dancing. I believe this is because the language of dance is so natural and pure that I don't wor- ry about miscommunicating. Words in verbal and written language are movements in dance. To me, it is so natural to string together words which become sentences which become stories when the words are movements and I am danc- ing.
the power of dance!
by Haylee Snow
Haylee Snow comes from Watertown, Connecticut. She is studying Psychology with a Dance minor.
“Dance is the hidden language of the soul.” ~ Martha Graham
I would argue dance is my first language. My mom signed me up for dance classes when I was just two years old and I have been danc- ing ever since. I feel the most liberated and comfortable when I am in the studio or on stage. People often think it's strange how I am so comfortable performing on stage in front of hundreds of people but class pres- entations in front of just fifteen to twenty of my peers frighten me. My timid and shy personality completely vanishes once I am
Growing up I struggled to express myself in a way my teachers and parents wanted me to. I was extremely shy and I hated any situation where I would be forced to talk. As a college student, I still dread moments where I have to meet new people, fulfill silence with small talk, or give a presen- tation in front of the class. I even have a hard time writing essays and papers be- cause I can never find the right words for what I want to say.
Dance is a universal language that doesn’t have to be translated and cannot be filtered. The body communicates what the mind cannot, mak- ing dance the most genuine and purest form of expression. Before humans developed verbal languages, we used gestures to communicate. Gestures are the most basic type of movement, gestures become a movement and when we combine movements, we dance. Dancing is or- ganic and innate in all of us. Martha Graham, one of the most famous modern dancers and choreographers, argues, “Dance is the hidden language of the soul.” Dance portrays the feel- ings, emotions, and sensations of the soul that make humans so individualized and special. I be- lieve we should honor and cultivate the feelings, emotions, and sensations that make us human to learn more from one another. In a society where technology is taking over and human connection is being lost, it is essential that we implement dance into our educational systems. Dance teaches individuals to learn from within and stimulates knowledge beyond
facts and phenomenons that extends out to experience and exploration. In school, knowl- edge is purely thought to be from the mind. Dance goes beyond that and gets your body and soul involved. In exploring the world of dance, you can learn about history, culture, and religion beyond words, and actually, ex- perience knowledge through movement and feelings. English, math, science, history, and social studies all teach you skills through reading and writing meanwhile dance opens up endless opportunities of learning from your mind, body, and soul.
Learning Through Moving
Dance is a body of knowledge that involves emotions, attitudes, and ideas about facts and phenomena that become internalized and “known” through experiences of moving. True knowledge comes from understanding and application, dance is a platform to ex- plore this type of knowledge. I argue know- ing about something through descriptions
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