Jonathan's Farewell, An Interpretation by  Jonathan Lovell

(on the gift of a dance on the occasion of his retirement)

 

Dear Jennifer,

On the final day of the 2013 Invitational Summer Institute of the San Jose Area Writing Project, which would be my 30th and last as a co-director, the Dean of our College of Education presented me with a certificate of appreciation.

“But I have another gift,” she said, “only it's too heavy for me to bring in by myself.”

At that point Charleen Delfino, the high school teacher who’d served as a co-director with me for the first 15 years of the program, walked in the door.

I remember thinking “Well, I suppose Charleen is a bit on the heavy side, but nonetheless that’s not an especially thoughtful way to refer to her.”

Then Charleen’s husband Ambrose walked in the door. 

Then the webmaster for our project, Jay Cohen, and his wife Cindy (who’d served for a year as interim co-director of the program) walked in.

Then tall and stately Jefferylynn Davis, African American, who participated it the institute in 1997 and went on to become the English Subject Area Coordinator for the largest high school district in Northern California.

Then SJAWP Teacher Consultant and middle school English Teacher Jay Richards.

Then Ellen.

Then Al and Carol Adams, the couple who invited Ellen north from Pasadena to assume a position as a special ed teacher in Milpitas.

And then, finally, as about 30 more friends and colleagues walked through the door and began picking up the small plastic champaign glasses that had been provided for the occasion, I realized that this event had to have been been planned, and was meant to honor silly ol’ me.

I was similarly rendered speechless (a rare occasion for me, as you know) by your moving tribute of a dance devised in my honor at last Saturday night’s Hogmanay.

Not to mention your forethought in delaying the introduction of this “mystery dance” until the mid-point of the second set, knowing my proclivities in the “on time” department of things.

I’m quite aware that others who have been similarly honored by you with a dance in their name are quite a bit above me in terms of dance technique and contributions to the group, and this makes me all the more aware of what a singular honor this represents. I’m deeply moved and very, very appreciative.

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Bars 1-8:
Jonathan meets Paula Jacobson as his first SCD instructor, and “moments" later she leads him towards a group of performance dancers, quite above his level, with whom he somewhat timidly sets in place.

Bars 9-16
The group dances in a circle to celebrate being together, and Jonathan discovers that he has an affinity with certain dancers (Alisa, Cathy, and later Lisa, Diane, and Deborah) with whom he shares mutual interests and passions. He dances a tight gypsy turn with this “collective” to honor this affinity.

Bars 17-24
Jonathan learns to dance more formally, and even on occasion somewhat elegantly, with the help and support of Paula and the encouragement of his new-found friends.

Bars 25-32
Jonathan and Paula return to their appropriate places, now both progressed in their different ways.  Everyone advances, setting towards one another and greeting each other warmly in the center of the set. After acknowledging the abiding nature of their new-found friendships, they reluctantly pull back right shoulders and head back home.

Only to begin again, rather like a Hero’s Journey, with a somewhat new, somewhat familiar group of dancers!