Isn’t being a human being a complicated business? Faced with global conflicts, cost of living crisis, an epidemic of loneliness, inequality, broken ecological systems, and potential human extinction, no wonder a Gallup survey in 2021 from122 countries worldwide revealed that 41% of adults report experiencing ‘a lot of stress’.
First let me say, I don’t necessarily think reading blogs about stress and dance is the best way to undo stress. I would much rather change the modality and be dancing with you right now. We would both be feeling a lot better. But given that we’re here …
Combatting Stress
It turns out dance is a brilliant way to combat stress. In my book, Dance for Life, I cover some of the research on this subject and include the first hand voices of dancers who combat stress with regular dance practice. Dance has a unique combination of engaging our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social systems all at once. That is the perfect antidote to stress symptoms, which are often grounded in ‘over thinking’ rather than ‘processing’ stress.
We need some stress
We know that stress is bad not only for mental health but also when experienced over time it can lead to long term health problems including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. To be clear, stress per se isn’t inherently problematic. We need the chemicals it generates, eg adrenalin and cortisol, to give us the energy and drive to escape danger, gear us up for challenging life events and to activate ourselves for complex situations, responsibility, work, parenting, sports, etc
Letting it go
The problem is that prolonged stress, and our associated stress responses become ongoing and form chronic stress patterns, for which there is no outlet. This can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression, sometimes PTSD, and a variety of physical symptoms. In many ways modern life is embedded with this chronic stress. In the same ways that we advisedly engage in regular exercise and eating healthy food, we all need to have regular and ongoing activities to combat stress.
Full body dancing
Just listening to music itself can massively impact the way that we feel, and moving our bodies to music with other people connects and bonds us together, overcoming the isolation that compounds stress. It also provides a platform for self-expression. We can let go, leave our troubles behind, and have a break from perpetual over-thinking and screen-time activity. It’s not complicated, it’s just fun. It begins in our bodies rather than in our minds, but mind, heart, soul, and body all benefit.
Dance for Life and play
Conscious dance classes, like a yoga or tai chi class, are the perfect antidote to the stressful world we live in. In Dance for Life I explain in some depth what to expect from a conscious dance session, including the absence of drugs or alcohol, the timing of sessions to avoid sleepless late nights, the welcoming and inclusive ambience, and more. There’s plenty of opportunity for play in a conscious dance session too – playfulness is the great stressbuster!
Meditation
Meditation has been used for thousands of years to access higher states of consciousness and promote relaxation. Typically, meditation involves sitting still in silence, and paying attention to breath. For some people this can be challenging and off putting. Thoughts can feel overwhelming, too difficult to ‘sit with’. The rewards of meditating can take some persistence and may not be attainable for very stressed people.
Movement Meditation
Conscious dance is sometimes referred to as movement meditation. The meditative element includes the way we pay particular attention to breath as we move. Sessions begin with a slow lead in to allow people to transition into the session, let go of the business of their day, to become aware and let go of the stress they might be holding in their body. They are invited into presence through their sensate body.
Moving and meditating can feel more accessible than a sitting meditation practice. Finding that there are moments when you are no longer thinking and are simply caught up in the movement are deeply relaxing. To put it simply, the movement of the body distracts us from the the stress of the mind so that the mind can calm and let the body flow.
Quiet moments
Alongside upbeat dancing, there are periods of quiet and rest built into a conscious dance session, and a warm and friendly encouragement to be present and embodied with whatever feelings and thoughts that emerge.
Dance for Life came about by my own life experience of falling in love with dancing at a young age, much like the other dancers who appear in the book. What has sustained my interest, enthusiasm and energy as I enter my 6th decade, is having found a practice, conscious dance, that nourishes all of me, calming the mind, and supporting the body and soul.
>>> "It’s not complicated, it’s just fun."
6 words which tell the whole story.
Dance like there's no one watching...