HOMEostasis

Homeostasis (hoe-mee-oh-say-sis):
Noun.
1. "The tendency of a system, especially the physiological system of higher animals, to maintain internal stability, owing to the coordinated response of its parts to any situation or stimulus that would tend to disturb its normal condition or function.
2. (from psychology) a state of psychological equilibrium obtained when tension or a drive has been reduced or eliminated.
3. (from entomology) the ability of members of a colony of social insects to behave cooperatively to produce a desired result, as when bees coordinate the fanning of their wings to cool the hive."
~from dictionary.com

or, from dance artist and Doctor of Physical Therapy Laura Baehr, "it's the constant shifting that our bodies are doing to maintain a sense of normalcy. That normalcy is never stable and the parts that work to keep a sense of stability are in constant flux and change. We have this illusion of stability in our bodies (and in our lives) that there is a constant, almost flat line "normal" but in fact, from a medical perspective (and a dance perspective, and a mental health perspective), we're constantly making negotiations to maintain that sense of equilibrium."

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We're in the process of unfolding what HOME means.

Is it a place?

How do we as dancers experience it in our bodies?

How do we as people who work with other bodies, as educators and healers, hear how other people manifest HOME in their bodies - or not?

What can we learn about looking at how we define HOME and how we are drawn to or repulsed by certain notions of HOME? How does digging into and sharing our HOMES provide more information about us and the way we interact with our world?

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As in the case of homeostasis.

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Language is interesting. The latin "Homeo" means "like or similar to". But, HOME can be very complicated.

Stay tuned as we negotiate our own way of maintaining a sense of stability in this journey.