Dancing is something that often plays a prominent
part in many of our different cultures around the world.
Just to mention a few: folk, jazz, contemporary, ballroom,
Hip Hop, Tap, Latin, Irish, etc. etc. etc.
Although perhaps not absolutely necessary, but usually
where there is music there will often be dancing.
Music is to dancing as speaking is to words.
And just as music is often something we do
together with others, so it is with dancing.
As part of many important ceremonies that us human beings
perform, some kind of dancing rituals are often included
on such occasions.
For many of us.......a ''good'' beat gets us up on our feet.
Exactly what constitutes ''a good beat'' however,
is down to our very individual tastes.
Not only that, although unusual, some of us just
can't feel or follow a rhythm terribly well.
There is a common misconception ''out there'' that
asserts that: ''if you can play an instrument you can
automatically sing in tune. If you can play
groovy/funky music you can for sure dance''.
Not true. Leonard Bernstein for example, one of the very
greatest of composers and conductors can not
sing in tune. (I've seen him try.)
I know a bunch of musicians that really knows
how to ''groooove'' musically but absolutely cannot dance.
Hand on heart, I am one of them.
I can't dance. Well, my urge to play the music rather
than dance to it is much, much stronger.
Having spent 30 years playing music that encourages
people to dance maybe could have, but have not,
changed that.
However,
my son introducing me to prog metal, djent, prog fusion
/metal and a whole bunch of new music genres,
inadvertently, still somehow and very strangely,
has made me feel like I want to dance to the music.
Though strictly speaking, what I do probably could
not be called dancing but more like ''jumping and
bopping about'' in harmony with the rhythm/beat.
This made me ponder whether it was
dancing with nobody there that made me
feel okay to dance?
Was it a fear of making a fool of myself
that stopped me from dancing?
Was I scared of others opinions?
This made me think of something I read
in a book about public speaking.
Apparently, everyone is scared of doing that.
Are you scared of having to speak publicly
in front of a large crowd?
Are you scared of singing publicly?
Are you scared of dancing publicly?
Well, if you are, you are in good company
because most people are.
Some people only sing/dance/speak freely
after having consumed in their opinion the right
amount of red, golden or clear ''nerve-soothing and
free and liberated vocal chords'' liquid.
I only dance when nobody is watching
because though I may be having a great time
''dancing'', I'm pretty sure nobody else would.
Have you heard of ''the inner critic''?
Well, if you have, sorry, but I've been
thinking a lot lately about that inner voice that
has a tendency to keep whispering derogative
and negative thoughts constantly.
Those in the know say that the inner critic
is a conglomeration of negative/hurtful messages
we've heard/been told/read about us somewhere along
the road we call life.
Often we tend to hold on to hurtful words
more than positive and encouraging ones.
Basically, human beings need validation.
Positive and encouraging support now and then.
If we are never told that we are worthy, lovable
and or appreciated, eventually we will find
it hard to believe anyone who tells us we are.
When I was 16 years old an old vitriolic(bitter)
man told me that I had no talent and that I would never
be good enough to make it as a musician.
-Well, old man, you were wrong. Not only did
making music become my living but my dream
of playing my own composed pieces of jazz music
with some of the very best jazz musicians in the USA
come true, I've even managed to perform on MTV and
win numerous music competitions.
(Put that in your pipe and smoke it, old man!!!!
Well, you know what I mean.)
I think that listening to that inner critic has its place.
Sometimes a little self reflection can be helpful
because it can be easy to get tangled up in
selfishness and egocentrism.
Personally I do not believe that empathy(which
some people seem to spout) is
a ''loser mentality'' as some suggest.
A healthy balance between self-scrutiny and
self-belief often seem to make for a less chaotic
and/or messy life in my view.
And empathy, in my opinion, is the very glue
that offer some hope that us humans can grow
better at getting along.
Dance if you want to,
sing if you want to,
play an instrument if you want to,
paint if you want to, etc, etc, etc....
But I do believe that you have to decide whether
you want to
do those things because you enjoy doing them
or if you want to do them because
you want to get peoples feedback.
(Do things publicly and the public will offer their opinions)
about the image: quick graphite sketch on paper, some
editing in Elements
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