As we all know dance is a very old and revered form of fine art. It is an avenue of expression and a universal language transcending material things such as boundaries, castes, race and creed. The history of dance can be said to be as old as mankind itself. We will never know as the origins of dance have been lost in the folds of history. However what we do know is that dance in its most basic and simple form is a powerful thing.
Due to the sheer variety of dances in the world and the vast rich history of each and every one of them, I will focus on Asian dance. This is because I am trained in Kathak, one of the six major classical dances of India, and have more knowledge of Asian dance forms.
So what exactly is dance? To me, dance in its simplest form is expressing ourselves through the medium of movements. Be it classical, folk or modern, dance in every form is used to express emotions or stories. Applying this definition of dance, if you feel happy and start to jump you are, according to me, using dance to express your emotions. Of course the complexities in dances are never ending with the numerous different dance forms available world wide.
If we analyze the origin of dance from its history it can be seen that Asian dances were mostly performed in places of worship or in religious contexts. These included narrating religious stories and worshiping God. The Chinese, Indian and Japanese are some of the Asian countries where dance was used for ceremonial purposes. From being performed in the temples, the performances were moved into the courts of the royal and the influential.
Over the years dance has been performed and used in many contexts. These range from being used as entertainment, social bonding, expressing sexuality, self enjoyment and to tease the audiences in places such as the Moulin Rouge and nearer to home, at the Crazy Horse Cabaret. Dance has certainly come a long way from its humble and religious roots.
However, regardless of the form and purpose of dancing, the fundamental underlying reason for dance has not changed. Dance is a form of communication, an avenue of expressing oneself. Be it a person performing a classically acclaimed dance ballet or a person doing erotic dancing in a club, each dancer communicates through the art form. For the person doing erotic dancing in a club is expressing their sexuality and is in a way attracting the person of the opposite sex. They are also expressing the self confidence they feel. In any form or situation, the art of dance is a powerful medium of communication.
I also believe that dance cleanses the soul, the body and the mind. Personally when I feel stressed or burdened by the fast- paced life, I like to lose myself in dance. I feel at peace, being with the rhythms and the movements. I feel free and in charge of myself. This is a sharp contrast to feeling like a mere rat in the never ending rat race of life. As I dance my soul, body and mind get cleansed. The mind get cleansed as while dancing I concentrate on my movements, on the music and my mind gets diverted and cleansed. Also I mentally exert myself by concentrating on the elements of dance. The soul gets cleansed as I let myself be free of my surroundings, by concentrating on my breathing and in some ways engaging in a different form of yoga. The body gets cleansed in the more fundamental sense. As I dance, I physically exert myself and eventually sweat. This experience can be compared to that of the traditional sweat lodges of the Native Americans.
One need not be a trained dancer or have vast knowledge of dance to enjoy this wonderful experience that dance is capable of providing. Only dance is so powerful that it can affect a dancer on such deep levels. Personally I feel that this makes dance the best from of performing art around. No matter how technologically advanced we have become, people still jump when they get excited. They still dance when they worship God. They still engage in dance in social events.
Dance has come a long way from its origins to present day. It has carried through its journey its immense power. Its power to allow the dancer to cleanse his body, soul and mind, and its power as a medium of communication and expression. I believe that the future of dance is bright. As an art it will survive as long as people will.
Dance has given us the many pleasures in life and bestowed its power on us without us expecting these results. There is a sloka in the Bhāgavad Gītā that says “You have the right to work, but none to its results. Therefore, act not with the expectation of reward for your actions. Again, let not your mind develop the propensity of forsaking work and be idle.” Applying this in my life, my motto has always been, “live to dance and dance to live”.
I have pursued my love for dance without the expectation of reward. I hope I can continue and grow my passion for the powerful art of dance. Personally I feel everyone should understand the power of dance and embrace it without expectation of reward.
