The movement of our bodies that we call dance is one of the most vital powers in our possession. In my twenty-year exploration of dance as a spiritual practice, I have found that there are many different orientations or pathways through which distinct forms of power can flow. Categorizing these orientations can help to clarify an intention from which to start a dance session, or it can also serve to inform the process as it is happening. Quite often, one orientation can lead into another, and sometimes several transfers between orientations will happen within one dance session. It is most exciting when more than one orientation is involved simultaneously.
Of the nine orientations I have identified, the first three seem to be housed in the underworld: Trance, Expressive, and Physical. In each of these orientations, the dancer is surrendering to a form of wildness, whether that be the wilds of nature, the wilds of the soul, or the wilds of the human body. The second three orientations seem more geared toward the middle world: Relational, Social, and Activist. Here, the dance is an expression of human relationships which brings the dancer into society. The last three orientations are focused on the upper world, Meditative, Ecstatic, and Mystical. These three reach toward contact with transcendent, universal, or divine energies culminating in a state of union.
Each of these orientations has a unique destination that results in an all-encompassing transformation of the dancer which corresponds to a complete way of life. All have specific benefits for the body, the psyche, the soul, human relationships, social wellness, and the relationship between humans and the more-than-human world. Deepening our experience with each of these orientations can help to strengthen and balance sources of power in life and increase the “range of motion” of one’s consciousness.
Here are the nine orientations:
UNDERWORLD ORIENTATIONS
Trance
I believe this is the oldest dance orientation, which is still present in cultures that maintain their kinship with the earth, though most people in contemporary Western culture do not possess this relationship. When the relationship is intact or repaired, trance dance is a direct interaction with nature or nature spirits. The dancer embodies, communes with, or receives energy from nature for the purpose of cultivating and maintaining that most central relationship in life. The visions or experiences gained may carry healing power for the dancer, the community, or the earth.
Here are some examples from youtube:
Of the nine orientations I have identified, the first three seem to be housed in the underworld: Trance, Expressive, and Physical. In each of these orientations, the dancer is surrendering to a form of wildness, whether that be the wilds of nature, the wilds of the soul, or the wilds of the human body. The second three orientations seem more geared toward the middle world: Relational, Social, and Activist. Here, the dance is an expression of human relationships which brings the dancer into society. The last three orientations are focused on the upper world, Meditative, Ecstatic, and Mystical. These three reach toward contact with transcendent, universal, or divine energies culminating in a state of union.
Each of these orientations has a unique destination that results in an all-encompassing transformation of the dancer which corresponds to a complete way of life. All have specific benefits for the body, the psyche, the soul, human relationships, social wellness, and the relationship between humans and the more-than-human world. Deepening our experience with each of these orientations can help to strengthen and balance sources of power in life and increase the “range of motion” of one’s consciousness.
Here are the nine orientations:
UNDERWORLD ORIENTATIONS
Trance
I believe this is the oldest dance orientation, which is still present in cultures that maintain their kinship with the earth, though most people in contemporary Western culture do not possess this relationship. When the relationship is intact or repaired, trance dance is a direct interaction with nature or nature spirits. The dancer embodies, communes with, or receives energy from nature for the purpose of cultivating and maintaining that most central relationship in life. The visions or experiences gained may carry healing power for the dancer, the community, or the earth.
Here are some examples from youtube:
Expressive
In this orientation, the ego accesses the personal underworld and either dialogues with or surrenders to the expression of the individual soul. The dancer feels the movements to have deep personal meaning, even if they can’t be expressed in words. This orientation is noticeable for having high drama and emotionality while following an original trajectory or journey through the inner landscape. Each dance requires a risk to explore some hidden or mysterious corner of the psyche and a commitment to following the thread.
Examples:
Alembic Ensemble - great video, click on link to see
http://metropolitanvisuals.com/files/Alembic.mov
In this orientation, the ego accesses the personal underworld and either dialogues with or surrenders to the expression of the individual soul. The dancer feels the movements to have deep personal meaning, even if they can’t be expressed in words. This orientation is noticeable for having high drama and emotionality while following an original trajectory or journey through the inner landscape. Each dance requires a risk to explore some hidden or mysterious corner of the psyche and a commitment to following the thread.
