When I signed up for New Years Eve at 10AM, I didn’t even realize New Years Eve was on a Sunday, but assumed class would be a small one. As we got closer to the time of class, the attendance filled beyond my expectations. There were 12 of us who wanted to show up on New Years Eve Sunday morning at 10AM.
When I showed up to class, people were mingling and chatting as they do prior to class. A common comment was how great Sunday mornings were for class. A comment was made about the studio being our “church.” That thought stuck with me throughout the day.
As I was doing some continued reflection, I realized, the reason calling the studio a church resonated with me so much, is that for me the studio is a sanctuary. According to Google’s definition of sanctuary it is “a place of refuge or safety.” That is it, that is the studio. It is a safe zone. It is a place of love and acceptance. The studio is a place I go when I need my cup filled. Or when I just need to be. The studio is filled with the most supportive women. Supportive women who will cheer you on for showing up, regardless of if they know your name or a single thing about you.
According to Google, refuge means “a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.” Again, that is the nature of the studio. The studio is a refuge from the rest of the world. It’s a refuge from the stress of day to day life. It is a safe place for all women to show up as they are and be supported. The studio is a place you can show up when it feels nothing else is going right in the world. The studio is a space where my guard does not always, or ever, have to be up. The studio is a place I have always felt emotionally, mentally, and physically safe.
So, while the studio is most definitely not a church in the traditional religious sense, I do believe it is by definition a sanctuary to many beautiful souls. And I am confident I am not the only person who feels the same. I am confident I am not the only person who believes the studio is a sanctuary, a refuge from the reality of some of our lives. Whether the class is on a Sunday or not, the sentiment remains the same. The Aerial Dance Studio(s) are a sanctuary for bad@$$ beings, primarily women.