Move on past the pandemic
Explore the Space
The pandemic has cooped us up for nearly a year, with that isolation comes a yearning to explore each space we enter. We have taken to understand ourselves better spatially, gotten to know the simple ways we move, the daily lunges we take when reaching for a low plug or stepping to our toes to reach for a roll of paper towels, all these movements are our personal daily dances.
Movement is such an integral part of our existence and if we take more time to be mindful of our movements, they will in turn become more meaningful for us and the areas that surround us. Gia Kourlas of the NY Times recently wrote an article on dance and movement and how events of recent history, or the lack of events have shaped the way we move, and how to move forward. Kourlas writes, “dancers know that how you are in your body relates to how you are in your mind and how you move through the world.”
A Meditative Process
Movement and dance can become a meditative process. Taking time throughout the day to deliberately move, being conscious of how we are moving and how our mind is moving with our movements becomes a mindfulness exercise and meditative in nature. Kourlas continues, “Somatic Practice—names for “soma” or the living body—is a wat to connect the mind and body that encourages internal attentiveness. ‘We’re talking about allowing the living body to inform behavior.” This according to Martha Eddy, a therapist specializing in somatic movement. Understanding and feeling your body in space, creating an awareness, heightens the movement to an exercise of mind and body.
The Science is There
This may sound like a bit of psychological mumbo jumbo, but there is real science to the practice. According to a study by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy used on veterans experiencing post traumatic stress disorder reduced symptoms in 73% of the veterans in the study. Mindfulness through movement can work.
It may seem as though dance and movement do not play a large part in daily lives, but the opposite is true. Movement and rhythm define the ways in which we all move and offers up forms of communication and catharsis. Taking the time to move intentionally can be a liberating experience given the tightness that we have all experienced over this past year and starting is easy.
Start Dancing
If your child has taken an interest in dance or movement, or you believe that they would, Dansations WNY teaches several different forms of dance from ages 18 months to 18 years. Our professional instructors know how to move and inspire movement in a time when dance and movement is needed most. Give us a call today or fill out your information here and we will contact you with more info on how we can get your child moving.