Shall We Dance?

"dance, dance...otherwise we are lost."  -Pina Bausch

I just saw the movie Pina, Wim Wenders' tribute to the legendary German choreographer.  Visually stunning,  the dancers capture the raw, visceral emotion of our human experience.  Despair, joy, pain, vulnerability- it's all in there, moving, breathing, writhing, bursting...beautiful and grotesque at the same time, like life itself.

Each March I set forth on my challenge to dance every day for a bit:  a dance to a dance-your-heart-out song, a dance with a friend, a dance with my students (after-all, I teach dance classes), a dance in silence, listening only to the sensations I feel.  Each dance is a bit different. each day calling for something unique to that day.  It is also an opportunity, as well, for me to explore dance forms that are new to me and to meet new folks to dance with.

Yesterday at the Occupy Your Heath Fair I had an opportunity to learn a meditative song and dance from the Dances of Universal Peace.  I have seen flyers about their monthly dances for years, but this March, I plan to finally check one out.  I will post ideas for other participatory dance events on the Body In Balance Facebook page and invite you to do the same.  I will also post songs and video and welcome you to share your favorite dancing tunes as well.

This is your official invitation to join in the dancing.  One song a day, 3-5 minutes is all it takes.  Music, no music, alone or with someone else....  In the words of Lady Gaga, "Just Dance."  It doesn't matter how many left feet you have either.  Just dance.  Dance every day and see what it brings you.  It may even make you smarter.  Honest.  The New England Journal of Medicine says it will.  Read about it here.

Shall we dance?

Wishing You Balance,

Nancy

P.S.  Here is the trailer for the movie "Pina."  Double click on it to watch it full screen.  Better yet, watch it on an even bigger screen!  The 2-D version is now playing at the Little Theatre.

Bad Dancing?

This week, in my elementary dance classes, we have been reading the story Giraffes Can't Dance.  This is a wonderful picture book about a Giraffe with buckling knees who wobbles and falls every time he tries to dance.  The annual jungle dance is a rather traumatic event for poor Gerald as the other animals laugh and tease him,  calling him a bad dancer.

I posed the question to my students- Is there a such thing as a BAD dancer?  Some said yes and explained that their siblings routinely accused them of being bad dancers.  But the vast majority of the children said that there was no such thing as a bad dancer.  They explained their thinking-

"Some people practice more."

"Some people can do more things but that doesn't mean that those who can't are bad dancers."

Here was my favorite-

"We all dance the way we are meant to dance."

Yes, a second grade child said that.  Smart kid.

In my book there is no such thing as a bad dancer, but this week it was nice to be reminded.  I haven't been feeling well, and missed my daily dance a few times.  The dances that I did do were of the tiny variety.  One day I danced with just my hands.  No leaps or dazzling turns.  No jazz hands, even.  But it wasn't a bad dance.  It felt great, in fact.

Dancing every day doesn't work if you judge yourself.  Each dance is what it is meant to be.

We all dance the way we are meant to dance. 


Wishing you balance,

Nancy