Occupied space whilst dancing your heart out

Dancing to a beat has never felt so good, and everyone I know has a particular collection of songs, specifically for days like these. Whether it’s to relive a memory from their younger disco days at a favourite club, imagining themselves at a mosh pit of a treasured music festival, or simply to release the day’s tension; expressing your authentic self through movement is an individual delicacy.

The moment that this expression is felt - both emotionally and physically, a force of energy ignites deep within the soul. Bursting at the seams to surrender its intensity, this spontaneous discharge of one’s innermost weirdness, translates into the body as rhythmic movement. Arms flail about, legs fling outwards, the core body twists, heads bop up and down, and suddenly whether you’ve realised it or not – you’re getting your groove on. Any improvised arrangement of rhythm is excusable, because it plays out as a personal saga of felt sensations. Judgement or criticism instantaneously goes out the window because the person is having a moment, and designated space must be given over to allow this dialogue to occur.

I am able to name countless examples of dance routines that reflect a person’s unique personality and instantly occupies space because of its release; from Elaine’s dance on Seinfeld, to Napoleon Dynamite’s talent show routine. These expressions deliver more than a choreographed routine – they reflect an obscure space within the soul of a person that’s unable to be verbally communicated. When Elaine dances at a party, she genuinely believes her dance moves are normal, as she expresses herself in her truest form. She only recognises her awful attempt at dancing after watching herself back on film and decidedly believes the criticism of others. Napoleon on the other hand, is special and peculiar in that his improvisation is subjective. He hopes to win over the crowd of high schoolers with his dance, but recognises his perceived inferiority to the choreographed routine of the school’s glee club ‘Happy Hands.’ Napoleon’s cool confidence expressed through complete commitment to his random moves, demonstrates his best and worst qualities for all to see, not caring what will become of his vulnerability at that moment in time. The crowd rejoices in the transparency of his authentic self, rewarding his brave courage with the basic recognition he’s lacked throughout most of high school.

To announce oneself in a space is awkward in the least, but to dance freely, liberates the need to clarify and refine an idea. Many times, when I have watched others express themselves through movement, I’ve sensed their innermost feelings through collective understanding. The outstretched arm that lingers momentarily, expresses a desire for something beyond their reach, the quiet pause during a freestyle routine gathers breath through grounding one’s energy, and that extra hip flex validates all the fun they’re having. The exhibition does not mean to instruct others how to feel, but rather explains a revealing moment of authentic sensitivity. This universal language found in dance transcends the precision of each particular variable. No matter whether the music skipped a beat, the dancer slid on a twirl, or the expression in their face changed, the entirety of that spontaneous moment cannot be re-lived or experienced the same as it was before.

The designated area required for this specific purpose of self-expression shifts based on the availability of space. One interesting translation is seen from hilarious risk taking and mould breaking flight attendants during flights. A quick google search exposes a collection of video’s capturing personal expressions that contradict the ordinary job description of a hospitality assistant. Notable examples include a full Britney Spears dance routine to the song ‘Toxic’ while delivering beverages, and a safety demonstration ‘striptease’ on a flight bound for Las Vegas. These youtube sensations entertain unsuspecting passengers by revealing their human side, enlivening the mundane experience of travel within the confines of a small space.

As someone who favours music over television at the end of a day, I regularly find myself breaking into movement at the drop of a hat, transforming the bland purpose of a kitchen into a creative space for personal expression. The style of dance varies, from ‘wanna be gangsta’ R&B Friday afternoons, to mid week Fruging and Voguing after a tea break. Whatever the style, movement designates a space to illustrate a sensation in response to one’s innermost desire for freedom. For now, thankfully, a video of myself dancing with a black cardigan and making weird action sounds, is lost in cyberspace. This moment captured my innermost authentic rhythm for all to see and now that it is considered M.I.A, I can sleep soundly knowing that my strange dance moves will only ever be safely expressed in the privacy of my own home… well, here’s hoping…