As we look at ballroom dancing as a form of dancing originating from the west we can draw a lot of parallels from the yogic way of the east especially with reference to the Hatha yoga which emphasizes the balancing of the opposing forces in the body such as Masculine (HA) energy and the Feminine (THA) energy symbolically representing the sun and the moon respectively. As such in yoga the left and right coordination the inhalation and exhalation the joy and sadness and so on ,thereby restoring the body to its natural equilibrium. Forward bends are followed by backward bends standing postures by the inversions contractions followed by expansions and like dancing a movement to the left followed by movement to the right for balance the poses are perfectly in tune to the mode of dancing the ballroom way.
As it is said that we must be in control of ourselves in thoughts actions and deeds we must learn to not lean too much on to the past or think too much into the future so that we are more oriented to the present .Now as a parallel we learn that we can take reference from our past when we balance ourselves backwards , consider our future course as we balance our body forward and learn to enjoy the present moment of balance that we achieve in our body through dancing.
As a couple dancing must have a huge balancing going on wherein not only are you balancing yourself but it is also a synchronization with your partner on the floor. This is nothing but balance between each other and not to mention if there are more dancers on the floor in a social situation then other dancers too must be given their due space on the dance floor The dance floor craft is a simple understanding between dancers , following the rules of the dance floor by the dancers with respect to each other while dancing in tandem with each other with body alignment and control on a proper dance floor.
Life's a dance you learn as you go, Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, Don't worry 'bout what you don't know, Life's a dance you learn as you go
Ballroom dancing helps balance emotions sharpens the intellect and brings peace of mind. When we attend to our physical body with emphasis on postures it leads us to greater flexibility of the body and mind.
When we let go and move our bodies we find a lot of our resistance breaking down for new energy to flow through to empty spaces and gradually we become open to life’s infinite possibilities and also turn positive ourselves.
A nourishing diet that boosts our immune system helps to calm our mind and as a result with greater well being we learn to cross new frontiers in dancing and exceed ourselves.
Along with diet we need to have a correct warm up and cool down session in place to stretch and tone all our muscles, bones and ligaments, improving circulation and flexibility. Dancing basically helps relieve depression by increasing the feel good endorphins in our body, along with that as we breathe deeply the capacity of the lungs increases to breathe fully and strengthens our inner organs and improves our mental abilities and deepens our ability to relax. The cool down routine must be given its due attention and must not be ignored as the entire system rests and tensions in the muscles ease ,dislodging the blockages in our system and restoring our normal energy flow in effect calming our mind. With all these in place one must also focus our attention to positive thinking when we start dancing, as it trains us to purify our thought process so that we turn to become more confident and self actualized ,wherein ,lies the real purpose of dance. The power of the mind is also used significantly in dancing, for e.g. try to visualize yourself performing perfectly before entering into the posture and then move with focus and control into the pose and you can see and feel the transformations in yourself.
Savvy
danceconcepts@rediffmail.com
The benefits of ballroom dancing are many, not only in terms of health but also lets say socially mentally and emotionally. Whenever one has an emotional turbulence there is let’s say a dance for every emotion or mood in the repertoire or ballroom dance styles.
If the feeling is aggressive then the best dance would be the Paso Doble to express it.
Pure passion expressed in a Tango could just flow through and then of course there is the flirtatious Cha cha cha with its teasing quality and terrific hip movement which parallels the Samba with its unbridled indulgence. The elegance of Foxtrot with its graceful moves and coy gestures of non verbal communication speaks of a budding romance .The intense moods of love could be tenderly expressed in a Rumba and well who can deny themselves the pleasure of the wonderful dizzying heady feeling of a beautiful whirling Waltz. And last but not the least the joy of life, the exuberance of living could be exemplified just dancing the Jive with its full of life actions.
All the above mentioned dances are classified in the list of ballroom dances styles. Each dance originating from different places around the world only adds to the culture and deep rooted significance of that dance form .
Any expression of emotion is a release of pent up stress within the body. So why not do yourself a good deed today and give yourself a ballroom dance class and release your stress the right way? Or better still also gift a class to someone who matters to you…….
Learning to dance is all about realizing the treasures of pure pleasure of self awareness through dancing…. So never be too busy to dance……
