The community of the shadow dancers

Credit: ghewgill

Cathedrals, August 19

Our campsite at the Cathedrals is an amazing sandy bench just above the river framed by a rocky hillside that in the heat of the day (35 degrees + Celsius) provides little if any shade. It had been a long HOT day and the group was tired and grumpiness was lingering in the air. Fin suggested we end the evening with a game or two so I introduced some games from Thom Henley’s Rediscovery book, and as the group laughed through a game of Dox-an-eye I noticed that the propane lantern was casting some shadows onto the rock wall. 

I waited for the game to end, and then quietly took the lantern to edge of the beach behind all of the participants. All of a sudden the rock wall was inhabited by the most amazing shadows – and then it happened. The group immediately started playing – some turned themselves into enormous giants while others took to creating various shapes and forms with their bodies. At some point Shane (our rafting guide) started playing his guitar, then we were dancing, building pyramids, playing shadow tag, laughing so hard that we shed tears – for over 45 minutes.

There’s something about sharing an experience with a group when everyone has let down their walls and allowed themselves to be a playful and creative human – besides the fun, it draws you a little closer and brings a sense of belonging. I went to bed a lot less grumpy and a lot more contented as I reveled in the magic of belonging to a community of shadow dancers.