ENGAGING WITH INTERPLAY: Finding a new way being through InterPlay and facilitating Atlanta InterPlay using social media

ATLANTA INTERPLAY HOSTS SOYINKA RAHIM. On September 16, 2013, Atlanta InterPlay had the wonderful opportunity to take part in Soyinka Rahim's workshop, "Race Dance: Exploring Connections and Actions," at the Little Five Points Community Center in downtown Atlanta. This photo (taken by Stell Simonton) shows how energized our group was after engaging in the forms of InterPlay and talking about race and racism.

Hallelujah for times in our life when new avenues open up. We take the highway, the grueling interstate, the long road. We become travelers, pilgrims, sojourners. In doing so, we long to find THE way, or A new way of being. Just because LIFE is about LIVING, and that LIVING requires that we grow, ripen, flower--MANFIEST.

JENNIFER DENNING, Atlanta InterPlay Leader (photo by Ruth Schowalter)

Well, dear readers, on my interstate (interlife) journey, driving down the road, I recently took the exit ramp to go town with InterPlay!  

Here in Atlanta, we are so lucky to have two certified leaders of InterPlay, Jennifer Denning and Debra Weir, who have been conducting InterPlay workshops for the past five years.

How satisfying it was for me to meet Jennifer Denning, at a  time in both of our lives when we might learn from one another and support each others growth. 

Jennifer opened up the world of InterPlay for me here in Atlanta. I had bought, perused, and meditated on several InterPlay books (What the Body Wants, Dance, the Sacred Art, and Chasing the Dance of Life). However, there just ain't nothing like the richness that occurs when DOING or BEING in InterPlay. Thank you Jennifer, who has led these InterPlay workshops that I have participated in!

For Jennifer, and eventually for me (because I hope to train to become an InterPlay leader), I am facilitating the growth and development of Atlanta InterPlay through the use of social media, first with Facebook and then with an Atlanta InterPlay website. 
 

PLAYING and PLOTTING WITH JENNIFER. Collaborating with Jennifer Denning (left) is fun. We discussed InterPlay and how to use social media to promote it in the Atlanta metropolitan area while at the park with her four-year-old son Nate. Even though we attempted to get Nate to take this photo, we finally asked another park visitor to help us take this shot.

Right now, our beautiful city of Atlanta in increasing its offerings of InterPlay events. Soyinka Rahim just facilitated "The Race Dance: Exploring Connections and Actions." Then this October (2013), Cynthia Winton-Henry and Sheila Collins are offering a three-and-a-half day "untensive" called Secrets of InterPlay. And looking forward to 2014, Sheila Collins will return to Atlanta to facilitate the InterPlay Life Practice Program, which will take place on four different weekends (go here for more information).

Jennifer envisions a time for Atlanta when every night there will be a different InterPlay event going on somewhere, each with a leader who has developed his or her own "flavor" of doing InterPlay. Who knows, maybe, I will be one of those differently flavored teachers.

Life is a Journey, a highway, an interstate...where each one of us goes is up to us. For now, I am happy to be learning more about how to have fun, be in the moment, and am glad that InterPlay offers a way to do this. 

That's Coffee With Halleujah! SOUL BLOG with me and ask me questions. Give me encouragement. Tell me about your highway journey!

PLAYING MAKING SHAPES. Jennifer and I were unaware that we were synchronizing movements as my husband, Tony Martin, took this photo of us at one of Jennifer's Atlanta InterPlay playshops. Notice that my friend, Lesly Fredman, is observing us. We took turns moving and being witnessed by others--how wonderful to be seen!