Quote:
Originally Posted by GypsyBlueEyes
Could all of this have been caused by her wearing those boots all these years? I know that it could have caused severe back problems, which perhaps could have caused neck problems as well...I never thought about arthritis though. Imagine all the stress walking around in those things for so long has caused her joints. Suddenly I'm starting to resent the damn boots  |
I don't think there is anything about her movements on stage that is consistent with back pain or arthritis, e.g., bending down at the microphone, the homage to Martha Graham at the end of GDW, windmilling her tambo around in the air, etc. And if you listen to her tambo playing off-mic, you can hear that she is going at it very seriously in time with the music, e.g., "World Turning." A person with arthritis and/or back pain would not be so nimble, flexible and smooth. Yes, her movements are gentle, slow and graceful... but if you think about it, she has been this way ever since she detoxed from coke in her late 30's. Yes, our best memories of Mama are of her doing high kicks, chicken dancing, running in place and thrashing her head around. But that had more to do with the marching powder than inspiration.