Why do we dance? Is it for the love of movement? Is it out of necessity? Or is it to perform in front of an audience? Do we dance for the applause? Do we dance to express our innermost thoughts? Do we dance because we know nothing else? Do we dance for the thrill? Do we dance for the community? Do we dance to tell stories? Do we dance for our love of music? Do we dance to fight for justice or to shed light on a cause? OR

Do we dance to honor the creative work? 

I’d argue that it’s all of the above and then some. We dance because we have something to say. Whether we are moving through our bodies, the melody, the rhythm, and the inexplicable emotions within, dance is the air that we breathe. We don’t know how to function without it. After all, dancing is nothing but a fleeting moment in time, never to be captured again. Never performed the same, with the same intensity, the same story, or driving force. It can never feel the same because each time reflects our mood and movements in those moments. Therefore, dance is as real and authentic as life. 

The humanity that drives dance is what makes dance so beautiful, humbling, and invigorating for not only the dancer but the audience. We connect with other people through our human emotions and energy.

And it’s this driving force that dance becomes a powerful medium to make an impact on lives. The work becomes essential because it adds significance to the body and spirit while nourishing creativity. It touches the audience that we serve through our art. And it ignites within them a new impulse to move. 

But what is this impulse?

What does it mean for the viewer who consumes our creative work? What are we seeking to ignite within them? I believe that any form of emotion felt, received, or understood signifies movement. Whether it be resurfacing deep-seated pain by being brought to tears or bringing awareness to a cause not easily understood, dance and choreography are powerful. It moves us and inspires us. 

As dancers, we must accept the significance of our work and its worthiness in the world’s collective energy. Creative work is a necessity for the forward motion of life. Therefore, nothing can supersede the work as the work is what brings meaning to our movement. 

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