Dancing Without Music!

Dancing Without Music!

©Allen Merritt (2015)

Over the past several months of writing On a Positive Note I have focused on personal stories, anecdotes, challenges and exercises on how to basically turn things around and focus away from things we entertain as the ‘negative’. From personal experience, I know how important it is to stay focused, enlightened, energetic and enthused about our lives and the world around us; and, I say that despite all the chaos and calamity often thrown in our faces.

This week I find myself pondering the idea of dancing. Back in the day I worked hard to become a dancer, but learned I was better off as a person who moved well. This was because I was short and stocky in stature. I loved movement and the expressiveness of the dance. I guess it came from being a little wiggle worm as a child. I always had to be active and on the go, off and wondering in my own little world. I realize now most of that came easily as a necessary means of survival. With this in mind I hope you find something positive in the following take-aways.

I danced. I goofed around pretending I was on a stage entertaining the masses. In real life, I was ignored and no one paid much mind or attention to me. As a result, I was on my own to find something to do and anything to be from moment to moment.

In my late teens I took up ballet, tap and jazz dance classes. I was in my element. Through dance I found a way back to myself; better yet, found more of myself; discovered a bit of who I was.

Fast forward (and many years later), I realize how important that dance was. I still love the idea of being silly and goofing around with a little movement. It can be fun and funny and lighten the load when the load is so heavy we feel weighed down and unable to budge, let alone move or dance. Life is a sort of dance of various genres. Sometimes we do not know the steps, but often it doesn’t matter.

Recently, I read a story about a social dance without any music and it made me stop and think about all my dancing days. This particular social was not greatly successful in part because there wasn’t any music and many people don’t understand how to create their own music or beat for which to dance by. Therefore, it becomes awkward and no one dances. Instead, they stumble, give up and stop dancing altogether.

Dancing in one way or another pushed me out of my comfort zones and stretched my imagination and ability to see things from another perspective, which directly correlates to how I can experience and feel the negative energies and somehow still rise above them or completely step away from them. There is something to the feel good idea that comes with moving and dancing around which inspires me.

Here’s the thing: 

• I see young people with headphones on dancing. I don’t hear the music, but I see them dancing anyway.
• I notice young children often dance without music. They don’t need it. They just go to town with or without it.
• Rehearsing for a dance number in a show often requires dancing without music while the performers learn their choreography to counts. The music comes later. I am thinking there is music within which helps us to dance. We only need to tap into it. Do we really need music to celebrate movement?
• In movie scenes depicting dancing in a club with dialogue going on between some of the speaking characters, they film it with and without the music. The dancers have to dance without the music while the dialogue is going on just as if the music really was playing. 

So in some sense, we all go through life dancing without music as often as not.

LeeAnn Womack has a song titled, “I Hope You Dance.” I think the song became so popular because it reminds us to explore, take chances and look for making what seems impossible possible. Therein lies the hope of something positive, especially when you don't know where to turn.

Here are some of the lyrics followed by a video link to take with you throughout the week.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.¹

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMtuygBrDWA

Go out there and cut loose and cut a rug!

Cheers!

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1NNVC_enUS485US559&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=i%20hope%20you%20dance%20lyrics¹ (Viewed on 8/16/2015)