Can we really compare the daily details of one country to another? Can we compare cultures that have developed over centuries and millennia to one that might be an amalgamation of a few hundred years?  I say yes: In my experience working, living and traveling around the world as a performer, this is an important yes!

A focus of late has been where to move and where to settle. That special place. If you know me, this often arises: Inquisitive of all I meet, their stories, where they’re from. I consider my own past adventures and am excited about where to go next! What music is there and how fresh is the air! Who wants to dance and where? I cross reference many lists with my criteria and dreams.

Today I woke up in an American city by the sea, known for its arts and beaches, fresh out of my addictive cold brew and went to a local coffee shop. Patrons are playing guitar, scrolling their phones, meeting and discussing ventures and travel. Dogs are lounging and a small bird is winding through the tables inside. The place itself is funky, with eclectic posters and social messages stuck on the walls, scribbled graffiti and torn furniture. Every glance makes you think.

A place to like – entering is a commitment to its vibe; graffiti and sticker topics include politics, recreation, diseases and acceptance – and if you scrutinize, could find a bit questionable in its cleanliness: dirt stuck in its corners and walls, decaying decor and brick dust filtering through the air. That is overlooked, to appreciate its DIY funky vibes, interesting people and central city location. Wanting to support the independent little place and the creative social messages of its patrons, well aware of the wear and tear businesses and their furnishings endure.

Meanwhile I pictured places I’ve stopped for coffee and drinks and snacks in other coastal communities – places like Italy or France, Spain or Australia, Caribbean Islands or Venezuela – and pictured their unique settings and styles, some with similar vibe or unique to their community; the people working there caring for their places and spaces, local streets, settings and communities with aesthetic, art and culture. 

And I happened to exclaim: “Other countries, their dirty is cleaner!”

Almost a joke, but not at the same time.  

There is much to appreciate here, but we should not fall short of applying that appreciation with respect. We choose how our culture is defined and created. We choose it’s composition. We choose our style and aesthetic. We choose what influences our health. We choose our fun. We choose our dirt. We choose what we value and our attitude in accordance. Even if that chosen attitude is unusual or creative! There are many photos not taken, so many places unique. 

The dance is in the details. 

I’ve danced around the world in big cities and small towns, streets and theatres, dives and palaces. Lately I’ve enjoyed dancing to a DJ in the sand, a different kind of dirt.