Dance: The Language of the Body, the Freedom of the Soul

“Everything in the universe has rhythm; everything dances…”

    Dance is both a biological and cultural phenomenon. It has existed since ancient times, primarily for religious and ceremonial purposes, with dancers often reaching a state of spiritual and physical “trance” during the performance. Over time, dance evolved into a means of communication — initially with higher powers, and later between human beings — through either simple gestures or more elaborate body movements, even isolated joint articulations, as a way to express emotions.

    The human body, in relation to gravity, can perform a wide range of movements based on three fundamental categories:

(a) simultaneous support on both feet

(b) alternating support, from one foot to the other

(c) support on one foot while lifting the other

    By combining these categories — either simply or more complexly — and adding upper body movements, we can create a short or extended movement sequence, and ultimately, a full choreography.

    The world of dance has many forms and styles. Among them, one style combines all body and joint movements, explores every level of movement (high, middle, low), and integrates expressive elements — that style is modern dance, also known as contemporary dance.

    Modern dance emerged in America in the late 1920s, as a reaction against the strict structure of classical ballet. The woman most credited with establishing modern dance is Isadora Duncan, who rebelled against ballet’s rigid movements and costumes. Ballet began losing its prestige in the 19th century as many dancers adopted modern dance principles, supported by pioneers like Helen Tamiris and Martha Graham.

• Helen Tamiris believed each dancer should have their own personal style and a unique way of expressing themselves through movement.

• Martha Graham developed her own “body language” that allowed her to express every human emotion she experienced.

    After 1980, modern dance began drawing influences from Latin American and European mentalities, evolving into a more theatrical form that went on to influence both ballet and ballroom dance styles. Dance is a creative way to express all your emotions — using only your body. You learn to set goals, to grow and evolve to achieve them, to develop discipline and consistency, to manage stress, and most importantly — you learn how to live. And that... is the greatest success of all!