Dancing Fool

Universal Language

“To watch us dance is to hear our heart speak.”

Hopi Indian Saying

James Brown said, “Get up off that thing. Dance and you'll feel better.” If anyone could make you dance, it was James. In fact, if you can listen to James Brown's music and not dance, well...sumpin 'nother wrong with ya, friend. This panel is basically a triptych in a single piece. It's called, “The Dance Lesson,” for the center grouping—a little girl and her grannies.

I don't know about you, but my grannies may not have taught me how to dance, but their love of music and their encouragement of my brand of boogie-woogie dancing certainly gave me permission.

These three groupings also embody other lessons. At least, they do for me. One is that music and dance are a universal language. The dancers here are ethnic, not particularly gender specific, and expressly different from one another. And yet, they are united in dance, and in their joy to be dancing together. 

In the words of ballerina, Vicki Brown, “There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them.” When we move to music, nothing else matters—not race, not age, not social status, not size, not expertise. In fact, one of the things I dislike about programmed dancing—and by that I mean dances that have particular steps in a particular progression, and anything that departs from that is wrong—is because I believe dance to be a unique expression of the soul. And the soul knows the steps. All we have to do is provide the body and the willingness to allow soul to move through us.

I agree with River Maria Urke. She said, “If in life you stumble, make it part of your dance.” Everybody stumbles. It's part of life. You can't do life perfectly, nor is there any perfect dance. We're given this gift to enjoy and to set body, mind and spirit free. Today, if you have a chance, dance.

                             In the Spirit,

                                 Jane