“a 5,6,7,8…!”

Hey kids, let’s put on a show! That is exactly what I’m doing along with 20 other people at my synagogue in Newton. As co-director and choreographer of “Hello Dolly” I am part of a creative process that is more about the ten rehearsal journey than the two one-hour performances. To be part of a collaborative effort with a shared goal is exciting, stressful and ultimately magical when all the hours of work are finally unveiled on opening night. For me, another magical experience happens each time I teach and refine a dance number with the actors, and that magic is the art of “flow”. The father of flow, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, coined the term to describe “the state of deep focus and creativity people reach when truly immersed in an activity”. Time is lost as mind, body and spirit are truly enveloped in the moment - and that moment can last hours. Csikszentmihalyi recently passed away, but his publications and work around flow and the richness it adds to our lives will forever remind us of his legacy. (p.s. “Hello Dolly” will be performed at Temple Emanuel on January 29 at 8 pm and January 30 at 2 pm.)