I can’t dance. I don’t know how to dance. I don’t dance.
Have you ever said that in your life?
Are you still saying it today?
If this is you, there’s plenty of good news. To begin with, you are not alone! I’ve heard this many times before (I have even said it myself in the past). The other good news is that there is a type of dance that allows you more freedom than you can imagine right now. Some people call it Trance Dance, some people call it tribal dance, I call it Freedom Rhythms. Whatever. It’s simply great music (with live drumming) and people dancing their brains out, in whatever style that surges from their unabashed soul.
Other Trance Dance styles ask that you be blindfolded. In Freedom Rhythms, you are encouraged to just close your eyes as often as possible. There is no talking allowed until the potluck, where we all share as a community. At the dance floor everyone is dancing, no one can simply watch without taking part of it (you can certainly rest, but only when you are tired!). This ensures we make the space sacred and completely safe so you can just be yourself. No right way of doing it, just YOUR way of doing it.
“God respects us when we work, but loves us when we dance”. (old Sufi adage).
Let's face it: Human beings are wired in such a way that we like music. We may not enjoy the same styles but we all like some form of music. Do you ever notice that when you listen to music, your first impulse is to tap your foot or, one way or another, “play” with the music, using your body as an instrument? If you are a musician, you already have a fantastic way of riding that wave of freedom. But playing an instrument is rather different than dancing for many reasons; and certainly not required to be able to dance.
To begin with, dancing is very healthy for your entire organism. There is nothing like a good dance workout: you’ve probably worked every one of your muscles and you feel like you just prayed and made love with God with every cell of your body. It’s even better when you transition into meditation after you have danced, you will find that you are already “in the zone”, and you flow effortlessly into deep focus and relaxation.
Did you know that all the tribes around the world and throughout time have danced together? Not just the "dancers" in the tribe, but everyone. There isn’t such thing as "I don’t know how to dance" in those tribes. It is universally understood that not everyone will have the same degree of skills or gracefulness; but in no way does it mean that somebody else’s beautiful dancing should limit each person's own ability to enjoy the highest potentials for joy and worship through their body.
Dancing requires absolutely no skill when it is done for spiritual reasons -your dance IS your prayer! It doesn’t have to look good or graceful; your dance can be angry or sweet, sad or joyful, frustrated or inspired, because you are not performing for anyone but your Self. The reason Freedom Rhythms can be so liberating is that you can let your body move in any way you want to; you have full creative freedom, you could look really silly or crazy and NOBODY CARES.
Now, imagine having twice as much satisfaction just knowing that you have not only enjoyed dancing, but that you have done it in front of other people and you simply DIDN'T CARE. If you have always wanted to dance and finally allow yourself to do it, be prepared for one of the most liberating feelings you could ever have. That’s something you would remember forever. It’s not only about the endorphins or the feeling of great accomplishment, but it's also the connection with other human beings in the dance floor –we all inspire and uplift each other as we invite others into our dance space, or simply witness the liberation of their own inner dancer. Sharing space with the people that you dance with allows a deeper connection with them; and it evokes a feeling in you of being more vibrantly human. And that's something the world desperately needs right now: for us to be the most connected to our true Self as possible; to be "fully human" and in turn, to embrace other humans, unconditionally, no matter what their dancing style, clothing style, color of hair, gender, etc.
All it takes is two small things: you shall not care as to how you look, and you shall give yourself permission to be as silly and goofy and child-like as your inner dancer desires. Everybody else will be doing the same anyway, trust me (it’s the rules!). Before long you will realize it: dancing is innate, and organic, and emotional, and liberating, and passionate, and blissful, and all of the above and more!!
It’s such a small price to pay, even if you only try it once... the most wonderful feelings of liberation and joy await your bravery and shamelessness!
I will be waiting for you, on the dance floor, inviting you to the celebration of our presence in this magnificent Universe.
Namaste
Michael Brandwajn