Celebrating Life through Dance
From the primitive times, dance has been a part of life of every tribe, every ethnic community and every nation. Being the most primitive and natural means of expression, it is not only an individual or a group experience; it is an expression of a deep and passionate sense of life, that originates from the internal acuity, and through execution brings about the confluence of the mind and body. It is the truest form of expression that man may ever come across. It is a form that emotes, rejuvenates, discovers and celebrates our spirit.
Dance is both an art form and a method of communication in cultures around the world, and is practiced by millions of people. The International Dance Day, (April 29) was introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute (ITI) to observe the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre. Born in 1727, Noverre was a French dancer, a ballet master and a great reformer of dance. The founding body, the International Dance Committee of the ITI selects a special personality each year to create an International Dance Day Message to be shared around the world. This year's message has been authored by Trisha Brown, a US born dancer, choreographer, dance theorist and artistic director of the Trisha Brown Company, who unfortunately passed away on March 18 after a long battle with illness. As one of the most acclaimed and influential choreographers and dancers of her time, her passing signifies a great loss to dance and the performing arts.
In her message to world, she writes, “I became a dancer because of my desire to fly. The transcendence of gravity was always something that moved me. There is no secret meaning in my dances. They are a spiritual exercise in a physical form.
Dance communicates and expands the universal language of communication, giving birth to joy, beauty and the advancement of human knowledge. Dance is about creativity…again and again…in the thinking, in the making, in the doing, and in the performing. Our bodies are a tool for expression and not a medium for representation. This notion liberates our creativity, which is the essential lesson and gift of art-making.
The life of an artist does not end with age, as some critics believe. Dance is made of people, people and ideas. As an audience, you can take the creative impulse home with you and apply it to your daily life.”
Like many other countries, Bangladesh also has been celebrating International Dance day with grandeur and enthusiasm for many years. A very rooted part of our Bengali culture and identity, the dance scene in the country is very strong and developed at present. More and more young people across all the districts of the country have the passion to learn dance. The contact with dancers from other parts of the world through various workshops, conferences and festivals has brought out improved body language, fresh and innovative ideas and the eagerness to take up dance studies.
However, very little patronization of this art form can be seen on the national level as well as in the media, compared to the other existing art forms. Be it classical, creative, folk or contemporary dance, dancers and choreographers from Bangladesh have already made their marks on the stage at home and abroad. With a little more encouragement from authorities and media it will to reach out to more, the need to go through proper and rigorous training will grow, creativity will flourish and dance will earn its true esteem in the society.
Being a major cultural component it will further strengthen our Bengali identity and culture. Because dance is a cultural mirror, that reflects spirit, character and creativity of a time. Thus on the occasion of International Dance Day, let us all enjoy and appreciate the art of dance as amateurs, audience and professionals. Let us recognize its place in the society and realize the importance of its inclusion in all systems of education. Let us discover our true selves through our creative expressions, let us celebrate our lives through dance.
The writer is an eminent dancer-choreographer and founder of dance school Nritya Nandan.
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