Examples:
Alembic Ensemble - great video, click on link to see
http://metropolitanvisuals.com/files/Alembic.mov
Flamenco – This clip strikes me as a blend of several orientations, but my attention is primarily drawn to the unique expression of the dancer’s individual essence.
Physical
Physical dance is any movement practice that focuses on a conversation with the wild body, either with the intention of tuning the instrument or following its natural energetic patterns, with the focus on listening and receiving, not directing. Practitioners who specialize in this orientation are magnetized by the innate wisdom and guidance available to us through healthy kinesthetic awareness. I’ve noticed that many dancers begin their practice with a physical orientation to open up the body’s gates and then allow other orientations to emerge.
Examples:
Physical dance is any movement practice that focuses on a conversation with the wild body, either with the intention of tuning the instrument or following its natural energetic patterns, with the focus on listening and receiving, not directing. Practitioners who specialize in this orientation are magnetized by the innate wisdom and guidance available to us through healthy kinesthetic awareness. I’ve noticed that many dancers begin their practice with a physical orientation to open up the body’s gates and then allow other orientations to emerge.
Examples:
Continuum shadows – This dance also is a blend and has many Expressive features, but when I watch this, I mainly feel the sensory and cellular “mind” being followed, more than any symbolic or soul qualities.
MIDDLE WORLD ORIENTATIONS
Relational
This category is almost always combined with another orientation through which two or more dancers interact, but the primary focus of the Relational orientation is the dialogue with the other dancer, regardless of the language that is spoken between them. Movements may be imbued with meaning, much like in Expressive movement orientation, but in Relational movement, dancers merge into one so that the exchanges between them are like different limbs of one organism. At the height of this form, dancers appear to be telepathic.
Examples:
Relational
This category is almost always combined with another orientation through which two or more dancers interact, but the primary focus of the Relational orientation is the dialogue with the other dancer, regardless of the language that is spoken between them. Movements may be imbued with meaning, much like in Expressive movement orientation, but in Relational movement, dancers merge into one so that the exchanges between them are like different limbs of one organism. At the height of this form, dancers appear to be telepathic.
Examples:
Social
I would call any dance that has the primary goal of recreation and fun to be in this orientation. I include these dances in my list of useful orientations for dance as a spiritual practice because sharing dance in community is a wild way to feel a sense of belonging and connection with a larger group. Here, the ego is welcome, and dancing for the sake of looking cool or showing off is totally acceptable. In fact, a little healthy competition is also a celebration of creativity and cultural pride. The traditional forms of dance may highlight certain shared values in the culture, such as joy, toughness, or sensuality. Often, this orientation is blended with a bit of the Expressive orientation if the dancer is drawing on her inner world to enliven the dance. Also, this orientation could trigger an opening into the Ecstatic or Trance orientation, depending on the cultural context or music.
Examples
I would call any dance that has the primary goal of recreation and fun to be in this orientation. I include these dances in my list of useful orientations for dance as a spiritual practice because sharing dance in community is a wild way to feel a sense of belonging and connection with a larger group. Here, the ego is welcome, and dancing for the sake of looking cool or showing off is totally acceptable. In fact, a little healthy competition is also a celebration of creativity and cultural pride. The traditional forms of dance may highlight certain shared values in the culture, such as joy, toughness, or sensuality. Often, this orientation is blended with a bit of the Expressive orientation if the dancer is drawing on her inner world to enliven the dance. Also, this orientation could trigger an opening into the Ecstatic or Trance orientation, depending on the cultural context or music.
Examples
Activist
As with Relational dance, this orientation usually integrates another orientation as the language through which to communicate. Activist dance is distinct from other orientations in that the dancer is consciously trying to communicate an important message to her people. The dancer’s focus is on affecting her audience in a specific way that she hopes will bring about a necessary social adjustment. The message may be drawn from the desires of the individual dancer’s soul, or the dancer may be able to channel the desires of others whose voices need to be heard. The dance may offer socially-relevant symbols or themes from the universal unconscious.
Examples:
As with Relational dance, this orientation usually integrates another orientation as the language through which to communicate. Activist dance is distinct from other orientations in that the dancer is consciously trying to communicate an important message to her people. The dancer’s focus is on affecting her audience in a specific way that she hopes will bring about a necessary social adjustment. The message may be drawn from the desires of the individual dancer’s soul, or the dancer may be able to channel the desires of others whose voices need to be heard. The dance may offer socially-relevant symbols or themes from the universal unconscious.
