To be human...

Humanum esse est creare.

Creare est humanum esse.

I need that on a t-shirt: To be human is to create. To create is to be human.

This past Saturday I had the extreme pleasure of attending the first statewide Special Olympics DanceSport Invitational, sponsored by Southern Arc Dance Center. (You will recall that I’ve directed a couple of shows out there, plus performed at the Really Matters Theatre.)

I haven’t worked with Special Olympics in decades — back when I was artistic director of Newnan Community Theatre Company, we were asked to perform at Special Olympics. We did for a couple of years, and then I decided that perhaps the Special Olympians should perform instead of us.

I wangled some wiggle room from my schedule as media specialist to travel to select schools to work with their kids on a performance for that year. My favorite was the gang at Evans Middle School, where we decided to do a story theatre style skit, “Our Trip to the Zoo.” Their teachers took them on a field trip to the zoo, and we structured the show based on their experiences.

I invited them to come out to East Coweta High to perform for a class of seniors. Before my cast arrived, I told the seniors that they were going to enjoy this performance. They nodded, fine, whatever, and I repeated, sternly, “No, you will enjoy this performance.” And they got it.

My cast arrived, I oriented them to the space, and off they went. They were fabulous, totally focused, and when they finished and all sat down in their chairs, the audience of seniors burst into sincere, appreciative applause. My cast leapt from their seats to go hug their new friends.

Southern Arc has a class called Dance Without Limits, for people with special needs. Paolo de Manso Sousa and Will Slay opened the doors of their studio — one of whose goals is to train dancers for a professional career — to people who in no way will ever be onstage professionally.

But you know what? They’re onstage in Newnan, GA, because Paolo includes them in every performance.

Then when Paolo learned about the Special Olympics DanceSports, he went to get training, and this past Saturday was the first actual statewide invitational in Georgia! I made sure my schedule was clear, and I went.

Dear reader, it was amazing. Those people on the stage, those dancers, were giving their all, and the absolute joy in their bodies was infectious. Each of the dozen performances, group and solo, was greeted with rapturous cheers and applause, and the dancers were clearly elated by the audience response. I left the Madras Community Center on a literal high.

(Paolo, Will: You guys are phenomenal! I am proud to be connected with Southern Arc.)

What does this have to do with you and your unfinished fantasy trilogy?

Humanum esse est creare.

Creare est humanum esse.

Believe it.