April Fools
2025
As I approached a milestone birthday this year, I became determined to make my actual day the Best Day Ever.
(achieved, dw!)
Leading up to my Actual Day, I realized there were many birthdays I had shoved under the rug, dismissed as frivolous, and never gave their deserved reverence.
To have more assurance I’d be up to the task of honoring my milestone proper, I simply wanted a little more practice at birthdays before my AD!
Thus, My April Fool’s Dance was born.
. . .
A day-long performance where everyone in NYC told me “Happy Birthday” and the energy culminated in a public presentation of dance at sunset.
My April Fool’s Dance was a public dance performance and reclamation ritual ~
held April 1, 2025 on the
NE Corner of Bryant Park
- Midtown New York City -
17.20
5.20PM
I arrived at the park on pink rollerblades, with ethereal music moving out through the speaker attached to my back.
Traveling from an electrolysis appointment, where I received a generous charge, the sound moved through the back of my spinal cord into the core of my bone structure, and eventually out/down/up through the rest of my body.
The OUT went into my arms, as I used a circular pathway to create sort of counterweight propellers. Using this method I rolled with great speed and little to no effort- just momentum and swinging and circles.
The DOWN went through the bottoms and tops of my feet into the structure of my rollerblade, and eventually twirled into the asphalt of Times Square through my wheels.
The UP through my gaze, my crown, and into the vertical grid structure of midtown Manhattan.
While discovering where the space wanted me to frolic, I was confronted with about 45 jugglers in the prime area behind the library I’d envisioned for my performance.
Said to myself, “That is definitely their space today. Only makes sense. April Fools- Jugglers- of course it’s theirs today. Duh!”
Nearby this pack of jugglers, my speaker landed on top of a bronze storm drain within a red brick walking path.
This path connects streets 41 and 42.
I was on the
third drain from the
42nd St entrance.
Once settled in space, I played through one round of a country music album that makes me feel close to my mother.
I attracted a lot of attention at first.
First song (commanding manifesto) had a crowd of about 45-50 while I bladed around my speaker with two pairs of ultra-large sunglasses on my head.
Second song (softer tune), the crowd closely encased around me spread. Realizing my performance would be durational, those wanting to stay found themselves a seat.
I appreciated those who gave me their profiles while they took in another area of the park, casually checking back in on my dancing every now and again. It was a fun exercise to imagine what they were seeing, the day they were having, and also gave me a sense of embedded protection in moments of real release.
One particularly fun moment was when a group of five girls from the original first-song-crowd came back! They asked to join me and the six of us danced in a circle around my speaker over the drain.
The sky was blue,
the clouds were white,
the landscape was lush and green,
people passed and smiled with teeth,
couples kissed and laughed,
many thanks were exchanged,
and love flowed easy.