‘Home is my body’

This image is so many of the things I love, dancing in space together.  I could hear the river flow, the trees rustle and the birds sing.  I could feel the wood of the decking under my hands and the air of the breeze around my ‘torso.  If I did this around people they would react, stare, maybe speak to me.  Here the countryside and my dog just carry on.  I am part of the landscape, my nakedness, my breathing, my scars.

Standing upright your body is constantly working, but we are so practised we forget.  Being upside-down re-connects me with all those muscle movements and my body in space and in doing so it helps block out other things, slow my thoughts.  You have to keep focus or you fall.

My circus teacher would be outraged to see this image because I haven’t pointed my toes.  But my feet are one of the things I love in this photograph; they look wiggly, happy, and enjoying the air.  I like that Colin looks to have stopped to enjoy the air as well.  I like everything about this picture.

Ali & Colin  30/8/2017