Dance of the Dolphins ... Effortless Grace!

Leap of Joy !

As a child my father took us to watch a very beautiful movie called' The Day of the Dolphins’. It was my first look at these beautiful creatures of the sea. Since then I have always been mesmerized by the effortless grace in their movements.

Dolphins truly move gracefully and yet are active and fast in water. Indeed they are capable of astounding feats of great speed and agility. The reason for their ability to propel themselves well is not only because of a streamlined body but also due to their ability to use the positive pressure field generated by a moving body to their benefit. Their tails are strong, muscular and powerful. This explains their ability to swim on their sides turn quickly and also change directions fast.  

That dolphins take big leaps off the water is well known.   Many reasons can be attributed to this behavior. One of the reasons is that dolphins leap out of water while travelling to conserve energy as moving through air consumes less energy than moving in water. Others reason out that the leaping may be a signal of communication with others of its own species. Or, perhaps the act could possibly even give them a better view of food options available.

Believed to be the most intelligent of all animals, dolphins are comparably as intelligent as a two year old human being. Along with their intelligence comes a finely developed sense of touch as their nerve endings are close to their skin. This also could be the reason as to why they are able to bond closely with the human species.

It seems so that dolphins spend the better part of their day indulging in social interactions.

In fact the actions distinctly exhibited by them make for interesting observation. Talk of the manner in which they pop their heads out of the water, touching and rubbing pectoral fins, breaching, bows and more. Synchronous movements such as these seem to work so much like signals of communication in bonding between a pair... quite like a beautiful waltz !

Indeed ! What a wonderful World !  

Savvy Raj

image courtesy http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/9b8ca2c6-8266-11e3-b622-12313b06a873-large.jpg
http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/cc8bbb1a-8cb5-11e3-8490-12313d2951b1-large.jpg

Bring out the dancer in you !

Just a casual conversation  with a dear friend on Facebook threw open a facet of her innate personality … she loves to watch others dance and probably would love to learn too … but may be a complex of how it might  be perceived, or so has kept her from trying … She also believes she has two left feet …

 Well this is a notion held by a large number of people, who may be basically shy or introverted by  nature  , or  even perfectionists , or  who have some conditional experiences that makes them uncomfortable in daring to dance ….

 We went about talking as to how this can be helped …. here are…

SOME SIMPLE YET PROFOUND MOVEMENTS THAT  CAN HELP AS STARTERS ….

A few things to remember:

It’s important to give yourself permission to begin movements ,in whatever way u think best...a bow in prayer, a call out to yourself, or simply  start off with watching the dance of your breath in passive awareness … and feel energized with your in breath and with every out breath sense the release of that which needs to go  …respect begins at home!

Sense , observe and feel one with any  movement  that you make … accepting the strange and the beautiful, the harmonious and the shaky moves … as part of the same source and believe there is a reason why they are what they are .

Take your time … there is no rush to prove anything so go with what works for you.

Preparation:

Allocate a time and place for yourself in the day at home.Clear the space and rearrange some furniture so that you have some moving space, without any obstructions. Option to have a mirror in front is totally yours as and when you want to allow it to happen …. Mirrors reflect our actions so it helps to have one as a silent guide.

Make sure to remove jewellery, watches that may obstruct movement….& avoid  chewing gum as it is distracting.

As you begin   moving on your feet it’s better to wear cotton socks …for ease and flow of movement and preferably wear stretchable or loose clothes that don’t restrict body movements.

Remember the first time need not be the last time … just don’t give up … as with everything else  practise dancing from the heart and soul and be open to the changes in the flow ….

With every movement we create energy in the room/space we are practicing. Each session is different … sometimes exhausting, energizing, calming, stimulating, etc.  depending on a number of factors .  Try to be receptive and accepting of that energy. 

Aim:

 To find yourself as you dance … accepting yourself as you  create expressions through movements … Sensing the Power of letting go & the Power of Dancing as you move .

 Take yourself a little less seriously ... Enjoy Yourself !
.

My friend questioned me about how to actually start dancing … having shared endless conversations completely whimsical or tremendously uplifting with her over the years I know her, I simply wanted to reach out to her and remind her …..how much she has already moved with  her unique experiences dancing through the tunes of life …. how many movements she already has explored in silent rapture and conscious presence , how many times she has been supportive , constructive , connective ,caring , loving , giving, tender, gentle, corrective, in her movements  towards the ones she cared… people like me…. Well it was time to gently remind her of her own innate creative flows….

Dance to your own tunes …

Depending on what suits your mood at the moment , let yourself hear some tune, that vibrates with the inner you … knowing her soft and gentle nature ,I suggested some soothing music to be played in the background without being too overbearing . Since she was wondering how to begin … I suggested her to sit down and allow just her fingers , then her hand and then the arms to begin to move with the music …. .just yielding, flowing , as she felt like from the depth of her soul.

    Neutralizing the rest of the body  allow the ease of tension of perception of the body with just the hands in front of the person  as they move.. one could draw a circle with each individual hand .trace a pattern , write their names in cursive , using the pace and flow that seems right for them  .... many who don't physically dance much in the open are self conscious of their physical body .... So its important to be gradual in the movements . Once the hands start getting comfortable to move from an inner calling of the rhythm...its time to allow the sway of the shoulders  or even  allow the foot to take a step ahead ....soon the rest of body joins the dance gradually ...as you allow and acknowledge the presence of the creative dancer in you ....

 Movements may seem shaky and erratic at first and as you persevere you begin to see the changes …The movement starts getting connected with the inner you and you begin to merge with the tune and the movement …. After all  there is a teacher in you for the disciple in you!
Savvy Raj
danceconcepts@rediffmail.com