Posted on : 15-05-2009 | By : Kathreen | In : Styles of Belly Dance
…Why Dancing Keeps us Sane!
If there is one aspect of Belly Dancing that everyone, who has experienced this dance agrees upon, it is it’s ‘Theraputic Value’.
In my personal experience of teaching many women in and from different cultures, the responses are the same. Although expressed in various ways, the acknowledgement of the joyful, liberating ,physically freeing, meditative and self-acceptance qualities of Oriental Dance are unanimous. It is this fundamental core that ‘keeps us coming back for more!’
We can explore this subject of Belly Dance as Therapy intellectually while knowing that the actual experience is the ‘Holy Grail’. Nonetheless, we are creatures of intellect and it is fun to dissect, analyze, validate and confirm ‘why’ we do the things we do.
There is certainly a long list of the benefits of Belly Dance as Mind, Body, Heart,Spirit integration to be found in many sources.
My Heart Has Wings!
But ,today I ran across an interesting source from the Dance Therapy domain.
Dance therapist, Joan Chodorow, addresses the subject of ‘emotion’ in dance in her book, Dance Therapy and Depth Psychology, as follows;
“…it is clear that emotion and dance are inseparable. Dance is motivated by and expressive of emotion. Emotion is the source out of which we dance, ie: it energizes us. But dance also has an effect on our emotions. It changes them. Sometimes dance leads to cathartic release; other times dance seems to develop, refine and completely transform our emotional sate.”
As dancers we know this is true. We know the times that we are feeling tired, depressed, frustrated and uninspired we tend to want to NOT go to our dance class, whether we are the student or teacher. At the same time, we also know. if we just ‘make ourselves’ go, we never regret it! By the end of the class we are renewed, inspired, energized and usually have rosy cheeks and a smile on our face!
Famous Austrian-American Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, Wilhelm Reich,was a major influence to the field of Dance Therapy. According to Ms. Chodorow, Reich “paid special attention to the expressive language of the body. Repressed emotion gets stored in the body as chronic muscular tension, and his belief in the value of cathartic release…”
Well all I can say is ‘Reich is right!’ Whether we call it cathartic, joyfull expression or just plain fun, Belly Dance is Therapy!
So, Let’s Dance!
Hugs,
Kathreen
P.S. Please leave your comments, thoughts, insights and if you are interested in exploring the many aspects of Belly Dance Therapy some more!
Kathreen, Thanks you for showing the way!!!!
Before I ever heard of belly dance therapy, my mind, body, and spirit knew. I have always told Kathreen that their are some days that I feel tired, my body will hurt, and I think the last thing I want to do is go to dance. Guess what? As soon as I go to dance, I am totally transformed. I immediately feel better. It is the only thing that I have ever done that I totally focus on the dance. I am totally in the moment. I thought that yoga would do that for me, but I am still up in my head thinking about my grocery list, etc. If you haven’t tried belly dance, you are in for a magical transformation.
So true Pat!
Dance is the best therapy in the world and it’s no surprise because the human body was designed with movement in mind.
When in life we don’t know what to do Dance!
Dance without ceasing.
“Dance Like nobody is watching”
I know that I am no more fully in my body in that place of pure joy or pure spirit as when I dance.
It IS the ultimate Therapy and I am sooo lucky to be Kathreen’s Daughter and have been given the gift of the love of Dance since birth!
I am getting ready for dance therapy with Kathreen next week! eeeyiiiyyiiiyi…
Dance is the window of our soul. When emotion is low, I have great difficulty in dancing. I have first hand experience the last 2 years as I tended to my chronically ill parents. This spring and summer when my father was hospitalized, I could not muster any energy to dance or go to dance classes. When I returned to my first dance class 3 weeks ago after my father deceased, I broke down in the middle of our gala rehearsal and cried for over 5 minutes. The dance and music forced all the emotions I have bottled up came to the surface.
Based on this limited experience, I have more respect and empathy for professional dancers. They have to put all their energy and soul in performing regardless of their emotional state.