Remember those carefree nights of dancing? The exhilarating feeling of letting go, expressing ourselves physically when words seemed insufficient? As teenagers, dancing was an escape, a way to communicate beyond our self-conscious limitations.
Ask adults why they don’t dance more, and you’ll often encounter thoughtful, sometimes defensive responses. “No time,” they say. “No opportunities. Go to a club? We have responsibilities, jobs, families!” One person sadly remarked that dancing is relegated to youth, something we simply stop doing as we age.
This perception of dance as frivolous, akin to an unnecessary indulgence like whipped cream or sleeping in, feels fundamentally wrong. Especially when you consciously start to incorporate more dancing into your life, as I have been trying to do recently. I’m not talking about complex choreography, demanding routines and practiced steps. I mean the pure joy of spontaneous movement to music.
When you actively seek opportunities to dance, they appear everywhere. While cooking dinner, cleaning the house, or even waiting at a crosswalk during a jog, swap the mundane for movement. Imagine a spontaneous living room dance party with your children! It’s surprisingly powerful: each small burst of dance delivers a dose of endorphins, a moment of self-expression, a return to yourself amidst the everyday chaos.
Life is busy and tiring. Most of our daily movement becomes utilitarian – commuting, completing tasks, exercising for health. Dancing offers a way to reclaim movement, to consciously decide how we want to use our energy and bodies, beyond mere functionality. It’s about experiencing the joy of movement itself.
