A letter from our Director, Anara Frank

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December 26, 2022

 

Dear Friends of MetaMovements,

 

As 2022 comes to a close, I have been reflecting on the many changes that have happened and the consistent support we have received from all of you: our community of dancers, students, travelers and friends. Many of you have asked for updates, inquired about what’s happening on the islands, and wondered what we are planning for the coming year— so I decided it was the perfect time to write and to share news and reflections from 2022, as well as our plans for the coming year.

 

I also wanted to remind you about our Annual Fund, so that you can consider making a gift to support our work.  To learn more about the Fund and our goals for 2023, click here.

 

One year ago we weren’t sure what was next for us…

 

We had just closed the MM House in Boston, and the waves of Delta and Omicron had us wondering if a company that provided partner-dancing classes, group trips, and large community events would be able to stay operational. We were apprehensive about our future, but we were working on adapting to the times and experimenting with different options of what we could do to get by. All the while trying to envision what was going to be possible in the next phase of the pandemic.

 

Personally, I was also struggling with the lingering effects of long Covid and the impact it was having on my mind, my body, and my other health issues. I was sent to multiple specialists, but they weren’t sure if I would get well enough to continue as director, or in my profession as a dancer. It was scary, but similar to my outlook with the company, I focused on adapting to the situation and experimenting to see what could help me get better… with incredible support and encouragement from medical professionals, co-workers, students, friends and family!

 

Knowing our plans could not be definite, we kept many things on hold.  We simply committed to care for each other and our community as best we could. We looked for ways to stay connected and support each other through the many challenges of the moment—physical, psychological, financial, and, in many cases, all of the above. We weren’t sure what the future held for us, but we knew that whatever shape it took, we were going to support each other along the way.

 

With that simple focus, amazing things happened. Students and supporters danced and donated. Artists who received support created art that lifted people’s spirits and helped more people participate in something positive.  People checked in on each other more and found new ways to help. And, while helping others they began to feel more optimistic themselves and see solutions to their own challenges more easily. 

 

As our experiments turned into successes, our path ahead as a company became clearer.  My health improved and I became more confident that if I kept working at it, I could actually get better. By summer, we were ready to reopen in Boston and help our community experience some of the same joys in outdoor dancing as we had before the pandemic. This fall, we were ready to host small trips to both the DR & Cuba.  This winter I can say that I have gone more than three months without severe symptoms for the first time in years and am ready to envision getting healthy enough to continue in this profession.

 

Entering 2023, we know that MetaMovements can and will continue and we are excited and optimistic about the year ahead. Getting here was absolutely a collective effort, so I want to share a few of the accomplishments of this past year with all of you — the people who made it possible!