We often think that dancers need to be long and lean to dance. Parents often talk to me with doubt in their voice about their child's ability to dance simply because of his / her build. Sigh. Hearing this breaks my heart, however, I understand the worried parent just wants to protect his / her child from disappointment. In another place and time, that may have been true, but today people are returning to age-old-wisdom and realizing once again that dance is not only universal, but inclusive.
Dancers come in all sizes, shapes, and abilities just like mathematicians, lawyers, councilors, and any other professionals. True, dance is a visual art, but it is also a therapeutic art.
Dancers have varied personalities and may gravitate toward the performance aspect while others gravitate toward the therapeutic aspect of dance. Some may use their dance to expand their life, incorporating it with other aspects of their life. Others simply acknowledge their time spent in dance to be a refuge, allowing one to study the depths of his / her self without interference.
The first lesson my students learn is, the most important part of their body to dance with is their own heart. Anyone who is alive has a heart and therefore can dance if they learn to get in touch with it and develop ways to express what is in it. Dance is a language that everyone can understand. Anyone who has anything to communicate, can speak with movement. Even those who feel limited in range of movement, ideas or skill can learn to dance. Range, ideas, and skill can be expanded with time and experience in dance.
To dance is an exchange of giving and receiving even if the dancer is alone in his / her space. It is where the abstract becomes visible. It is when energy is transformed. It is how spirits become free. Dance breaks personal, social, and physical barriers. Do not let preconceived notions of body-type keep you from exploring its possibilities for you!
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