| Dancing Joy! by Desiree de Angelise Open yourself to Goddess energy as it awakens and transforms, bringing joy of movement, dance and choreography for the experiencing of one's soul. "Dance is an ancient form of worship" acknowledged by all indigenous people, and a saying from Zimbabwe offers: "If you can speak, you can sing; if you can walk, you can dance," Matthew Fox says. Dance is entering our consciousness more and more -- "dance as if..." and "when you get the chance to sit it out or dance -- dance!" Book titles tout "dance"; Hollywood again joins Broadway with the dance musical. "The Spirit of Dance" poster celebrates "To dance is to be alive!" featuring a joyous leap at the ocean. Dance companies give performances heightening our awareness, and "Great Performances" focuses on four male ballet dancers from Spain, Cuba, the Ukraine and U.S. Myriad opportunities call one to explore dance -- ballet, tap, modern, jazz, folk, salsa, line, square etc., and combinations thereof. Movement techniques include yoga, plus its mudras (hand postures/movements), the martial arts, t'ai chi and even feng shui can include internal chi. Nia, Pan-Eu-Rhythmy and Dances of Universal Peace all offer unique expressions. The worldwide Dances of Universal Peace/Sufi feature simple choreographed movements with sung/chanted sacred phrases in traditional language, even Jesus' Aramaic, all in the circle dance format. Body prayer/dance brings one face-to-face with one's soul, and once introduced little else takes the place of spiritual dancing, which, for me, includes sharing joy through sacred dance and choreography. Introduction to choreography began with a dance teacher who quietly came to each student experiencing difficulty and assisted. Teaching both folk and ballet, he also re-choreographed classic ballets to the ability of his students, a lesson remembered. His joy and love of dance was an inspiring gift, which even with later study, is what I continue to share. Years ago, I was asked to choreograph the cantata, "A Shaker Service." It required research, as Shakers used specific dances and included meditation in their worship. Attracted, if a little fearful of that weird stuff -- meditation, I discovered to my amazement both my choreography and often reading philosophy was done in a meditative state! Let's open to choreography! Take your dance explorations and use them. Choreography, to me, means an interweaving of music, movement and patterns, plus costume color and flow into one. And don't let age stop you either. A broken toe seemed God's not-so-subtle reminder that at my age one needed to give up not only dance, but also choreography. Now, years and much dancing and choreography later, I am still grateful to a '95 dance summer proving me wrong and a healing allowing me to keep dancing joy. Remember, choreography is only a word; don't be awed by it! Just awaken and transform by expressing yourself through it. First, pick music making you want to dance; let your choice speak to and through you. Combining the lyricism of ballet with t'ai chi had been a desire for which no music was found. Then, in one of those just-happened stories, in the office of the Life of Prayer instructor a classmate shared a song, and moving to the music I requested working with it. Long after choreographing and dancing "Touch Through Me," came the realization that my desired union of lyricism and t'ai chi had been created. Listen to your music until you really hear and, especially, feel it. Create a tape so you can listen over and over and move with it. I listen to music until it becomes a part of me, allowing for that meditative state and glimpses of movements, patterns, etc. Consider the costume, too. "Touch Through Me," an invocation to the Holy Spirit, was costumed from what I had with me -- a chiffon skirt and given silk top with flowing sleeves. My sharing was only for the closing class of Life of Prayer -- or so I thought! The costume emphasized the long line stretches, turns and the grace and flow. Some costumes come from regular clothes; some are made, borrowed, rented or purchased for a specific dance. Close your eyes, opening yourself while surrounded by your music. Invite in movements, patterns, colors and flow to come to you. When your dance feels right, work with a mirror to check movements and lines. Refine them accordingly, staying with the spirit, tempo etc. of your music. Seek a costume allowing movement ease while enhancing, maybe making a statement, with color and style. "The Seven Last Words of Christ," a cantata by DuBois, offered a black-robed folk-dancing chorus, three dancers in pastel chiffon and the Jesus figure's white. The costume and angular movement of the beloved disciple and Mary emphasized their sorrow and separation. Let the choice of costume come from the spirit of your music and dance. Dance for yourself. Then after feeling that joy, share it with others. After sharing with my Life of Prayer classmates, "Touch Through Me" took on a life of its own! Asked to share its healing energy and grace with other classes, in churches, conferences, expos, I continue to do that. I still consider "Touch Through Me" a sharing, not performance. Share your joy with others and even consider teaching it. Enjoy it! A very special treat was dancing "Touch Through Me" at a workshop on a deck overlooking Marin County and then teaching its beginning movements. Or ignore all of the above and just move to the music -- any music! Spiritual dance, choreography, movement and dance in its myriad forms offer new possibilities for all of us. Spiritual dance and choreography come from a place deep within me, feeling like it has been a part of me for many lifetimes. Through our opening to Goddess energy possibilities exist for awakening and transforming plus experiencing and expressing joy through dancing grace, beauty and wonder into the light and love of our soul. Desiree de Angelise/Dee Grover's unique approach to life includes adoption, growing up in California and learning from teachers of philosophy and dance, as well as from spiritual leaders. She choreographs and shares sacred dance and writes poetry and articles. She may be contacted at deelightasol@yahoo.com. Copyright © 2003 Desiree de Angelise |
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