elements of ecstatic dance

(This article, about my experience with Body Choir, appeared in the Magdalene Circle October newsletter. Comments/feedback welcome!)

Mary Magdalene was an amazing dancer and I believe she still dances with us today! Here's one description of her dance:

"When she wished to dance alone, no one would rise to join her, but all sat entranced and enchanted by her dancing. Yet, when she wished others to join in, her dance would become intoxicating, so that no one could remain still. The energy of her dance would pass like a wildfire to all who were present, and all manner of prayers were answered when she danced." (St. Mary Magdalene, The Gnostic Tradition of the Holy Bride, Tau Malachi, p. 41)

Here are a few of the ideas behind ecstatic dance, although there's no substitute for getting into your body and letting the dance move you. You may find that some of these ideas are already a part of your spiritual practice.

Every expression is sacred. There's no wrong way to move. We dance in an atmosphere of unconditional love and acceptance.

Non-verbal. We express with movement rather than words. This helps us be more fully present in the moment as well as more accepting of all expression. Also this doesn't mean we're silent, just that whatever sounds we make come from deep within, not language from the mind. Dance is an opportunity to put mind in the back seat and let the soul-body connection be in the driver's seat. As such, it is a great moving meditation.

Dance with what shows up. Our inspiration comes from being "in the moment" with the music, other dancers and our surroundings. This is "showing up." Dancing with what shows up can be joyfull, but sometimes the music or program may be difficult to get into or dance to. Sometimes we may be dancing in partnership with someone and their dance may feel awkward. This speaks to the opportunity to dive deeper into the dance, to stick it out and explore new internal territories or make new connections with other dancers. Another way to dive deeper and explore is through repetitive movement. To pick a movement and repeat it, watching the mind, sometimes express boredom, while continuing with the movement, can be informative. Fully, authentically showing up, expressing who we are every moment, no matter what that looks like, accepting ourselves and what's around us--this kind of authenticity and acceptance can be very empowering and can expand our compassion with ourselves, each other and our surroundings.

"If you move it, it will change." Said by Gabrielle Roth who developed the 5Rhythms, this quote speaks to the transformational power of dance. Gabrielle studied aboriginal and other native peoples' dances and defined their moves as The 5Rhythms, which are flowing (feminine, circular, gathering, receptive, inhale), staccato (masculine, the heartbeat, angular, definitive, exhale), chaos (marriage, the storm, trust, let go), lyrical (playful, often 6/8, lightness) and stillness (returning home, resting, zen) forming a wave. Music for flowing is slower and the energy builds, then falls back to slower in stillness so that the wave can be repeated indefinitely. All of life can be described with one of these rhythms.

The Mirror. Everything the dancer experiences is their story. When seeing another’s dance, it may appear that they are having a certain kind of experience or expressing a certain story, but we can’t know what's going with them until they tell us after the dance. If what they share is different from what we perceived, then what we saw was a mirror of something going on inside us. In the twelve plus years I have been dancing with Body Choir, this mirror has blessed me with insights into myself that, when I own them and work what is presented to me, yield great results.

The Divine Witness. Seeing and being witnessed is sacred and powerful. We all need to be seen, for someone to witness our expressions in a non-judgemental, totally accepting atmosphere. Being seen validates who we are and what we feel in the moment. All the beauty expressed during dance can be amazing!

Manage your boundaries. Everyone is responsible for their own experience. You don't have to dance with anyone if you don't want and likewise, no one is obligated to dance with you. We're encouraged to connect, to stretch ourselves by letting others in, to dance intimately, but that is also everyone's choice and not a requirement.

Dance at the crossroads. I learned this idea from Vin Marti, a student of Gabrielle Roth who created SoulMotion. He describes a vertical dance and a horizontal dance. The vertical dance is going within and dancing one's connection with the Divine and with Mother Earth. The horizontal dance is dancing with others in the room, focusing on one's surroundings. Dancing at the crossroads is dancing both, being fully present with the Self, one's Creator and connection with the Earth as well as with others and shared surroundings. Initially this may sound like too much, but with practice, shifting attention back and forth, the experiences can become integrated. And of course, it's ok to focus in one direction, as the dancer feels called.

Where spirituality, sensuality and sexuality intersect. When partnering with another, the connection that happens in the dance is also considered sacred and is best honored by leaving it there, rather than making presumptions about connections beyond the dance. Occasionally dancers may experience a deep union as if God and Goddess (or Lord Yeshua and Lady Mirya) are joined in their dance. This is dancing where spirituality, sensuality and sexuality meet and can be done in complete innocence. Honoring the experience by leaving it in the dance enables innocence.

As a spiritual practice, dance can be very sacred. It can also be a lot of fun or simply social. There's room for every perspective and preference. In fact, when we celebrate our differences, the dance experience becomes more round and whole, welcoming All.