TRAVEL STORY: LASH’S NIGHT AT THE SYMPHONY

St Petersburg, Mahaffey Theater

St Petersburg, Mahaffey Theater

TRAVEL STORY: LASH’S NIGHT AT THE SYMPHONY

Last week my mom unexpectedly invited me to attend the symphony. Now there was a proposal. Ever since I’d started living and traveling in Asia 20 years ago, I have rarely attended a symphony. It’s no longer part of my world. But that has not always been the case. I’d grown up as an aspiring ballet dancer. As a result, most of my childhood and teen years had been filled with classical music almost daily. Beethoven, Bach and Mozart had been a big part of my youth.

Lash dressed for symphony in St Petersburg

dressed for the symphony

Certainly I was interested in attending the symphony with my mom. Besides, I absolutely love getting dressed up and going out to events. I readily agreed to join her. Little did I know all that awaited me on a simple night out to the symphony…I dug out my floor-length raspberry and gilded silk skirt, silk blouse, and lime-green designer vest, stepped into my 4 inch platform shoes, splashed on my favorite Parisian perfume, and excitedly accompanied my mom to St Pete’s famous Mahaffey Theater to hear several classical pieces, including Carmina Burana. As we approached the theater, we came upon a massive line of cars filing into the busy theater parking lot. Once parked, we walked to the theater itself, where we stumbled upon a huge throng of well-heeled and excited guests, all a-buzz for the Florida Orchestra season’s opening night.

My mom was so excited, she was practically skipping through the plaza, eyes all a-glow, and voice transformed to high-pitched sqeaks, as she nearly hyper-ventilated from the thrill of it all. “Oh, isn’t this sooo exciting?,” she managed to squeak. It was indeed.

In my former life, in the USA, prior to moving to Japan in 1991, I had enjoyed my first career as a hair designer while putting myself through university. For years, I had been entirely steeped in the hair, fashion, make-up, and art world of Pittsburgh, Pa and beyond. But I’d given that all up to travel the world. With no regrets, I might add. Well, on second thought, maybe I’d like to get dressed up once in while… like tonight.

My mom nervously dashed to her seat. I took the opportunity to sashay around the Mahaffey, admiring the variety of fabulous fashions and hairstyles on display. I was surprised at the remarkable variety. In addition to the all-too-expected conservative upper-class theater attire, I came across many artistically inspired outfits, showy fashion ensembles, and even a few punks sporting piercings, dark make-up, tattoos, spiked hair, and even a mohawk. Yes! They reminded me of myself, back in the day. I was pleased to see someone carrying on the tradition of anti-tradition.

Eventually it was time to claim my seat in the auditorium and enjoy the performance. My unexpected evening proceeded to unfold. During the first piece, I marveled at the sweet sounds of violins, cellos, woodwinds, and percussion, all singing smoothly together under the conductor’s expert guidance. How lovely to once again enjoy the sounds of my childhood life as a ballerina.

The second song, however, did not hold my attention to the music itself. Instead, I quickly found my mind wandering back to all the performances and events I’d attended during university / hair designer days, dressed in my finest, or most outrageous, as I’d once striven to do: to ballet performances, modern dance series, theatrical plays, art exhibits, museum openings, fashion shows, hair extravaganzas, underground art events, performance art events. All my old friends, collaborators and fellow performers drifted back through my mind. I delighted in many of my most outrageous ensembles: Indian saris; head-to-toe lavender, including my hair; fetish days of pleather and pvc, all with a smooth-shaved head; goth days of lily-white skin and ink black make-up; hats and wigs of all colors, lengths, and styles; Doc Martens and mini skirts; floor-length red silk gowns… yes, I’d worn them all. All those rich memories were brought back to life through the symphony concert in Florida.

During the third piece, I was returned to my very first life: as a dancer. By the time I’d turned 15 years old, the only thing I aspired to become was a professional dancer. I’d started dance life studying ballet, as nearly every professional does. But it gradually became apparent that I was much more suited to modern dance. My personality, character, body type, interests and style of movement all were screaming ‘modern’. I mean, seriously, can you ever imagine Lash as a delicate, whispy soft ballerina? I didn’t think so. That was all well and fine with me: I loved modern dance.

Perhaps I’d been a promising young talent. I’d received a dance scholarship to Governor’s School for the Arts at 16. While there, the piece I’d choreographed was selected as one of only five to present to the Governor of Pennsylvania at the culmination of our 6-week scholastic program. At 17 I skipped my senior year of high school to attend Point Park College for dance. Perhaps I was a good dancer, I certainly put my heart and soul into it. But my real forte lied in choreography. I literally saw dances forming in my head when I heard music that struck me. I even choreographed dances in my head with no music at all. The visions just sprung into my mind, with ease, and regularly, without any conscious attempt on my part. I was just a dance composer.

But I eventually quit dance, afraid of winding up a ‘starving artist’, slaving away at some crappy waitress job and pouring my soul into auditions. I quit from the fear of it all. However, I only lasted 2 years without dance in my life before I started taking dance classes again. It wasn’t long before I was dancing in two small modern dance troupes in the city. And not long after wards that I began choreographing and performing my own pieces around the city. That was all simultaneous to my budding hair design career and attending university. Then one day I graduated from University and moved to Japan.

When I left the USA, I thought I’d have to give up dance altogether. Instead, I found the best dance school I’d had to date, in Osaka, Japan, much to my astonishment. I continued studying dance and performing during my 6 years living in Kyoto. I even joined a Butoh dance troupe, led by famous Katsura Kan, and performed with them for 2 years.

Fast forward to Oct. 15, 2011, Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg, Florida… During the evening’s third symphony, I miraculously discovered my mind once again spontaneously choreographing dances to the ebb and flow of classical music. That took me by surprise. An imagination I hadn’t used in over 15 years suddenly sprang to life again.

I also noted, wryly, that I was not actually so very enamored of classical music itself. Sure it was lovely. For a short time. But, as had always been the case with me and classical music, the music was more like an avenue to unleash creative potential and a drifting mind. Case in point: this evening. In a mere two-hour slice of my life, I’d recounted most of my previous life in Pittsburgh, Pa. I’d been taken back to my first love: dance. And I’d choreographed dances in my mind again. All due simply to getting dressed up and attending the symphony orchestra with my mom! Well!

Even more interestingly, I discovered that by the final piece of the evening, my mind began composing not dances, but stories. I composed this very story in my head as I sat in Mahaffey Theater listening to Carmina Burana. Unwittingly, it seems, I’ve been transformed from a choreographer into a writer.

Lash at book signing- St Pete

at my recent book signing

What a night at the symphony! Compliments to my mom who got me there.

You might also like:

Chihuly Glass Collection, St Petersburg
Salvadore Dali Museum in Florida…Eh?
St. Petersburg: Jewel in the Muck of Vacationland Florida
Culture Shock! The Strangeness of Being in the USA
Photo Gallery: Waterbirds of Florida

LashWorldTour HOME