The first chapter primarily discusses the power of dance and its use as a symbol of cultural, religious, personal and group expression. All of the information discussed in this section pertains to two factors: the emotional power of dancing and its societal significance. The Tongan Dance, Ubud Legong Dance and the Stick Dance all have a sense of emotional investment inside of them, exhibiting an overall throughline of cultural significance. Dance is a form of activity can have a profound impact on the viewed, eliciting strong emotional responses and forming a personal relationship with its audience.
As said in the textbook “All dance is charged with power”, meaning that every performance holds a certain level of psychological and even physical influence over individuals (Jonas, 2003). Also noted by the book, is that any dance is “closely linked with cultural identity” (Jonas, 2003), which in turn explains the variety of dances around the world. A performance differs depending on its social significance and the public landscape surrounding it.
Religious dance, even more than regular types of dancing, serves as a way to relay a particular spiritual meaning through action and movement. For many cultures, the practice of religious dances works as a way to communicate with higher powers, or bestow blessings upon the people. In this vein, dance can be seen as a way to worship figures of religious significance. As stated in the discussion materials, “dance opens direct channels of communication to the world of the gods and the ancestors” (Jonas, 2003). Additionally, dance can be seen as a method of actualizing religious teachings and transferring them to others.
Ways of performing and understanding religious dances are varied, as seen by the differences in The Dance of Shiva and the Yoruba Sango Dance. Despite both concepts being used to refer to a religious dance technique and tradition, the former, more than the latter, acts as a spiritual symbol and a way to showcase the teachings of a particular community in a visual manner. The Sango Dance, on the other hand, represents a direct form of a spiritual and cultural tradition, one that is used as a way of bringing religious meaning into daily life. They are also similar in some ways, in particular with the use of specific actions to demonstrate meaning.
Reference
Jonas, G. (2003). Dancing: The pleasure, power, and art of movement. Harry N. Abrams.