Photo by yonas1.Look, I read the Post every weekend, and occasionally, the Metro editors give their reporters a little bit more artistic license than usual. (Do I look forward to these reports? Abso-freakin’-lutely.) Today’s Metro section — as that lead obviously foretells — was no exception. I highly recommend taking a quick peek at Brigid Schulte’s B1 story about the recent D.C. Council proclamation of “Brain Education Day” on March 16.
On the surface: good idea! Certainly, no one could argue that the Council — or the city at large, for that matter — wouldn’t benefit from an increase of the volume inside its collective crania.
Oh wait. Here’s what “brain education” actually entails:
“…it’s a whole lot of shaking. Students wear matching white uniforms, stand in a circle and, after vigorously and rhythmically pounding their bellies, shake. Their heads, their shoulders. Their hips, their knees. The shaking, practitioners say, vibrates the brain, calms brain waves and helps clear the mind.
“It’s so much less weird than it sounds,” practitioner Joanne Steller said after class. “It refreshes your mind.”
Okay then. I’ll be the first to admit that reliable commentary regarding the effectiveness of any New Age technique is certainly beyond my purview; but even so, it appears as if the D.C. Council just passed a proclamation endorsing dancing.
Get down with your bad selves, Councilmembers.
Of course, as a governmental body who would never promote ideals without putting them into practice — ahem — Council staffers will get their own demonstration of “brain education,” which they will assuredly pass along to their bosses:
In the District, [Council spokesperson Desi] Deschaine said, practitioners have promised to go to the council office soon to teach staffers how to vibrate their brains.
Sure, this proclamation is nothing more than the Council attempting to connect with a portion of its constituents — but it’s not everyday when you’ve got a dance party going down in the Wilson Building! Is there anyone out there in comment land who could possibly supply us with any more details of when and where this vibration training will occur? If so, I’m there. Get loose!
