expression vs. self-expression
Self-expression in dance is completely bare, stripped of all but its essential element -you.
All dance is expression. I think everything you do or even don’t do is an expression of something. By sitting in this chair, I am expressing my desire to sit. By not sitting in it, I express my desire to stand up.
Everyone on the dance floor is expressing, no matter what they are doing. But this is meaningless.
Expressing true-self through dance is entirely different from simply expressing something. Dancing to look ‘different’ isn’t expression of true-self or You. It’s expressive of the fear of fitting in.
On the other hand, you can express You through a memorized movement in much the same way I can invoke and express emotion through the reading of Shakespeare.
You can express You only when you give up on trying to express anything else when dancing.
Have you done this? If not, you have no clue as to how enchanting of a dancer You could be. At Paso, the training, pushing, sweating and discipline are only a path for you to begin expressing true-self.
Related posts:
- when to dance solo
- Lessons From Annie
- is cuban salsa just a lead’s dance?
- unleashing your creative beast
