A Sacred Shift: A Book About Personal Practice

by Marlee Grace

a book about personal practice, a daily dance documentation project by marlee grace

Genres: Poetry, Art, Memoir

228 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2017

About the author

Marlee Grace is a dancer and writer whose work focuses on the self, devotion, ritual, creativity, and art making. Her practice is rooted in improvisation as a compositional form that takes shape in movement videos, books, quilting, online courses, and hosting artists. Grace’s Instagram dance project Personal Practice has been featured in the New York Times, Dance Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, and more.

Reviews

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of this book.

Marlee is positively charming. I'm glad I got to hear her read this in her own voice. This was a sweet accounting of her personal dance practice. Inspiring in all the right ways for those of us trying to get into our bodies a bit more.

[chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following her dancing since very early on - can't remember when or how I stumbled across it - but she is an inspiration and I was very excited when this finally showed up in my mailbox. Did not disappoint, though I'm not sure I could lend it to anybody without making sure they'd watched enough of the feed to get it first. Which, in general, everyone should do anyway. Gentle, hazy, reflective, dreamy, not too concerned with communicating the details or whether the details coming across are the "important" ones; trusting the necessary details to reveal themselves to each person who finds a connection. Largely composed of impressionistic lists.

And that is my best shot at a review. This one might be better: I loved it, and also the cover feels good on your fingers.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in 30 mins. There's too much white space, this book is basically a journal for me to write it, not a book about dancing. It contains a very long Spotify playlist. I loved the original project, but not everything needs to be a book.

[Candy Heilman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've followed Marlee on various projects & social media platforms for a few years now. She has been an absolute inspiration & whether through her practice, her creations, or her words - this book is no different.

I'm thankful she decided to share these things with us & that I get to have this pretty little book set on a coffee table to pick up at anytime & remember if you want to do a thing, do it. (among other lessons I took away from her practicing & sharing her thoughts out loud)

[H.R · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love her dancing and presence and artistic contribution to the world, but I feel like this book is like the tale of The Emperor’s New Clothes. It’s a list of her Instagram posts and abstractly arranged data around her social media history basically. Very close to zero substance. Pretty book though.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ties in nicely to some of the mussar work that I've been doing. How to be consistent and the barriers to being consistent, on any personal practice.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Added to the list of “Books to read when incredible low and in need of a good cry”. Thank ya, Marlee.

[Danni Fuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with some really beautiful insights about creativity and personal growth. Also there is a bomb playlist at the end - and YES it is on spotify.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s literally a collection of Instagram captions and comments. The project is lovely, and the book has its own moments of loveliness.

[Emily Quirk · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is someone’s notes to essentially, hopefully, write something deeper later. Flipped thru 240 pages in 20 minutes.

[sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's incredibly difficult to adapt a visual, social media practice into a book. I had no idea that this was based off a personal Instagram practice until I looked Marlee up mid-read. For that reason, I think the book falls slightly flat. Additionally, the language doesn't challenge me in quite the same way many other poetry-focused books do-- do not look to this book as an instruction manual or guide-- read any of CA Conrad's Somatics if you are looking for more of a hands-on / ritual type experience. That being said, I think this is an absolutely useful book for teaching and creating and thinking about creating in/alongside the spaces of social media. Absolutely useful for young writers or those who are stuck in some kind of creative block. I wouldn't read this book without also looking at visuals of Marlee's personal practice-- it doesn't capture all of the movement, sound, and body that the videos do. It's imperative to have both and keep both in discussion. Sometimes the method is more important than the finished project, and I think the book compliments the physical.