The theme for International Dance Day 2019 is “Dance and Spirituality”.
When we dance, we are living in the moment. The rest of the world disappears, almost as if we are meditating.
The Ballet Papier community includes many dancers who are united by our passion for ballet and our love of dancing.
When we dance:
We are in tune with our body, mind and soul.
We are fully present and focused.
We are using movement and creativity to build a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Spirituality is a universal human experience related to our feelings about life and personal identity. It is our search for meaning, and our connectedness to the moment, to ourselves and to the people around us.
Ruth St. Denis (1879 - 1968) was a pioneer of modern dance - a contemporary of Isadora Duncan - who believed that dance should be a spiritual experience, rather than just entertaining or technically skilful. Although she focused her attention on exploring dance forms from diverse world religions, her interpretation of the connection between dance and spirituality resonates with me.
I have always used dance classes as an opportunity to escape day-to-day concerns and realign myself. I like being productive and this means that I am inclined to treat myself like a machine, diligently getting things done – but no one can be industrious all the time. Dancing is the equivalent of pressing pause, switching myself off and rebooting in safe mode!
How do you feel when you are dancing?
Let us know in the comments below or tag us in your International Dance Day posts on social media.
Georgina Butler is a journalist, a dance writer and a dance teacher who specialises in teaching classical ballet. Visit https://georginabutler.co.uk/ to learn more about Georgina and her work.
Follow her on Twitter @GeorginaLButler and Instagram @glbdancewriter
*Georgina Butler photographed by Terry Grehan.
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