Kira Barker

Dance 261
Ed Austin
Personal Treatise
December 14, 2015
Movement with Meaning

If you move your body with a purpose, you can dance. Old, young,
black, white, short, tall, everyone has the ability to dance. Our unique
qualities is what makes dance beautiful. It is what makes it relatable. It is
what makes it ever changing.
The beauty of artistry often comes from spontaneity. Improvisational
movement is dance when you trace back to the intent of your movement.
There must be an intent, or it would not be considered dance. People going
crazy at a dance party is dancing. When a 93 year old lady still does her
ballet barre exercises is a beautiful depiction of dance. When a father
dances with his daughter on her wedding day, this is also dance. Dance is
simply movement with a purpose. This paper explores what movement with
meaning means, how I realized this for myself and why I desire to share it
with other people.
For movement to be considered dance, the intent of the movement can
only be judged by the dancer. An audience member or witness cannot define
that for the individual. The observer does not know how the dancer feels.
The inspiration for dance is literally endless. It can come from a sunset, a
pencil, a picnic outing, a rainy day, a sandwich, and so on. Inspiration can

come from anything but that is only for the dancer to decide. And to further
that thought, we ask why did the dancer decide to move this way? Dance is
a heart-felt creative expression embodied in physical portrayal. Dance is not
just a movement of the body, it is the giving a piece of your heart with
honest intent.
Rewind to 1998, I am a six year old girl. I am sitting at the dining room
table and we have just finished eating family dinner. Everyone else has left
the kitchen and all I can hear is the gentle hum of the dishwasher going. I
stay in my chair looking down at my arm. I can see the veins moving in and
out each other. My veins create a beautiful framework across my forearm
and into my individual fingers. If I press down on my arm I can feel my
bones, these things that if I drink my milk everyday will make them stronger.
I find the hinge joint in my elbow fascinating. I marvel how it can go back
and forth, forward and back. I stare in amazement at the dexterity of my
fingers. How does my body do this? I ask my young six year old self.
How can my body move even without me thinking about it? It is a miracle.
And as Martha Graham states, dance is a celebration of that miracle (2).
My actions and decisions in dance are inspired by the experience I had
as a young child. To praise and utilize the God given gift of my body. The
temporal tabernacle that houses my spirit. My body that is subject to injury,
sickness and fatigue. Yet my body that can do uncomprehendable things,
that can move in unexpected ways. My body is linked to a spirit inside that
shows its personality through movement. In Dee Wintertons words he

states about dance, a personal moment when the spirit becomes one with
the physical in an experience of the joy and an appreciation of the wonder of
physical movement (1). This supports the reason that dance is done by
movement with a meaningful connection to our spirits. Our spirits which are
much older than our bodies. Our spirits are powerful and can connect with
others as well. This is why dance connects people together.
Dance speaks directly from spirit to spirit. Inspired art speaks in the
language of Eternity, teaching things to the heart the eyes and ears can
never understand (Ballard). When it is said that it speaks the language of
eternity this helps me to know that dance is part of our eternal life. It is not
just something for us to enjoy here on earth for a short time. This also gives
a great responsibility to us to use this gift well and to foster this talent that
we have been given. We can use this as a motive to add meaning to our
movement.
Dance is spoken through movement and is translated into a feeling.
That feeling is what connects people together. That feeling is what helps
people deal with problems that cannot be fixed with words. That feeling
expresses ideas, livens cultures and creates traditions. Dance unifies us
because we are all improving through this life together.
There is a Japanese proverb that states, we are all fools whether we
dance or not, so we might as well dance. It implies that dance is for all no
matter who you are. I believe this very strongly. When people ask me what I
am studying and I respond, dance education they most often say oh wow

that is cool, I can not dance at all. After this happens I then explain to them
how possible it is for them to dance. Movement never lies as Martha
Graham states (3). Whatever their body produces is movement and is a
beautiful dance. However it is the meaning behind the movement that
qualifies this as dance. And on the topic of meaning, it is not difficult to find.
One just simply asks themselves questions such as: why am I moving in this
way? what am I thinking about? what am I trying to say? Whether that
is completely conveyed to the observer it does not matter. And also, if there
is no observer this is still dance as well.
Peggy Hackney says that in the beginning moments of our lives,
momentous change occurs, relationship is created, and patterns of
connection begin to set up which will continue throughout life (12).
Movement is a connection that begins from birth. We dance throughout our
lives and even improvise sometimes. It is innate in us and helps us express
what words cannot do for us. These connections in our body are most
obviously anatomical. We can see by how our body is built that is meant to
move with its many joints, actions and abilities. Our bodies can be stretched
so they are more flexible. We can train our bodies to be physically fit so we
can endure more cardiovascular movement. Even in this aspect it ties into
dance being movement with meaning because being physically fit can be a
motive for our dancing.
This all comes down to why I feel that dance is needed in this world
and why we must have a worthy motive behind it. I want to create

meaningful movement for my community, students, and most importantly to

praise my Heavenly Father, the Creator of this sacred gift. In this world of
ever changing values and ideas, it is important for us to stay in tune with
what is good and uplifting. Our Heavenly Father and his Beloved Son, Jesus
Christ, have given a plan for Heavenly Father's children and we have the
responsibility as leaders and members of the church to take this glorious
plan to all of our Heavenly Father's children (Ballard). This is part of the
plan. Dance is part of the plan.
Helping further the work upon the earth is possible through dance in so
many ways. Because of all these ideas that have been previously discussed,
dance is a tool to help build up the kingdom of God. First, because our
bodies are a gift from God. Second, because our spirits are connected with
our bodies and connect us with one another. And lastly because when we
have meaning behind our movement we create dance. In whatever shape,
form, system or technique. As long as there is a meaning behind why you
are moving, it is dance, and what a beautiful thing that is.

WORKS CITED
Ballard, M. Russell. "The Lord's Purpose for the Artist in the Gospel Plan."
Tuachan
Mormon Arts Festival 8 Apr. 1995: n. pag. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.
Graham, Martha. "I Am a Dancer." (1952): 1-6. HBLL Course Readings. Web.
14 Dec. 2015.

Hackney, Peggy. Making Connections: Total Body Integration through

Bartenief Fundamentals. Australia: Gordon and Breach Pub., 1998. Print.
Winterton, Dee. "A Few Thoughts on Dance." (1981): 1-2. HBLL Course
Readings. Web. 14
Dec. 2015.