Dancing with Friends

“Happiness is the friend who’ll dance with you to the song

that’s not meant for dancing.”

_unknown

Group dancing has been part of humanity from time immemorial. Gathering round the fire the clan united, sang, danced in rituals of healing and worship. Through the dance we expressed our identity as the clan, we expressed our understanding of the cosmos and we expressed our relationship with each other, the world, and universe. For perverse reasons, we have lost this opportunity except in specialised situations.

It is natural for us to dance and as humans we are naturally susceptible to music - when we hear a good beat it makes us want to dance. Although music has an emotional content it is that primal beat that gets us in the chore of our being. It is a fact that people who dance together to the same beat feel connected to each other. Not only does this encourage social bonding but is also a very good way of promoting health and wellness.

A smile is always visible on the faces of people who dance together. Even if for a moment, the stranger becomes our friend. We are co-conspirators in creating joy and fun. Magic connects us in the dance. We relax and are able to open our hearts to the other. Dancing together creates feelings of mutual support which go a long way to supporting us.

_Christos Daskalakos