What a magnificent phrase! It is the direction that George Balanchine gave to prima ballerina Suzanne Farrell during the years in which he choreographed twenty pieces for her.

He told her that to dance his choreography in the way that he envisioned for her would be like “holding on to the air.” It would necessitate some risk-taking, some ‘off-balance-ness,’ some faith and some awe. It was a watershed metaphor for her dancing.

I think that this is also a remarkable metaphor for Christian living in these current times. As a pastor, during the last year or so I have prayed with people facing home foreclosures, unemployment, and unimaginable medical bills. More recently, we have watched the financial sector ride a roller coaster. I have prayed with and for people in the financial industry, as well as observed (with more than a few emotions) how, as workers, our fates are tied to the rise and fall of the markets.

Hearing Suzanne Farrell on the radio this morning quoting Balanchine’s maxim, offered a metaphor that reached far beyond dancing. I think that intrinsic to Balanchine’s phrase is that in “holding on to the air,” we (the artist? the dancer? the Christian?) find out that “the air” has something to offer us.

A buoyancy or a support that is inexplicable, but no less present. Maybe by our reaching, falling or even leaping into the air, we may potentially discover God’s grace.