Hiking the Horizontal: Field Notes from a Choreographer

The book came on time and as described

This book presented a cogent discussion of the evolution of dance as an art form.Insights presented were relevant to multiple fields.

Like her work itself, Lerman's book, Hiking the Horizontal, crosses boundaries in ways that are transformative for all who encounter it. The book emerges from her work in both "concert" and communal settings, i.e., from her decades of experience in both the professional/performance world and in senior centers, places of worship, scientific research facilities, universities, and beyond. So what results is an extraordinarily rich and generous sharing of her keen observations and of her probing, insatiable curiosity about humanity, society, community, art, religion, and, of course, dance. Her insights are simply brilliant, often astonishing, and conveyed in language that is intelligent yet relatable, philosophical yet down-to-earth. She invites readers to wonder and marvel along with her, and her invitation is irresistible. Whether you consider yourself an intellectual, spiritual, entrepreneurial, or creative soul, you will find this book profoundly thought-provoking, because regardless of your specific profession or interests, it will transform the way you think about the world and how you engage in it. As a rabbinical student, I have found selections in the book that are shaping how I see my role as a spiritual leader, how I understand community, how I will counsel and provide pastoral care, and how I understand innovation in relation to my religious tradition. The book helps me see some of the limits of our current societal and communal structures, constantly reminds me of the power of story, and teaches me tremendously important lessons about where religion and art intersect. The book also speaks to questions of personal spirituality, such as wholeness, prayer, transcending ourselves, and our sense of what is holy. I find reading Hiking the Horizontal to be a spiritual experience, in that it challenges me to be an attentive, creative, awake individual and begs me to think - and to act, to grow, and to reach - outside the box. The book, like the author's life's work, is a gift - a gift to a world that is aching for what it has to offer. -NICOLE ROBERTS, RABBINICAL STUDENT AT HEBREW UNION COLLEGE IN CINCINNATI, OH