Dance - Journey to Freedom

#dance #dancer #choreographer #selfdoubt #freedom

I remember the first moment when dance changed me. As a young girl, I used to be very shy, and I remember several moments when I was bound by shame when expressing myself on any level.

One of them was when I was twelve, dancing at a disco in Greece. I felt stiff and tense. I did not know what to do. My movements felt repetitive and lacked variety. I believe there is still some VHS footage capturing this moment. I come from an environment, especially culturally, where creative expression such as dancing or singing was often associated with shame and with the belief that you must be talented to do it, otherwise, you can't. At that time, I did not feel like I had any special talent. But when I look back, it was more about the environment, which was not very supportive of exploration. On the other hand, we were one of those families where music would be played at celebrations, and people would dance, so I suppose it must have had some influence on me.

When I was 14, I started to attend my first dance classes, and a bit later I became a member of a dance crew. On Friday or Saturday nights, we would go to a club to dance, sometimes to perform. I was part of a b-boy crew, and I was one of the few girls who danced popping. I remember one night when I felt a change in my energy, a moment of initiation. I was part of a cypher in the club and had to summon all my courage to step in and dance. I felt that this exact moment changed me and helped me open up, even in communication. For this, I am very grateful to dance, as it helped me become a better communicator in everyday life.

When I see the picture of me back then, moments before I started attending any dance classes, when I was bound by shame, and compare it to the picture of me now, after all these years of consistent work of different frequency and intensity, I can see the journey I have taken. It is said that we should measure ourselves not against others, but against our past selves. And I am amazed by the progress I have made since I took my first steps on the path of dance and on my own journey toward freedom and self-expression.

The progress has not been just about my skills, I would say it has been more about the internal work, the unseen world. It includes things I did not understand back then and how they had been affecting me, for example the beliefs I learned about myself that were not always supportive, the limiting beliefs that I inherited from my family and culture, which held me back and prevented me from feeling free, creative, and joyful. This inherited mindset often prevented me from experiencing new opportunities in dance and beyond.

What we believe about ourselves is reflected in the way we live our lives, and vice versa. On a smaller level, it is also reflected in the way we move on the dance floor. I like to remind myself that dance, and what we do in the studio, has a huge impact on our everyday life. The dance studio is like a training ground where I have the space to experience what it’s like to be myself, to connect with myself and with others, and then take that feeling with me into my everyday life.

How about you? What positive impact has dance had on your life? You are welcome to share in the comments.

With Love,

Jindriska