greatest presence.
Another thing, and not so insignificant, I gained from the dance, is movement in my chest and shoulder. After the surgery, rays and a hard silicone implant, I've had pain and reduced movement in that area.
Suddenly it moved again and tension disappeared. And still is gone.
I think it is because I just let go.
It's impressive what the body can do, when we just listen.