Wonderment and Joy

Written by Ann Phillips.  Ann is a dance enthusiast and creative writer who works in the Patron Services department at COCA.

Karen Wickline, Ann Phillips and Nan Lin attending Dance St. Louis’ Spring to Dance Festival at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

I instantly fell in love with COCA when I took my first adult ballet class here twelve years ago. I was impressed with the high level of technique that the instructors expected of us and helped us to achieve, even though none of us would be heading off to Julliard in the fall. We were all heading off to our everyday lives on Monday–at the office, in the classroom, the courtroom and the operating room. Dance attracts people from various backgrounds but with one love in common–the discipline, elegance and hard work that it takes to keep trying and never to give up.

I am not a St. Louis native, so I miss out on the instant connections that form with “Where’d you go to high school?” I am thankful to have found a community at COCA.

Karen Wickline and Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton Photography. Karen says, “COCA has given me the chance to meet some of the most fabulous people in town through the classes.”

There’s Nan, a scientist. She is from China and appreciates having excellent arts instruction, which is rarely available for non-professionals in her native country. “COCA means so much to me,” she says. And Karen, one of the most gracious persons I know, is a Washington University/St. Louis Children’s Hospital neonatologist. She will be featured in the Siteman Cancer Center Hopes and Dreams exhibit, with photos by Strauss Peyton. I am always impressed by Greg’s perseverance. An art teacher at Stephens Middle School, he started dancing in January 2007 and recently joined St. Louis Cultural Flamenco Dance Company.

Gregory Ragsdale in one of Morgan Cameron’s adult ballet classes.

The list goes on and so do the stories about our outstanding faculty. “You need to breathe; I want to see art!” Octavio exclaims. And Morgan describes the physics of balancing on a supporting leg when doing a developpé. Mimi reminds us to maintain composure no matter how hard we’re struggling with pirouettes. They’re talking about dance, and they’re talking about life. Practice good technique and invest in the process with grace, class and poise.

These are valuable lessons, and it’s wonderful to learn them here. What are your stories? How has your life been enriched through art? We would love to hear from not only dancers, but also our actors, painters and singers. Because the purpose of art is “to express a joy and wonderment that makes you excited to be part of the human race,” tell us why you’re excited.

(source quoted: documentary, The Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend)