When my mom got home, she'd kick off her shoes. Following in her steps, I would, too. She was my reminder that bare feet feel great..
Of course, in a world of chemicals, rocks, broken glass and rusty nails, shoes make sense. Flip-flops make sense, too. They're comfortable and cool and usually protect us enough -- a happy compromise. But, though they're flat and look relaxed, watch someone walk in them and you can see that they're not totally unlike high heels: both of them substantially change the way we naturally walk.
According to my anatomy book, there are 26 bones, 31 joints and 20 muscles in every foot. It's a complex design made for high demands, in strength and subtility. Feet carry our weight (and more), cushion our steps, adjust to the floor and roll us, not just forward, but also backwards and sideways, at many an angle.
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Dancers spend hours massaging, pointing and flexing their feet. They draw circles, inwards and outwards, to ease up their ankles, where foot and force of the leg meet. And, when this is done, some dancers slip their flip-flops back on and shuffle off, as flat-footed and stiff-ankled as a geisha.
Next time you see someone in flip-flops, stop and listen. It's rare that they go flip and, then, flop. They would if, like normal, we rolled through our feet. But, instead, we tend to carry and place them down carefully, so that the sound is minimized. In other words, we consciously carry the very things that are supposed to support us. (With high heels, we stabilize the things that are supposed to support us.) It defies a certain structural logic. It seems like self-sabotage.
Now, I'm not very interested in fashion. I just like variety and the fact that people can change. But, I also like continuity. I like that we can do our thing -- dance, yoga, qigong or tai-chi -- and, then, continue exploring when we pack up and leave. Because we can't be schizophrenic about deep change.
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Luckily, we can't be too earnest, either. Awareness of difference is a major part of exploring movement. Differences can clarify each other -- and the whole. So, if you've bought Birkenstocks and feel like you're losing your soul, throw back on something unreasonable, at least, once in while. It has to do you good, somewhere. And, if you remain curious, that's a good-enough place to start.
OK, so I'm going to start exploring momentarily, as soon as I put on the Florida State Shoes, my customary flip flops. Do Birkenstocks really alleviate the problems you're suggesting with flip flops? (They're so ugly, I've never been able to bring myself to wear them, but I'm curious.)
ReplyDeleteTwenty-plus years of modern dance has left my feet strong, fexible and SO wide that they're almost impossible to fit into normal shoes. Yet -- I agree -- I still won't wear Birkenstocks because they're so darn ugly.
ReplyDeleteBut, they are sandals, with straps going over the top of the foot. And, that means you don't have to worry about them falling off when you walk dynamically. You don't have to grip on to them with your toes. (I'm sure you've got a classy pair of sandals in your closet, somewhere. Doesn't Florida State make those, too?)