I've been dancing and teaching dance for a long time, and it's always been a mystery to me why dancing is not more popular in the West.
It has so many benefits, physical, emotional, social; it's like super-medicine for the mind and body.
I've always suspected it was a reaction to Protestantism, and the fact that the US inherited British culture, but I'm not sure.
For whatever reason, for lots of people, it's a bit too weird, touchy-feely, difficult, or effeminate in many of its popular forms.
There are just too few common forms of dance.
Show me a boy who wouldn't enjoy and benefit from break dancing. And yet why is it not taught? Our education system is so limited.
And because of the lack of cultural formation, the Western Church lacks a cultural appreciation in general, and especially of dance.
Even the pope pushes for standardizing the liturgy.
Anyway, music is just artistically arranged rhythmic sound to convey meaning and emotion. Talking and music are not good or bad; they're just communication.
Singing is just talking in music, and dancing is just singing with your body.
Its all just communication. The important thing is what's communicated.
I'm sorry for the slow reply -- there have been too many crises these days, health-related and otherwise.
It's so great that you dance, teach others to do so, and derive so much benefit from the art. This Brooklyn-bred homegirl definitely cherishes an appreciation of breakdance. :)
Blessed Lent.
-Val (because I know this is going to post under "Paul Chu")
Generally speaking, I'm rather skeptical about dance within the Mass proper, although I think there are occasions within the broader liturgy where it might be quite appropriate and acceptable. Of course, liturgically-fitting dance is vanishingly rare in modern America, or at least in modern Anglo-America (I can't really speak intelligently about other situations). Which is probably why many attempts at liturgical dance in said context come off as superficial, contrived, and perhaps a bit silly.
Not long ago, I came across this video, which portrays a lovely Spanish folk custom of dancing before the Holy Infant on Christmas Eve:
Evidently, it occurred in connection with the Mass, although before, during, or after, I'm not sure. It has the spiritual vitality and implicit reverence of the processional dancing one sees today elsewhere -- in Africa, for instance (though some African prelates warn that there is always a danger that such festivities "overshadow" the essence of the Mass, which is such a humble and obscure reality, which invites and perhaps demands askesis, as you say...).
God bless and be well (and sorry to hear of difficulties!).
Thank you for all this, Philip. The video was just what the doctor ordered! The lamb in the backpack made me squeal with delight. And the costumes are so elegant and artful. I have seen something very similar, quite similar dance steps and gestures even, with Aztec dancers paying homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and with the First Nations peoples at the shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré in Quebec. The reverence, intention and authenticity cannot be questioned. The Aztec dancing takes place both before and after Mass, while the Canadian Indigenous have something more akin to an elaborate Offertory procession, perhaps a little less like dancing.
My point, of course, is not to hold for dance in the liturgy, but rather to see in its proscription an opportunity for amplifying the festal aspects of worship precisely *outside* of liturgy.
Thank you for your commiseration. I was a little bolder in my assertions than I would be, were I not writing for hours, detained in the emergency room. Having seen Paul prostrate and motionless in a pool of blood, and having had that surreal moment of fearing the worst, it just somehow seemed like there was less to lose. I have eaten nothing yet, nor been to Mass, but we're already back to lots of laughter and ridiculously silly humor.
I've been dancing and teaching dance for a long time, and it's always been a mystery to me why dancing is not more popular in the West.
It has so many benefits, physical, emotional, social; it's like super-medicine for the mind and body.
I've always suspected it was a reaction to Protestantism, and the fact that the US inherited British culture, but I'm not sure.
For whatever reason, for lots of people, it's a bit too weird, touchy-feely, difficult, or effeminate in many of its popular forms.
There are just too few common forms of dance.
Show me a boy who wouldn't enjoy and benefit from break dancing. And yet why is it not taught? Our education system is so limited.
And because of the lack of cultural formation, the Western Church lacks a cultural appreciation in general, and especially of dance.
Even the pope pushes for standardizing the liturgy.
Anyway, music is just artistically arranged rhythmic sound to convey meaning and emotion. Talking and music are not good or bad; they're just communication.
Singing is just talking in music, and dancing is just singing with your body.
Its all just communication. The important thing is what's communicated.
Thank you for all of this, Eric!
I'm sorry for the slow reply -- there have been too many crises these days, health-related and otherwise.
It's so great that you dance, teach others to do so, and derive so much benefit from the art. This Brooklyn-bred homegirl definitely cherishes an appreciation of breakdance. :)
Blessed Lent.
-Val (because I know this is going to post under "Paul Chu")
V.J.,
A fascinating and thought-provoking article.
Generally speaking, I'm rather skeptical about dance within the Mass proper, although I think there are occasions within the broader liturgy where it might be quite appropriate and acceptable. Of course, liturgically-fitting dance is vanishingly rare in modern America, or at least in modern Anglo-America (I can't really speak intelligently about other situations). Which is probably why many attempts at liturgical dance in said context come off as superficial, contrived, and perhaps a bit silly.
Not long ago, I came across this video, which portrays a lovely Spanish folk custom of dancing before the Holy Infant on Christmas Eve:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8nbgDr9jt8
Evidently, it occurred in connection with the Mass, although before, during, or after, I'm not sure. It has the spiritual vitality and implicit reverence of the processional dancing one sees today elsewhere -- in Africa, for instance (though some African prelates warn that there is always a danger that such festivities "overshadow" the essence of the Mass, which is such a humble and obscure reality, which invites and perhaps demands askesis, as you say...).
God bless and be well (and sorry to hear of difficulties!).
Philip
Thank you for all this, Philip. The video was just what the doctor ordered! The lamb in the backpack made me squeal with delight. And the costumes are so elegant and artful. I have seen something very similar, quite similar dance steps and gestures even, with Aztec dancers paying homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and with the First Nations peoples at the shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré in Quebec. The reverence, intention and authenticity cannot be questioned. The Aztec dancing takes place both before and after Mass, while the Canadian Indigenous have something more akin to an elaborate Offertory procession, perhaps a little less like dancing.
My point, of course, is not to hold for dance in the liturgy, but rather to see in its proscription an opportunity for amplifying the festal aspects of worship precisely *outside* of liturgy.
Thank you for your commiseration. I was a little bolder in my assertions than I would be, were I not writing for hours, detained in the emergency room. Having seen Paul prostrate and motionless in a pool of blood, and having had that surreal moment of fearing the worst, it just somehow seemed like there was less to lose. I have eaten nothing yet, nor been to Mass, but we're already back to lots of laughter and ridiculously silly humor.