Tai Chi with Turtles

Some of my friends have taken to reading the obituaries. I’m not quite there yet, but I do want to be aware of who has passed from our presence, be they friends, neighbors or public figures. When they’re in their 80’s and 90’s— like the recently departed Ahmad Jamal, Wayne Shorter and Harry Belafonte— things take on a different tone, a grieving that includes gratitude for their long time amongst us. Though still we will miss them.

 

Now another American musical icon has joined their ranks, Ms. Tina Turner, at 83 years old. You can read about her remarkable rags-to-riches life (as I just did) on Wikipedia— it really is quite a story! 12 Grammies, the largest crowd at a concert (180,000!), 100 milliion records sold worldwide, the first female and first black performer on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, etc. etc. and etc.  Alongside neglect from her parents, picking cotton as a child, an abusive relationship with Ike and so on. Spending her later years in Switzerland (where she became a citizen) and embracing Buddhism. Quite a life!

 

I often play her rendition of 3 O’Clock in the Morning Blueswhen teaching about the blues and like many, enjoyed her and Ike’s rendition of Proud Mary. But one unique association I have with her comes from a game I play with kids called Stations. Groups of 2 to 4 kids each are given a letter and have to think of a string of words that start with that letter to mime/dance together when the music stops. Things like “Silly Snakes Dancing Samba While Stirring Soup.” It’s always impressive what the kids come up with, but top of the list was this group’s idea:

 

“Tina Turner Teaching Tai Chi to Turtles.”

 

You can just imagine how they acted that one out!

 

So R.I.P., Tina Turner, thanks for your soulful music and hope you find some turtles to teach in the next world.