Finding Your Voice In Dance

Happy Valentines Day! I can’t believe it’s been a year ago today since I’ve written in my blog! Time seems to fly by so quickly!

I don’t consider myself a writer, I think I do “ok” when I have something to say, but in general I’ve never been very good with words…that’s why I dance. My dance voice is loud and clear to me in my mind and body, which is very gratifying to me. But it got me thinking of how I can help other dancers find their artistic “voice”.

The key to finding your voice comes from within. It is vital to your expression as an artist. A dancer must learn to create from the core – from a well deep within. It comes from detaching yourself from your ego, separating yourself from your “story”, knowing who you really are. Connect with your spirit!

It’s not easy, you have to dig deep and be willing to go there.  Only when we look beneath the veil and wipe the glitter from our eyes can we start to see the truth. Dance is hard work physically, but it is also about letting go of fear and self doubt. Fear of not being good enough, fear of what others think of us, fear of not fitting in, fear of failure…fear, fear, fear. Get rid of the fear! It often involves freeing yourself from the fear of the outcome and just being in the moment! Face your fear and self doubt with love and understanding, turn it into artful expression. Listen quietly, little by little your dancer voice will begin to emerge!

I will end my blog today with some of my favorite dance quotes.

Come Fairies, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame! ~William Butler Yeats

To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking. ~Agnes de Mille

When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way. ~Wayne Dyer

We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.  ~Japanese Proverb

There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good.  ~Edwin Denby

It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer.  ~Shanna LaFleur

I don’t want people who want to dance, I want people who have to dance.  ~George Balanchine

Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another.  ~Author Unknown

Dance till the stars come down from the rafters
Dance, Dance, Dance till you drop.
~W.H. Auden

 Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!  ~Constanze

The truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music. Bodies never lie. ~Agnes de Mille

Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn. ~Terri Guillemets

Dancers are the messengers of the gods. ~Martha Graham