Arts & Humanities: Don't Leave College Without Them

In a world of smartphones and social media, humans are becoming divided. We are at- tached to these little squares we carry around in our pocket and lack human connection. Introducing dance into the education cur- riculum for younger children will give them an opportunity to expand their connections beyond an artificial life. Dancing allows the soul to express itself and create long-lasting connections. Educating the next generation through dance will lead to more meaning- ful relationships and a united society. Dance has given me so much strength and power in recognizing and admiring the beauty of what it means to be human. As a society, if we adopt this mindset, we will have the power to change the world and lead an authentic and meaningful life.

front of a group or when meeting new people, I can command an audience with movement and find empathy and compassion for all peo - ple. Dance has given me these skills and many more including the tools to find my voice, both in movement and in words. From dance, we learn how to be vulnerable and open to new experiences. We learn to find meaning in the small details and have intentions in eve- rything we do. Dance has increased my self- esteem and confidence by giving me space to be unfiltered and honest with myself and oth - ers. Performing on stage has inflated my pub - lic speaking skills and my relationships with my family, friends, classmates, and professors. Dance has shaped me into an independent, open-minded, and genuine person. As a society, we need to become more hu- man. We do this by educating our mind, body, and soul. José Limón, another modern dance pioneer, explains, “We are never more truly and profoundly human than when we dance.” Educating through dance will allow us to un - derstand and empathize with each other. By sharing the thoughts and emotions of the soul we will collectively grow to become strength- en our inner connections which will positively impact our individual and collective roles in society. I want to promote dance education for all ages, it is never too late to connect with our souls and never too early to teach children to listen to those inner thoughts and emotions. With dance in our educational systems, our society will grow to become compassionate and united.

search suggests that this type of freedom can be physically and emotionally expansive and restorative for individuals suffering from Par - kinson's. Dance can be used as a physical, social, and artistic outlet to alleviate symptoms of neuro- logical disorders. Dance can become a physical rehabilitation for individuals with Parkinson's. Often these patients experience tremors or ri- gidity in their muscles. Dance exploration can help train the body to become more relaxed. By introducing and practicing fluid and grace - ful movements, the goal is to train the body to move in a lose rather than rigid manner. This method can be applied for a variety of move- ment-related symptoms, we simply train and practice dance movements with the opposite sensations and textures of the symptoms to combat the unwanted behavior. Dance is also used as a social and artistic outlet for indi- viduals with neurological disabilities includ- ing neurological disorders. Dance welcomes groups of people to come together, it encour- ages artistic expression from within and gets the body active. Allowing individuals to com- municate and express themselves in a newway can allow for new discoveries about oneself.

Houston, Sara. “The Methodological Challenges of Research into

Dance for People with Parkinson's.” Dance Research: The Journal of

the Society for Dance Research, vol. 29, 2011, pp. 329–351.

“We are never more truly and profoundly hu - man than when we dance.” ~ José Limón

I’ve always used dance as my outlet to relieve stress, express myself, and form connections with others. While I may get nervous talking in

162

Arts & Humanities

Don’t Leave College Without Them

163

Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker