Recipe for Dance: the culture behind the art. Prompt 14

Part 1
1 creativity
2 parts submissive behavior
3 part being objectivity
2 parts individual artistry

Dance is a culture that requires one to creative, submissive, objective, and individualized. Wait, what? That makes no sense. How can one be required to shed their individual ways of expression and be apart of a group, all while developing themselves as a free thinking artist? This recipe makes no sense as it seems to lead me turning round and round in circles chasing something that exists no where else but in my own head. Or maybe all the turning has just left me dizzy. At this point, I can’t tell if the confusion is found in my body or my brain.

Part 2
4 parts taking care of your body
5 parts following an instructor

Dance class starts and we spend the first 20 minutes meditating so that we can listen to our bodies. “Be good to your body, and take care of it. This is your instrument, your paint brush, your means of expression”. What a lovely thought. But in this current moment my hip flexors hurts like hell, my shoulders have more knots than a rope, and I’m so exhausted I think I was sleeping instead of meditating. We than move into stretching, in which we lie on our backs with one leg raised to our side. I naturally attempt to extend my limbs further than seems acceptable in any other circumstance, and my body screeches in pain that I choose to ignore. But alas, this is not enough for the instructor as he walks up to me and lifts my leg until my knee is almost at my ear. Please explain to me how this involves taking care of my body?

Part 3
All parts balance

Center, core, pyramidalis, dan tien. Whatever you want to call it in which ever language seems most appropriate the key to balance is to breathe into your center. More importantly, balance is not a stationary position but instead a give and take of it all. Suddenly creativity, submissive behavior, being an objective, finding individual artistry, taking care of your body, and listening to one’s instructor all makes sense. The over aching, underlining, and final emphasis is the culture of dance is balance.