'Breathe and express' captures the core of every form of human expression

It wasn't just the usual zombie ride to work on the subway for me this morning.

Standing next to me from Bloor to King stations was a young man, probably in his early 20s, who was giving a friend an expertly detailed critique of a ballet choreographed by the late master, Sir Kenneth Macmillan. This man didn't look or carry himself like a dancer, but he spoke as if he had intimate knowledge of the artform.

At one point, he spoke of "breathe and express," as a way for dancers to pace their performances, as well as give them a better defined emotional shape.

It was one of those moments that focused so much of what any artist needs to do in performance -- be it an author shaping a manuscript, to a string quartet working together on stage. It also has a wonderfully Zen feel to it.

it could also be a new form of morning yoga: Breathe and express.