Sous-sus: What’s Underneath?

Sous-sus (“under-over”): One foot under/over the other. The illusion of one foot, two heels. The tiniest of surfaces to balance on, like balancing on the end of a pin.

A teacher once told me to think of it as sous-sous/under-under. Gather not just your feet, but your legs, straight and strong, up under you. I’ve appreciated that image. It’s not just a question of placement, but of building a strong, solid, rooted foundation underneath.

For the last year, I’ve been dancing on tile/concrete floors at home. Bad idea, I know. But I kept telling myself that since I’m not a professional dancer, I didn’t need the fancy Marley or sprung dance floors so many at-home dancers used. But my screaming, aching joints disagreed. If I was going to keep dancing at home, I needed a floor that would protect and support me.

Now, I have a DIY dance floor: foam tiles, plywood, and marley. The first thing I did on it, instinctively, was step into sous-sus. I shouldn’t have been surprised by this, but I was shocked at how good it felt. I could actually feel the floor supporting me, a solid and reliable foundation. I could finally trust what was underneath me to hold me up, safe and strong.

I thought about how Jesus talks about building houses on rocks and sand, and how rain and flood and winds can make any house collapse if the foundation it’s built upon isn’t strong. What’s underneath the faith you profess? Is it solid? Does it support and protect you? What might erode it?

Last month, I tuned into a fabulous talk with Judith Jameson. Asked how she had the strength to pursue her career, she spoke of support from so many people around her: her family, her church, her neighbors. She cites her faith as a significant influence.

Perhaps as dancers we understand, more than anyone, the impact of a firm and supportive foundation, knowing you can trust the ground on which you stand. That what’s underneath you won’t fail you. Will support you and hold you up. Our communities, our people, our God.

That is as important for our dancing as it is for our life of faith. What do you stand on? What about your faith holds you up and supports you amid winds and floods?