One of the MANY reasons I love dance is how free it makes me feel. It’s a place to learn and groove to the beat and it’s taught me that how we move can never be wrong. When you tap into that groove and you feel the music, it’s not about the steps, it’s about the feeling.
S/O to the instructors who encourage “mistakes” in class and instead guide us to use those perceived mistakes to create something new. So really there are no mistakes, it’s simply about letting your body move from one movement to the next however your body gets you there. By letting go of the need to be perfect and to allow mistakes to happen, we give ourselves permission to do the same in other areas of our life.
Each and every time I leave the studio I feel lighter. I have less tension in my body. I feel lit up from the inside out. It’s a transformation each and every time and the most potent transformations are the days when I let myself be free. Which I’ll admit isn’t always easy, but it gets easier every time.
Dance might feel intimidating if you’ve never done it before. There are new steps and all these counts and you might think, my body just doesn’t move like that. And I’ll be honest I watch some of the players in these rooms and sometimes I just want to stop and stare in amazement. The way some move their feet like fire and my eyes can’t comprehend what I saw, or the way these females strut with sass in 6 inch heels. C’,MON! And if you’ve taken Siggy’s Twerk class you’ll know what I’m talking about too – you become mesmerized by how she can move her booty!
But there are other players in these rooms who inspire me even more, not because they’re bomb dancers but because they aren’t the best dancers and they are trying it anyway. These people are daring to try something new. They are putting themselves out there and having an amazing time doing it. I’m especially inspired by those who step into the classrooms who have never danced before. The ones who don’t naturally catch a beat, or for those who didn’t know their hips could move that way. Bless these souls who are stepping out of their comfort zone.
At Pulse it’s not about being the best, it’s about trying. It’s about letting go. It’s about stepping into a different way of being that get’s you out of your head and into your body, heart, and soul. And something else I’ve learned is that you don’t have to think your way through dance, you simply gotta feel the music, find the beat, and let yourself be free.
So the initial reason you start dance (or maybe you’re just curious) might be for fun, to expand your social circle, or maybe it’s a fitness goal, but the reason you’ll stay is because of the feeling you find in that studio and on that dance floor. The benefits of dance go beyond physical and becomes a form of self discovery. All you have to do is find the courage to step in and find your own beat.
Written by: Sara Stepa
Check out more work from Sara @ https://www.theattitudeisgratitude.ca/
