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Kyrsten Hendershot
Dance 261
Edwin Austin
12/14/15

Dance: A Fusion of Souls

Our spirits possess an inherent desire to connect with the mind and the body. While this
inclination can be fulfilled through other artistic means, dance can effectively unite these two
elements because it requires a simultaneous utilization of the body, mind, and spirit to be
successfully executed. As Martha Graham once stated, dance is a symbol of the performance of
the living (1). Therefore, it must be that dance is an enactment of a natural human qualitythe
craving for certain needs to be fulfilled. Some of these desires include building unification with
others, reaching empowerment of the individual, achieving personal fulfillment, and gaining
strength physically, mentally, and spiritually. As a result, dance is something that unifies,
empowers, and fulfills individuals, while strengthening them physically, mentally, and
spiritually.

Dance can unify small or large groups of people. Because of the intense desire I had to
feel emotionally connected with others, I developed a strong inclination towards dance.
Consequently, this desire has greatly influenced my actions and decisions regarding dance. For
example, my decision to switch my focus from ballet to ballroom dance was largely because of
this needto feel emotionally connected to others. Ballroom dance is especially effective in
achieving this type of need because you dance closely with another person. Therefore, ballroom
dance (and other styles that include a similar type of connection) is incredibly important because

it allows a person to learn how to build relationships with other individuals. Through ballroom
dance, I have had the opportunity to dance on a team of close-knit friends who love and care for
each other. One way that we have become so close is through dancing together in performance
settings. Dancing with others in these types of settings creates a special bond because it requires
the combined effort of the entire team working together to uplift the audience. In these
examplesand others throughout historydance has served as a powerful tool to unite small
and large communities of people.

In addition to unification, dance can empower individuals to achieve their full potential
not just in dance, but in all areas of life. Ballroom dance has challenged me in ways that have
shaped the person I am today. Because of the nature of its style, ballroom danceparticularly
the International Latin stylecan be extremely taxing on many levels. It requires a great deal of
mental, emotional, and physical stamina in order to become the best dancer one can be.
Consequently, ballroom dance has empowered my life because I have learned how to more
effectively overcome daily challenges. Being married to my dance partner enables us as a couple
to consistently improve our relationship. In addition, pursuing goals in dance sets us up for
success in achieving future goals in our careers, our family, and school life. As a result, I believe
that a person can utilize dance in such a way that it enriches everyday aspects of his or her life. I
believe that dance can be a vital component in a persons life because it requires hard work and
dedication, which can in turn bring a sense of empowerment into ones life.

Dance is an especially fulfilling activityit fulfills the need for me to be successful at

something. In addition, it is a vehicle through which I can externalize my desires. But I am not
the only one who utilizes it in this way. During the Middle Ages, peasants used dance as a means

to release themselves from the tremendous oppression they were experiencing during that time.
Participating in enormous groups, they would dance until they reached severe exhaustion or even
death. This is commonly known as Danceomania (Kraus 59). I believe that dance fulfills many
needs, including the need to break out of oppression. Some needs that I find fulfilled through
dance are quite exclusive to ballroom dance. Through this style of dance, I am able to satisfy the
need to feel vulnerable, intimate, and feminine. However, dance can also be difficult and requires
full devotion in order to achieve greatness. But when I dedicate myself to dance, it can also be an
extremely rewarding activity.

Besides being artistically satisfying, dance is an enjoyable form of physical activity.

Since it requires the body to create, it can increase physical strength. In addition, I feel that the
movement itself can be therapeutic. Dee Winterton explained dance in this way: in its most
basic form, dance is simply the sensation of motiona 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). It is curious that humans feel the need to express movement in the form
of dance. However, I believe it is because dance is an intentional, emotional activity that requires
bodily interaction. Despite being rooted in simple motions, dance can be an extraordinarily
complex art. As Martha Graham stated, the path to the paradise of the achievement is not
easier than any other. There is fatigue so great that the body cries, even in its sleep. There are
times of complete frustration, there are daily small deaths (1). Even though physical challenges
exist, I love dance because it allows me to express appreciation for the physical body, which is
Gods gift to man (Winterton 1).

It is obvious that the physical body plays a key role in creating movement. What is
perhaps less obvious is that great mental capacity is also required. In addition to being able to
communicate an accurate rhythm, dance involves a significant amount of quick-thinking and
mental processing. In ballroom competitions, dancers must stay especially alert to their partner,
their dancing, and the other couples around them so that they can perform at their best and
without running into any other couples. I believe that dance can strengthen an individuals
mental capacity to portray movement in a way that communicates a message.

The spirit is perhaps the most unspoken quality of dance. Just as the mind and the body
are required to initiate dance, the spirit is essential in completing its artistic nature. I believe that
movement becomes dance when it has intention. This intention resides in our hearts, where we
have the option to either express or keep hidden our emotions and desires. There is a subtle but
profound change when a dancer displays the landscape of their soul, and the result is magical
(Graham 2). In Elder M. Russell Ballards talk, titled The Lords Purpose for the Artist in the
Gospel Plan, he states that God's purpose for the artist is to inspire (1). I believe that a dancer
can only achieve this when they activate their spirit and unite it with their mind and body,
creating something that deeply moves others to become better people.
In conclusion, I believe that dance has a special role to play in the education of the
whole man, which involves a total amalgamation of the body, mind, and spirit (Winterton 2).
Dance also possesses a particular capacity to unify people from all measures of life. It can
empower individuals to strive for perfection, and it can fulfill their deepest needs. To this I
believe: that dance is the state of complete simplicity costing no less than absolutely
everything (Graham 6). Because of this philosophy, I know that the more that I give of myself

in dance, the more fulfilling it will be. In addition, I will achieve Gods purpose for the artist: to
inspire and uplift others. Understanding this principle will allow me to make more-informed
decisions regarding my future. I will more aware of what I want to do with my career in dance. I
know it will require an absolute, unwavering dedication, but the journey will be absolutely worth
it each and every step of the way.

Works Cited

Graham, Martha. I Am a Dancer (1952): 1-6. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.

Kraus, Richard, Hilsendager, Sarah C., & Dixon, Brenda. History of the Dance in Art and
Education. Third ed. San Fransisco: Benjamin/Cummings, 1991. 28, 41, 59. Print.
Winterton, Dee. A Few Thoughts on Dance (1981): 1-2. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
Ballard, M. Russell. "The Lord's Purpose for the Artist in the Gospel Plan." Fine Arts and
Communications. BYU, 8 Apr. 1995. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
<http://fc.byu.edu/jpages/ee/w_mrb95.htm>.