Facebook Experience - Connected and challenged, we grow.

I signed up with Facebook for work purposes.  In addition to my day job as an English teacher, I teach fitness classes.  I love it.  I teach body pump - free weights with step, classic high/low, cardio kickbox, and Zumba.   Each of these classes require planning and choreography development.  Unless you're a fitness instructor, you don't know how hard some of us work at it.  We spend hours researching, developing and practising new moves and routines.  Zumba, especially, is challenging that way. 

I have to come up with at least two or three new choreographed pieces monthly.  This means choosing music, researching choreography, writing up the choreography, practising it, learning it,  and then teaching it...flawlessly, if you can.  While smiling!   (so much of it is entertainment....)  My brain can only come up with so much original material at a time, and this is where Facebook came in.  A Zumba instructor said, "Go on Facebook, make friends with other Zumba instructors, they usually post choreography and that is sooo helpful."  She was right.  I went on, made friends with other instructors, and used Facebook exclusively for that purpose for the past few years. 

Zumba, being a corporation and seeing another revenue stream, declared that people could no longer post free choreography online if they were using Zumba music, wearing Zumba clothes or had Zumba anywhere in the scene or signage.  So much for the professed Zumba love, and hello Zumba Police.  Yes, really.  People's videos are ratted out and pulled.  Yes, really.  Not getting much help with my work these days!

At this point, my interest in Facebook and Zumbacorp was waning.  Not much choreography to be had, better luck with that on YouTube.  And then a few people showed up. 

Real people.   Real ideas.  Real time.    Not just work anymore.  I slowed in my tracks and gradually looked at what people were talking about.  I saw the possibilities. 

Facebook became a conduit for engagement and exchange.  It allowed free discussion resulting in unlikely cross-pollinations and genetically stronger ideas.  It was drawing opinions out of bystanders.  They were taking stands.   Borders meant nothing. 

Facebook has real value.  I think it can have real power. 

Connected and challenged, we grow, divided, we are lone voices.  It is a community...with all the drama, tomfoolery, affection, and occasional blasts of brilliance that is humanity. 

Thank you Facebook friends.