The Winter Starlight Festival #2 - December 17, 2005
A celebration of the night and all its glorious light.
As appeared in the November 06, 2005 issue of the
Times Herald Record.
An awakening among the ruins
A Montgomery woman finds some relief from her grief by dancing in ancient
spaces
— By Deborah J. Botti (For the Times Herald Record)
Sometimes travel is for business; other times it's for pleasure. And there are times a trip is symbolic of a much deeper journey. Mary Beth Hraniotis of Montgomery spent some time in Greece as a child.
"I lived outside of Athens. I remember picnicking at the Parthenon or the Acropolis. I'd sit on a fallen column and eat lunch," she says. "People can't do that now. It's a protected site."
Swirling and twirling out in nature were also a part of her younger years. Today, at her studio called The Meadow, she teaches nontraditional movement classes, such as Winged Cherubim and Nature's Wisdom, for children, and Return of the Goddess, for adults. She also continues to dance with the Isadora Duncan International Institute Inc.
About three years ago, Mary Beth's in-laws were planning a trip to Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. Shortly before the trip, her father-in-law was killed in a car crash." This was an extremely difficult time for me," says Mary Beth. "My mother had died six months earlier. I couldn't even dance without weeping." Mary Beth's mother-in-law, a painter, decided to continue with the trip and invited Mary Beth.
"I went to honor her," she says, "and it was an awakening for me that I could go forward despite my grief."
THEY COVERED 2,300 MILES in 17 days, immersing themselves in this fascinating ancient culture. Emotions came full circle at Ephesus, where St. Paul preached. Although the tour group was notified of her father-in-law's passing, Mary Beth was given his name tag at the Great Theater. She smiled, knowing he was truly with them, and then interred the name tag between the stones.
While most tourists carry a camera and bottled water, a dance tunic is a travel essential for Mary Beth. And instead of seizing a Kodak moment, she slipped the flowing gold tunic over her shorts. "And I danced at the Great Theater," she says. "It was a spontaneous performance. They don't have the same strict rules around ancient sites (as in Greece)... I asked if I could dance, and then two started singing. It was just improvisation to the sounds of beautiful emanations. I was so inspired with my feet dancing on that ancient space."
For the first time in months, she danced without weeping.
Seven months later, she found herself on tour in Greece with the Isadora Duncan International Institute Inc. Duncan herself founded the center in Athens, Mary Beth says.
"Isadora was the new modern woman at the turn of the century," Mary Beth says. "She didn't wear corsets. She would dance barefoot at a time when shoes and stockings were a must."
But Mary Beth says if she had not experienced Turkey first, she might not have responded so positively to Jeanne Bresciani's plea to participate in a two-week performing tour of Greece. Jeanne is the artistic director and director of education for the IDII.
One of the many stops on that tour was Delphi, which in ancient times was the seat of learning and wisdom. Delphi was home to the Oracle, a woman, chosen from Delphi, who was at least 50. If someone came to seek the Oracle, he would first have to go to the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia to empty his mind, then ascend halfway up the mountain to cleanse in the sacred spring. Then he would continue his ascent to Apollo's Temple." Whether a king or a slave, when in Delphi seeking wisdom, you're equal," Mary Beth says.
AND SO THE DANCERS were spontaneously inspired to perform the myth surrounding the founding of Delphi. Eagles were released by the gods from opposite points of the world. The birds met over Delphi, marking its significance."The views are absolutely exquisite," says Mary Beth. "I can see why the two eagles chose there to land." Unfortunately, as the women respectfully performed this dance, a tour guide was not impressed. He blew his whistle and yelled for them to get out of the ruins at Athena's Temple.
Later, the group danced mostly Duncan's work in a scheduled performance at Delphi; the mayor and his wife were in attendance. It was at that performance that talk first surfaced of resurrecting the Delphic Games, which were to the performing arts what the Olympics were to sports. It was also at that dinner that Mary Beth casually mentioned to the mayor's wife that they were kicked out of the ruins while performing earlier in the day.
"What was so extraordinary was that the mayor, who stated upon seeing us perform that 'The muse hasn't been seen in Delphi for 2,500 years, and now she has come,' met us the following day. He presented us with laurel branches, sacred to Apollo, and dropped the rope surrounding the temple to let us stand on ground that hasn't been stood on for decades. To be photographed was even more an honor, as there are strict laws preventing the photographing of anyone on temples in Greece," Mary Beth says.
And so, with the mayor's support, momentum began to reinstitute the Games. The Delphic Games were held again for eight days in June. The mayor even arranged for reduced room rates to spark participation. "It was as if all the barriers didn't exist," Mary Beth says. "We had permission to be dancing and performing in places that you couldn't be in for thousands of years."
Although a bus was available, Mary Beth used the time to hike the hilly terrain, taking in the coreopsis, which was in bloom, and allowing her fascination to wander as if accompanying the sacred goats that seemed drawn to her as well."The colors were so brighter. Even the clouds seemed whiter. And the yogurt was amazing," she says.
When not drinking in the natural beauty of the region, Mary Beth was performing at the Siklianos Museum or teaching a workshop on myth, music and geometric integration."When we all gathered, just as in ancient days, we were all equal," Mary Beth says. "Whether well-published or a student, beauty was created in the essence of sharing... Art transcends borders and speaks to all humanity."
For more information on the Delphic Games, set for July 2007, visit www.idii.org, or call Mary Beth Hraniotis at The Meadow Studio, 845-457-5512.
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Deborah J. Botti is travel editor for the Times Herald— Record. She can be reached at anybotti@hvc.rr.com or via the Times Herald— Record, 40 Mulberry St., Middletown 10940.
