Task 4d - Literature

In exploring literature in connection to my inquiry I enjoyed reading ‘Deadly Dance/Divine Dance: A Journey into Freedom’ 2013 by Ma, Dt, Le Valley Ba, Martha, Martha Le Valley. During her decades of teaching dance she relates to the mind/body connection, on how we feel when we dance in a chapter she writes: “I ask the question ‘What do humans do when they dance?’ And answer that dance expresses that which cannot be put into words and gives voice to the meaning of life” (Ma, Dt, Le Valley Ba, Martha, Martha Le Valley, P:26). I also feel compelled to address the well acclaimed true story of ‘Billy Elliot’ known as the screenplay by Lee Hall but was novelized by Melvin Burgess (2001) where his feelings for dance in his audition are captured (Chapter 12): “Once I get going…forget everything…I can sort of disappear…feel a change in my body…like there’s fire in my body…just there…flying like a bird…like electricity, yea like electricity!”.

Thus relating to my question ‘How does dancing make you feel?’ For many, the act of dancing is escapism which I support because when I perform my persona is different to my traits in the ‘real world’ as when dancing I am in another world where I can express myself and lose my inhibitions. These profound feelings are expressed and well documented in the book by Senta Duffield ‘Dancing with Your Skeletons: Healing Through Dance’ (2016) where there are many true stories of how dance has healed people in their lives.

Looking further into my question ‘How does dancing make you feel?’ I looked into dancing with a physical disability – something that is not highly recognized. This resonated with me as dancing links to escapism enabling me to escape life and my self limitations. Why should it not have the same outcome for someone with a physical disability? An article I read about was by Stella Young ‘Dancing like Everyone’s Watching’, being disabled she gives you an insight to what it means to her and peoples reactions and assumptions. In her last paragraph I have taken an insert from where she states “I dance as a political statement because disabled bodies are inherently political but I mostly dance for all the same reasons anyone else does. Because it heals my spirit and fills me with joy.” Appendix A.

In researching dancing for the physical disability I looked at mental health. One of the numerous articles I read was ‘Dancing to Escape’ by Viv Gordon who is the founder and artistic director of ‘Mean Feet Dance’ and ‘The One Step Forward’ program. She talks about her own lifelong mental issues and the work she is now involved with. In the article one of the participants interviewed quoted, “I’ve seen people of all ages and all sorts of struggles forget about pain and fear and get caught up in the joy of dance”. Demonstrating this article once again subsistence’s my question. For many dance can provide non-visual benefits, an underestimated invisible power that dance can awaken.

Prior to this task I had intended to review and support several of my questions but each of the above review followed into the next under the same question!

Appendix A

‘Dancing like Everyone’s Watching’ by Stella Young - abc.net.au