My Belated Birthday Bash

My belated birthday bash came and went and while not precisely glorious, it seems like a good time for all. 48 of the people invited where able to come, 47 were not, but still it was a nice blend of people who knew me as family and friends, students/ parents/ teachers at the San Francisco School, music teachers who had taken my Orff workshops/ courses and “other.” Some of the people who couldn’t make it included a few people I had gone to middle school, high school and college with and I was sorry to miss them. 

 

The party began with some jazz by my “Pentatonics group” and then we gathered in a circle and I did a 40-minute “Orff workshop” with people who had known me both recently and forever, but never participated in this part of my life. I loved it! A folk dance where each person in groups of 7 got to make up their own motion that others copied, the Miss Mary Mack partner-clapping game that ended in a hilarious double-circle where people played with partners that changed every 8-beats (a la folk dance mixer), clapping with each with their eyes closed! 

 

People then stayed with their last partner and introduced themselves. Part of my hopes for the party where bringing together people from different parts of my life and that was a good way to mix it up socially and get to know a few people. Then the two had to share a story about me and five or so shared back with the big group. That worked pretty well and of course, the stories were fun and funny. 

 

Then the band launched into a swingin’ New Orleans tune while daughter Talia called out different categories and people who matched went into the center of the circle and danced. Amongst the categories were (as mentioned above): 

• School people. 

• Orff people. 

• Friends and family.

• Fellow musicians

• People 75 or older. (Big group!)

• People who met me after 2010; between 2000 and 2010; in the 90’s; 

In the 80’s: in the 70’s: in the 60’s (just my brother-in-law); in the 50’s:

(just my sister, who did a remarkable solo dance that took all of our breath away—well, that was her career as a modern dancer, but her energy and technique at 77 years old was really impressive!)

 

Then daughter Talia added a few more categories:

• People who had read my books.

• People who had seen my movie.

• People who had seen my cry. 

 

Of course, at the end, all came to the center to dance a bit more. Then back to the chairs in the semi-circle and I sang two songs with them, both rounds in 4-parts that got people connected with their groups while making a harmonious all-group sound. 

 

In hindsight, that would have been the time to just socialize for 30 minutes or so and then gather back before cake for a few words, a song and then more eating. 

 

But of course, I was greedy and determined to use the opportunity to share some of my poetry and have the band play again with more attentive listening. To my credit, I cut the number of poems in half, but still about 15 or so. After which, there was clearly little time nor energy for the band to formally play. So we got over to the cake and then people stayed another 30 minutes plus to keep socializing and they all seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves. 

 

So the moral of this otherwise perhaps boring tale is that the things I do in Orff workshops are also great for birthday parties or other gatherings. They instantly get people connected, engage people just at the edge of their comfort zone, but without embarrassment, bring fun and frolic into the event and set the tone for the informal socializing to come after the formal connections.

 

And note to self: Some cliché’s are meant to be taken seriously. More is less. Find another time to just read poetry or just give a concert. Maybe my 80^th!