Ask me to dance

Why do we dance? Why don’t you dance? Why do we wrap ourselves up in tiny little balls at the thought of practising our dance, or if given the freedom to dance our own dance? How is it something as simple as moving to music, in the room or in your head, can hold such significance and at the same time be worth absolutely nothing.

When you dance, you can enjoy the luxury of being you.

Paulo Coelho

It’s undeniable. Music pulls us along a path. It takes our brain on a trip to pleasurable feelings, walks through our memories and for some, pulls us out of our seats and makes us wriggle.

For this reason it can help sooth frazzled ends, make us feel more calm and focused. It can also whip us up into a frenzy and push you to try harder, run faster, get up and at ’em.

Why do I dance?

We can’t always chose the music life plays for us, but we can chose how we dance to it.

Unknown

I dance because there is music everywhere. From the clicking of the keys on my keyboard as I type this, to the collection of CDs, vinyl and online music I’ve hoarded over time.

I dance because somewhere there is someone who doesn’t want to.

Or isn’t allowed to.

Or just plain old can’t.

My movements are a combination of those learned and those I feel. They’re honed through years of training and practise, but I never for a minute imagine they’re worth anymore than someone who has never trained a minute in their life.

All movement is worthwhile.

It connects us. With others, with ourselves.

Movement calls to the person on the side of the room, to the dancer in our brain.

Even just turning up to an event (or dance class, or rehearsal) can help you connect – even if you’re on the other end of a Zoom meet up with a “broken camera” 😉 (I see you and it’s totally ok to do it).

It helps us find a common language when our mother tongue doesn’t match that of another person.

Dancing is enough

When we dance, the journey itself is the point, as when we play music the playing itself is the point.

Alan Watts

It speaks volumes when one word is not enough.

When I can’t express anything else, dance can.

Dance doesn’t judge us. Dance accepts us as we are and welcomes us into it’s world.

Dance loves you as you are.


Ever wants to try out dancing, but been too scared to try? Then give an APB Dance belly dance class a try. Setup to help you succeed in getting moving, we’re always finding new ways of making dance accessible to everyone.