Freedom Through Dance
During these dark days of January, many Americans are asking what it means to be free. Does freedom involve breaking into the people’s house and threatening to put a noose around the neck of congressmen? Does it mean bowing to Christian nationalists and conservative militiamen who profess freedom is only for those who believe as they. Or, does it give rise to a pluralistic society where one person’s freedom doesn’t impinge on anther another person’s rights? Many of my thoughts around this issue evolved from experiences I had with dance.
My mother used to say I was a clumsy child who tripped and fell with some regularity. As an antidote, I was enrolled in Miss Dorothea’s dance academy to learn balance and grace. Mom also took me to see professional performances where ballerinas moved on stage as though they were feathers in the wind. The light and playful way they comported themselves as they twirled without getting dizzy and could lifted a leg higher than their heads made their movements look easy. When running across the stage to sail into a waiting partner’s arms, I could imagine what it is to fly free.
It took me years to understand that freedom through movement comes after years of blending mind and body in a symbiotic relationship. Dancing is restrained without having stretched and toned muscles and a trained brain able to direct how the body moves. Students have to understand anatomy, know how each limb functions and it interacts with other parts of the body. Dancers become practitioners of a mind, body and spirit connections through meditation and focus.
The history of dance, provides insight into cultural differences in the way it is used to celebrate the cycles of life. Each society’s approach, is intrinsically beautiful, no singular way of expressing movement more correct than another. Life is more vivid, complex, and fulfilling to students who acknowledge the way people move in celebration of their environment.
Freedom for a dancer is a nuanced concept requiring focus on rhythms and cadence in music that was most likely composed by a stranger. It requires getting into the musician’s head in order to feel what the artist wants to impart, and then transferring those emotions to movement. This is why young people who dance at rock concerts often seem to be in a trance. And, in truth they are–for as they move with the beat they become free enough to display unexpressed feelings bottled up inside.
Producing high-quality works of art is a cooperative effort of performers, choreographers, lighting experts, costume designers, etc. Dancing is an activity that is rarely done alone. Line-dancers in a Texas bar as well as ballerinas in the corps de ballet develop a sixth sense about the person next to them. They move so as to not invade their space, make them uncomfortable, or cause an accident. Being aware of others, working as a team, and developing a strong body, are skills acquired through discipline, commitment, and a work-ethic. They develop a self-confidence that helps people overcome challenges when mastering new goals.
Tolerance, connectedness, and disciple grow from having passion about what you are doing and wanting to share your joy with humanity. For this blog, I could have written about basket ball players, Latin, hip hop or classical dancers. I might have chosen musicians, writers, painters, gardeners, or computer programers, those expert enough in their field to be able to create unencumbered.
For me it was dance that demonstrated the way to have beauty through movement and imagination. I saw it as a gift that brings people together in a creativity joyous way. It provides feelings of unity and connectedness, and after years of training your body to react automatically, dancing brings freedom, and freedom brings power. When shared with others, it is a positive expression of love. But, power must be used cautiously.
To reside in a country where citizens can express themselves creatively, there has to be respect and honor of personal boundaries. Embracing the uniqueness of neighbors, hearing their music and feeling their presence can enrich your life. To not step on toes and to search for beauty in a dances that are not your own, are life affirming actions that make individual freedoms possible. With more tolerance and less “my way or the highway” thinking, we might be able to live up to the tenants of the constitution and avoid another civil war.
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Art works are always for sale. For additional information contact me at Marilynne@eichingerfineart.com
The Studio / Acrylic painting on canvas, wood frame, $ 399.
