Adventures in Living a Healthy, Juicy Life
by Cheryl Ragsdale
Meet Bill Shannon aka “Crutch”, Dance Master and Choreographer. Wait till you see his video!
Bill Shannon Top Rocking old school hand style utilizing Shannon Technique for Dance on Crutches in a saddle to wrist-hi-mid split. photo by Brian Cummings
I have trouble balancing on one leg. I’m not mad about it and it doesn’t stop me from doing anything I want to do. I understand that if I practice standing on one leg, my muscles will adjust and support me. But what I want to know is how did Bill Shannon figure that out? Bill is disciplined and doesn’t give up. When he was a kid, who watched him practice – and fail – and fall down – and get back up again? Can you imagine being that unwilling to give up? Can you imagine being the one watching him practice? “Bill, be careful! OMG! Bill, what are you doing?!”
“Like one in every 1,200 children, Bill Shannnon has a bilateral hip deformity — his hips aren’t round, and putting pressure on them creates swelling. Since the age of five, he’s been using crutches, and by now, he considers them be an extension of his body. Instead of feeling handicapped, Shannon has turned walking on crutches into an art form! In this video, watch Bill take it to the street, dance, skate and more — all to challenge images of disability through performance art. On the streets, they call him Crutch.” Daily Good, 20 August 2009 www.dailygood.org
Bill shares his thoughts about life on his blog, www.whatiswhat.com He has danced and performed all over the world. Out of the spotlight, Bill explains what it’s like for him to enter a crowded subway car and have no one vacate a seat for him to sit down. “This story shares how labeling and defining the phenomena ‘Weight of Empathy’ is empowering to me and helps me frame past experiences of it.”
ONCE UPON A TIME…
I boarded a packed subway car during rush hour with my crutches, skateboard, a heavy bag of books, laptop and camera. I wanted to sit down, but there were no available seats and no one offering a seat.
I stood for a bit and then to relieve the weight on my arms and hips, I put my skateboard down, wheels to the floor, and sat down on the board. The commotion of my sitting down on my board alerted people that I wanted to sit down.
While seeing me standing was bearable or unnoticed, seeing me sit on the floor was for some, insufferable.
I would never ask for a seat from the people seated as I had with me a perfect alternative that would not displace anyone. Furthermore, it is often that the first to stand is the weakest and, therefore, has a more intimate knowledge of what it means to struggle. In real terms, the old lady will stand before the young man because she knows more intimately what it means to need a seat.
Anyway, upon sitting on my board several people immediately offered me their seats which I immediately declined by gesturing with a smile and a wave. For many this denial of their offer was enough to go back to their reading or staring into nothingness, but some would not be denied so easily.
I felt it begin as a man stood up from his seat and left it empty and implored me with repeated gestures to sit in his seat. His wife, while he stood and stared at me, was also smiling and scooting out of the way further and moving her bags to allow my safe passage.
Again I repeated my no indications and gestures. Still, they both stared at me, along with seemingly the whole car full of people, as if in disbelief that I was still refusing their kind empathy. The seat remained a gaping empty space as time began to crawl and all eyes were on me.
I was expected to fall into line, graciously stand and take the seat.. The WEIGHT OF EMPATHY at this moment was crushing me. The reality of my situation was that I was more comfortable remaining sitting on my board. I felt that the effort to stand up, lift my bag up over my shoulder, popup my skateboard and walk to the seat being offered after going through the effort of sitting down in the first place was more difficult and uncomfortable than just remaining seated until arriving at my stop.
Yet here they are staring at me as if there’s something the matter with me for not reciprocating. I realize that this is a situation where I am now expected to explain myself. I now owe the kind man and his considerate wife an explanation. I’m supposed to announce my logic to them. I have to point out here that I’m expected to explain myself to perfect strangers in a multitude of contexts on a cumulative basis all day, everyday and that even the act of explaining becomes a burden.
So now, I have to decide. Do I go through the banality of another explanation of my complex disability based utilitarian logic to some complete stranger who is feeling wronged and may not even comprehend what I am saying or alternately do I ignore them beyond my no thank you indications and tell myself its just another “Weight Of Empathy” and it will be over soon. I have chosen the latter.
"DOGLEG FREEZE", Shannon Technique 2007, Serbia
Sitting on the floor of the train and looking at the eyes of my fellow passengers as I refused to stand, I wondered if it was maybe just that I sat on the floor – that the floor is a dirty place. Never mind that I am a skater and come out of a hiphop love of the floor. I will dance no matter how dirty. It’s a cultural thing. I don’t consider the ground dirty, I consider bleach dirty. It just occurred to me that some art is so high, it’s just gone. Maybe this is what I should call this entire body of conceptual art…gone with the moment. “Weight of Empathy” 15 May 2009 www.whatiswhat.com
*****
Hmmm…I may not be able to balance on one leg, but I’m really good to have along for the ride in a subway car. My ability to move strangers out of their seats is legendary. With one quick, sharp, non-verbal look from me, people scatter like mice when the lights come on. You know the look, you’ve thrown it yourself. That parental – school teacher – boss look that says, “Gentlemen, you’re not moving fast enough!”
Suddenly, there are plenty of seats to choose from.
God gave us all gifts. Gifts, sometimes disguised as problems. Discipline is a daily choice: Practice. Get it right. Get it wrong. Repeat. We love your comments! Please share your thoughts with us.
Cheryl Ragsdale
Uh, oh. If you see this look, don’t just give up your seat. Probably best to get off the train.
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Cheryl Ragsdale enjoys making life fun. Sometimes, mellow pleases her. Usually, grunge works. Mostly, laughing is what’s needed. Whatever your mood, you’ll find something interesting on www.thatgirlisfunny.com
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