The Pleasure of Dancing our Sadness

“Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. 

 It’s the rhythm of your life.”

_Jacques d’Amboise

Generally, we think of sadness as a negative emotion. We are programmed to think that our survival depends on avoiding painful experiences. If we are unwilling to feel and experience those moments of grief and sorrow in our lives, how do we ever get to feel happiness and joy? Emotions are physical signatures in our bodies which we interpret into feelings. If we block the body patterns of any particular emotion the body becomes rigid and resistant to the body patterns of all other emotions. We simply cannot choose, but rather embrace the full spectrum of our human existence – live the full range of our emotional symphony.

Dancing becomes a channel for emotional expression allowing us to face rather than suppress our feelings. The safety and grace of dance become a medium to explore the depths of our emotions and turn them into a creative energy that shapes life – and gives pleasure. Dance provides a cathartic release for all emotions by releasing tension in our bodies. The powerful force of a moving body can transmute emotions so that they become a flowing river of vitality rather than a stagnant pond, lifeless and sterile.

In essence, the pleasure of dancing our sadness lies in the transformative power of embracing ALL our emotions fully. Through dance, we navigate the intricate labyrinth of human emotions, finding beauty, strength, and ultimately, healing. In other words, learning to live life fully!

_Christos Daskalakos