There’s a poignant Japanese proverb, “Nana korobi, ya oki” which translates into English as “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” A similar English phrase, “Two steps forward, one step back” is often used to describe a path that, though difficult, is still a path of progress over time (It’s a more positive spin on One Step Forward, Two Steps Back, the title of a 1904 revolutionary pamphlet by Vladimir Lenin.) Both expressions describe strength, persistence and perseverance in the face of challenge, or the path of life itself, which is sure to have its challenges, no matter how fortunate you may be.
This week, I came across this principle brilliantly embodied through movement, or at least that’s what it means to me, since all art is subject to the interpretation of the observer. Here, French dancer and circus performer Yoann Bourgeois navigates upward steps, downward falls, and beautifully fleeting moments of suspension, on and alongside a staircase leading nowhere. You’ll find many versions on the Internet, but this one’s my favorite, accompanied by Clair De Lune, one of my favorite pieces of music. We should all aspire to “bounce back” from life’s challenges with such grace and beauty.
Can’t get enough? Here’s another version, filmed outdoors (not sure where, but I believe it’s somewhere in the French countryside):
Fugue / Trampoline