Examples:
UPPER WORLD ORIENTATIONS
Meditative
The goal of meditative dance is to achieve a state of balance in the body and mind. The mover directs and controls the energy, usually with pre-determined forms from ancient schools of wisdom. The focus is on actively calming or concentrating the mind to express qualities of discipline, harmony, transcendence, or non-attachment. The ideal state is a merging with the consciousness of the universe, such as enlightenment or the Tao.
Examples:
Meditative
The goal of meditative dance is to achieve a state of balance in the body and mind. The mover directs and controls the energy, usually with pre-determined forms from ancient schools of wisdom. The focus is on actively calming or concentrating the mind to express qualities of discipline, harmony, transcendence, or non-attachment. The ideal state is a merging with the consciousness of the universe, such as enlightenment or the Tao.
Examples:
Ecstatic
This orientation often looks similar to the Trance orientation from the outside, but it is a unique and distinct category of movement practice. I consider a dance to be ecstatic when the dancer surrenders to movement so completely that it takes over the mind of the dancer. It differs from Trance orientation because the focus is not consciously on nature, and the energies that are being received are from a more universal or infinite realm than the soulful and wild energies of the underworld. Ecstatic dancer dissolves the ego to the point that propriety is lost and noticeably involves a loss of control and a break from social norms of movement. It can pop out suddenly from Expressive dance when the mover transitions from dancing from the individual soul to “being danced” by something much larger.
Examples:
This orientation often looks similar to the Trance orientation from the outside, but it is a unique and distinct category of movement practice. I consider a dance to be ecstatic when the dancer surrenders to movement so completely that it takes over the mind of the dancer. It differs from Trance orientation because the focus is not consciously on nature, and the energies that are being received are from a more universal or infinite realm than the soulful and wild energies of the underworld. Ecstatic dancer dissolves the ego to the point that propriety is lost and noticeably involves a loss of control and a break from social norms of movement. It can pop out suddenly from Expressive dance when the mover transitions from dancing from the individual soul to “being danced” by something much larger.
Examples:
Crazy Dancer - In this short clip, many features of Ecstatic dance are present : by-standers are uncomfortable, laughing at him, mimicking; the dancer is somewhat aware of the situation, which momentarily dilutes his intensity, but he is far enough into it that he is unable to stop...
Mystical
Last but not least, Mystical dance is when the soul interacts with Spirit through intimate conversation and dialogue. The direct exchange with the divine is usually charged with a romantic, sexual, or relational attraction or intimacy. This form has a wide range of emotional modes within it, such as longing, love, burning, flirtation, etc., and may lead to a state of union if the boundary between lover and beloved becomes blurred, though that is not necessarily the goal. The dialogue itself is the method through which the dancer is purified and recognizes her place in the cosmos. This practice enables the dancer to embody a powerful force of love in the world and, at its highest expression, culminates in prophetic or miraculous presence.
Examples:
Last but not least, Mystical dance is when the soul interacts with Spirit through intimate conversation and dialogue. The direct exchange with the divine is usually charged with a romantic, sexual, or relational attraction or intimacy. This form has a wide range of emotional modes within it, such as longing, love, burning, flirtation, etc., and may lead to a state of union if the boundary between lover and beloved becomes blurred, though that is not necessarily the goal. The dialogue itself is the method through which the dancer is purified and recognizes her place in the cosmos. This practice enables the dancer to embody a powerful force of love in the world and, at its highest expression, culminates in prophetic or miraculous presence.
Examples:
I believe it is worthwhile for our society to further explore the power we can access through dance for our personal, societal, and planetary healing. We need to develop our inner resources to focus and revolutionize traditional methods of activism so that we can innovate forms of authentic protest that honor the dignity of the human animal. Dance practices bring us in contact with the wild, with the divine, and with other humans in a visceral way that transcends our rational and often limited understanding. Perhaps we should begin to include our bodies in the conversation about the way to move forward in our world toward greater social and environmental sustainability. By harnessing the body’s power, I pray we can awaken latent capacities and leverage to fulfill our destiny as a benevolent species on the planet.
RSS Feed