Dance and Community - Essay Example

DANCE AND COMMUNITY Dance and Community Dance is a characteristic of many communities not only in the ancient communities but also in the present day society. Most importantly, dance has long played the role of a bridge to communities, a bridge that enables people from different communities, origins and affiliations to come together and form a union. This essay will put emphasis on the role of dance in the community and how dance has the power to bond people of different backgrounds. As seen in the research conducted by Schrader, dance is a force that has the ability to transform, motivate and even entertain people1. Most importantly, the author continues to indicate that dance has the ability to create a community through reinforcing unity between people2. This results from the aspect that dancers come together to participate in a dance while the audience come together to watch, and others may even take part in the dance moves. It is in such situations that people are brought together regardless of their affiliation. Schrader gives good examples of dances that take place in events such as weddings, national holidays and other religious festivals that the see the uniting people from varied backgrounds to take part in these festivals3. In such contexts, people face each other, and form patterns depending on the dance in question as they move from side to side. Definitely, men and women unite as a result of engaging in social activities in their locality; hence, unity. On another viewpoint, Winton-Henry attests to the fact that the dancers have a way of influencing the lives of individuals4. Most interestingly, the author continues to indicate that the power that the dancers yield cannot be ignored even to the minutest extent5. This aspect results from the argument that dance forms the core of many individual’s lives and the chances that all persons can participate in dance are extremely high. In the course of dance, people from different backgrounds are given the chance to express themselves through sharing experiences as well share knowledge on different aspects of life6. In fact the aspect of humanity is clearly portrayed through dance and in the long run, unity is created between the personalities involved in the dance. On a deeper insight, Winton-Henry indicates that dance cannot be dance without collaboration and participation7. This is to mean that the persons involved in the dance have to actively participate in the process of dance. In the course of dance, therefore, it is evident that the persons involved have collaborate in the dance even as the small groups they are. It is also surprising how in the small groups combine rhythm and beat despite their being of diverse groups. In line with this thought, it is warranted to indicate that dance is a tool of unification of different groups of people. On a different perspective, Lerman indicates that in the early years, people took part in dance and their daily livelihood improved a great deal in terms of growing of their crops, healing of their children and they even prepared for war with the help of dance8. This explains that dance has some of form of force and power to even lead to the accomplishment of the impossible. For the case of unification of people, dance also plays a vital role in bringing people together. In the contemporary word, dance has taken a new course, unlike the previous times when people danced in their own communities. Lerman writes that presently, there exists ethnical dances that bring together people from different regions of the country9. With the progress of these dances, ethnic lines have been represented even of people from different countries; thus, unity among these individuals. This brings in the thought of the sociology of dance that allows people appreciate the beliefs of other people and also realize the fact that no culture is superior, but all cultures are unique. Lerman also notes that dance has some form of healing that leads to lots of people holding the opinion that they cannot live without dance10. Most importantly, dance has been given the role of spiritual healing by Lerman who argues that lots of people get the healing in churches11. With the concept of the church in question, it is noteworthy to validate the theme of this essay by arguing that in church different people from different origins attend12. With the liturgical dance as an important phase of church services, people are united in an oblivious way. The same case applies to the political setting where politics carries persons from different backgrounds and affiliations. Dance also takes an important place in politics. A good example is dance in Latin American politics that has united lots of people from diverse backgrounds13. Groups have not only been formed thanks to dance, but have also accessed funding; thus, unification of the members in question. Lerman gives an example of the Dance Exchange Program that has led to the integration of the community through community based work, bringing together the community members and ultimately bridge the differences that the community members may have on each other14. Lerman is of the thought that through dance, the relations between different persons in the community have been mend15. Through the Dance Exchanges, people from different backgrounds have spent time together. In the process, they have found an important platform where they can air their grievances and even design strategies on solutions to the problems that have faced them. With the participants of the Dance Exchange group expressing their gratitude to having enjoyed the experiences in the exchanges, it is warranted to argue that dance can be used as a mechanism to bring people from different communities together despite their background. In the society, lots of people lack the connection that allows them work together as one people. However, with the use of dance Lerman explains community members meet and appreciate the fact that they live in a community as one people16. Additionally, Lerman writes that dance is a form of art that has the capacity to integrate different phenomena from the mind, body and even spirit17. This is especially so as the community members do not think dance is merely a tool for losing weight, but as a way of uniting with each other and sharing their experiences. In the event that people would be sharing the experiences of dance throughout their years, it is almost evident that there would be minimal issues in the society as all persons would appreciate the beliefs, culture and the backgrounds that each of the parties originate. It is also important to highlight that dance does not focus on the wealth of a person, their personality, their color or even their capacity18. An evaluation of this aspect means that dance has some form of greatness in it that allows it unite people from diverse backgrounds. The notion of self-centeredness is not existent in the case of dance19. All persons are immersed in the rhythm of the dance in question; thus, creation of lasting relationships. Conclusively, dance has had a very long history. From the essay, dance is a tool that fosters cohesion through the interactions that emanate from the process of dance. Community spirit has been promoted through dance as well as reinforcement of the values that shape humanity. Bibliography Lerman, Liz. Are Miracles Enough? Selected Writings on Art and Community. Washington, D.C.: Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, 1995. Schrader, Constance A. A Sense of Dance: Exploring Your Movement Potential. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics, 2005. Winton-Henry, Cynthia. Dance-- the Sacred Art: The Joy of Movement as Spiritual Practice. Woodstock, VT: SkyLight Paths Publishing, 2009. Read More