Re: why do we...?
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: why do we...? - 04/27/05 08:00 PM
We dance in order to completely integrate mind, body and spirit in an attempt to become one with ____________ . (Fill in the blank. Can be with our higher selves, God, bliss, satori, etc.)
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/27/05 08:51 PM
I "dance" to be free. ("Dance" for me is aikido).
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/27/05 09:33 PM
Dance has value from an evolutionary/ procreative perspective. Animals dance. Birds dance to display in courtship rituals. Animals and humans select mates by dance.Beauty is inlarge part subjuctive and in the eye of the beholder and culturally conditoned.Symetry color motion, and sound as in mating calls serve to arouse and excite.
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/27/05 09:41 PM
Can't argue with science. Well, you can, but you just look like a nitwit.
Myself, I dance to make people laugh. Although I still remember a bit of those 2 1/2 years of ballroom dance classes.
Joel
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/27/05 09:47 PM
[QUOTE]Originally posted by oldman:
Dance has value from an evolutionary/ procreative perspective.
beauty in the eye of the beholder become clouded after we are conditioned by culture. yet even as infants we react. this is the question I have. it seems that we lose or cover this basal feeling up. if I look at a sunset and ....sigh... that is not mind nor ego. if i analyze ..."particles in the air refracted ...blah blah blah" the beauty is lost. the sunset does not feed me nor house me nor attract a mate...I will spend more time with this self..
^gassho^
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/27/05 09:49 PM
[QUOTE]Originally posted by wolfscalissi:
if I look at a sunset and ....sigh... that is not mind nor ego. if i analyze ..."particles in the air refracted ...blah blah blah" the beauty is lost.[/QUOTE]
See my recent post in the Daily Zen thread. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]
Joel
[This message has been edited by JoelM (edited 04-27-2005).]
Posted by: nenipp
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/28/05 02:05 AM
We dance to communicate...
...with the beat of a drum
...with the sun
...with you name it
such is our nature?
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/28/05 05:17 AM
[QUOTE]beauty in the eye of the beholder become clouded after we are conditioned by culture. yet even as infants we react. this is the question I have. it seems that we lose or cover this basal feeling up. if I look at a sunset and ....sigh... that is not mind nor ego. if i analyze ..."particles in the air refracted ...blah blah blah" the beauty is lost. the sunset does not feed me nor house me nor attract a mate...I will spend more time with this self..
[/QUOTE]
How is the beauty lost? In fact I find the beauty enhanced! To think, nature can combine those little particles in such a way at to create such amazing things. In the same way you can appreciate art more if you know who painted it and for what reason. The more you know, the more you appreciate!
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/28/05 06:28 AM
everything dances, nothing is unchanging.
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/28/05 08:21 AM
[QUOTE]Originally posted by wolfscalissi:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by oldman:
Dance has value from an evolutionary/ procreative perspective.
beauty in the eye of the beholder become clouded after we are conditioned by culture. yet even as infants we react. this is the question I have. it seems that we lose or cover this basal feeling up. if I look at a sunset and ....sigh... that is not mind nor ego. if i analyze ..."particles in the air refracted ...blah blah blah" the beauty is lost. the sunset does not feed me nor house me nor attract a mate...I will spend more time with this self..
^gassho^
[/QUOTE]
wolfscalissi,
For some the advent of the night brings peace and rest. For some it brings it is a reminder that hungry preditors are awakening.
The phrasing of your first question was mythical /theological in nature. I'll come back to that in a moment. In refferenceing a child or infant we can look at it from the perspective of a baby under the age of two. Normal development at this stage has the child coming to the awareness that it is a seperate entity from it's mother. This is not so much a matter of conditioning as it is cognitive and nuerological developement. At this stage children develope "seperation anxiety' the fear of being alone of seperated from others or even seperated from parts of ourselves.
I believe art, dance and " blah blah blah" (language) and spiritual practice are in part efforts to overcome seperation through practices that move us toward intimacy, integration, community, and mystical or divine union. We long for intimacy and we long to be known, (not famous) but known deeply and accepted. Much of our hardship and suffering comes from the limitations of lanuage,song and art to completely express our true self and meet our deepest longings.
In the sufi story you have God encouraging the soul to unite with the body. It is a representation of integration. Other traditions have God becoming man to as a way to integrate the human and divine. In the biblical story Paul alludes or attempts an explaination saying "It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me". Paul was at on time Saul of Tarsus. After a profound personal experience on the road to Damascus he became known as Paul. In terms of Pauls personal and spiritual development he goes from a persecutor of a small religious sect to being an eloquent apologist for love and mercy. And yet Paul finds the identity insceffient to convey the transformation of his personal understanding of himself and his relationships with others. So Paul become "not Paul". "It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me". Paul, if he were to use the language of Zen might say "who am I". I might respond don't be stupid you are Paul!! then after hitting my with the kyosaku would send me back to the zendo for deeper reflection.
For the Sufi my question is in his perception to what degree does he dance or does he believe he is being danced.
After all my desire is to understand his expression and desire for intimacy, and dance with him,as you and I dance this morning.
[This message has been edited by oldman (edited 04-28-2005).]
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/28/05 01:41 PM
Dancing and not dancing are the same.
--Dallas
Posted by: Anonymous
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/28/05 02:13 PM
There is an evolutionary basis for why we dance, but the purpose of attracting a mate requires only a simple dance that would be a competition between males trying to attract a female. It would pretty much be the same dance done by every guy trying to get a woman's attention.
We, as human beings, are a higher animal. The dance is no longer just about mating. Some forms of dancing have their relationship to that, ie ballroom or hip hop. But some forms of dance are for Aesthetic pleasure and artistic expression. Ie tap and ballet. We also dance for fun. Just because I walz or two-step with someone doesn't mean I want to take them home to bed that night. I might just be enjoying their good company.
There are also spiritual connotations to dancing. Dancing as a form of worship is actually very common. There are actually a handfull of cultures that do not have some form of dance in their religious practices.
There are multiple reasons why people dance. The allusion to the soul is a highly accurate representation of what dancing is to us.
Posted by: nenipp
Re: Re: why do we...? - 04/28/05 03:22 PM
everything dances, nothing is unchanging.
Yes, change is inevitable, except from a vending machine (and dancing for it usually don't help much, this is where all those years of MA training is starting to pay off)