Do we dance so we can SHOW our emotions, because it’s the ONE PLACE where we don’t have to HIDE them?
I asked myself this after reading an email newsletter from actor coach Martin Bentsen containing audition tips, one of which was “Avoid Trying to Show Your Emotions”.
I found his explanation FASCINATING. Here's an excerpt)::
“The best performances are the ones where you deeply feel the emotion inside your body, and then whatever happens on your face just happens unconsciously. Don't show your emotions. Hide them, because that's what we usually do in real life (unless we have a specific reason we want to show them).”
>> “Don’t show your emotions, HIDE THEM - because that’s what we usually do in real life.” <<
??!!
This got me thinking - is THIS why I love dancing so much?
I know that the more I dance, the more confident I feel in dancing freely and expressing my spirit without reservation.
But is that because I usually keep my feelings bottled up inside?
I’m pretty expressive as a person, generally, BUT I have the same struggles as everyone else in that I often put on a brave face, try to be likeable and popular, and tamp down “negative” emotions that might make other people feel uncomfortable.
Dancing removes all of that. I move and express EXACTLY what and how I’m feeling.
And that can change throughout a song. I channel the feelings I’m getting from a song through my body - when the song is soft, I’m soft and sensual, when the energy builds, mine does too and my movements get more expressive and expansive.
Of course there are times when I feel sad and I dance happily anyway. And I try to authentically express my feelings in interactions with those closest to me, rather than pushing them away.
But I can’t deny that dancing has often offered me a space to be MORE me, more real, more free, and more essentially happy.
Is it the same for you? Does dancing help you come out of emotional hiding? Comment below and let me know!
xoxo
Melis
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