Kailee Pynakker

Dance is a conversation between the heart and the mind. The movement flows out of knowledge passed down and joins with the internal souls of the dancers. Influences of the past never lose their power; however, acknowledgement of them may not be so obvious. But thankfully there is grace. Grace allows for a dancer to take small steps before a leap. The heart whispers the dancer into movement and eventually the mind begins to understand how far dance has traveled to get to the dancer. How it has influenced, fought, transformed, and breathed into its current existence. Once a dancer begins to realize the conversation they have entered, they may join in and present their heart’s vulnerability to the world.

Alexis Meleo

Alexis Meleo

D331

April 22, 2011

Dance Manifesto

Dance is living. Dance is breathing. Dance is movement. Dance is cessation.

Dance is freedom, happiness, determination. Dance is fleeing, hellish, discouraging.

Dance is your first day of ballet class, your first kiss, your one true love.

Dance is your first feelings of pain, frustration. Dance is your first incessant endurance of

 rejection.

Dance doesn’t come from money, status, age, or dare I say talent.

These are but a murmur in the ears of an artist.

Dance is ____________. Dance is _____________. Dance is living.

Morgan Caldwell

Morgan Cadwell

Dance Manifesto

            Dance is everything I breathe and is part of my whole being. Dance is constantly in my thoughts and is always there to let out any emotion I have. I have so many different feelings when I dance, but mostly I can just be myself and add my own style into whatever is being thrown at me. When I dance, I feel free. As my body moves through space and time, every movement counts for something and describes who I am while showing what I am capable of. The energy I feel through my body as I dance cannot be put into words because it is just a part of me that flows out. Without dance who knows who I would be today or what route I would’ve taken growing up. Dance is everything and it completes me!

Doralyn Moulier

Doralyn Moulier

Carter

D331

4/22/11

                                                            Dance Manifesto

Dance is universal.

It is love, passion, kind, and strong. It is cultural, political, and artistic. It is powerful, speechless, hopeful, beautiful, romantic, painful, sensual, frightening, devastating, personal, and open. Dance is even more than words can describe. To dance in front of a mirror, you show yourself who you really are. Reflecting who we truly are inside.  

In dance you are free to express yourself, free to explore, and free to let every emotion and all creativity spill out. But most importantly what all these have in common is that dance is free.

We dance when we celebrate, we dance to relieve stress/pain, we dance to satisfy our mind and body, we dance for ourselves, we dance for an audience, we dance when we’re in love, we dance in the rain, we dance for a cause, we dance for higher power. We dance because it is a beautiful piece of life. And without it we lose an important source of life and energy. Dance has a purpose. Its purpose is to mold itself in anything you want it to be. Could you ask for more?

Sarah Gilliland

Sarah Gilliland

D331: S. Carter

22 April 2011

Dance Manifesto

Dance is the reflection of a person’s feelings in that moment. It is the most authentic form of self-expression as it is done with the body. There is no hiding one’s beliefs about life, values, or culture during dance—we wear them like fine clothes in every overcurve, smile, leap, and toe point for all to see. What is revealed and learned can be as much for the individual as it is an audience.

Dance brings us to the present. Participants get to experience the texture of the floor, feel of the music, and weight of their bodies in a completely original way. As a metaphor, we dance every day with the choices we make or don’t make. Dance is not only an outlet, but its own private language: one that is as complicated as living itself.

Callie Webster

Dance is an expression of the inner self. It is a canvas on which all of a person’s secrets, feelings, life experiences, and talents are painted for others as well as no one but themselves to see. It is a commitment that is honored and kept within a person for the entirety of their life. It is a sanctuary that one can visit in times of stress or happiness. It is a universal medium that all humanity can share if the need arises within them, and it can be interpreted in as many ways as there are people in that humanity. Dance has no boundaries as long as you let there be none and dance is a way for people to communicate when there are no words that can be said.

Seghen Amanios

Seghen Amanios

Dance Manifesto D331

April 29, 2011

I Seghen Amanios declare that dance is an art form. When observing a piece one must watch carefully as the dancer stretches her body to show different shapes. Dance is not only a sport but a true love. The passion that is illuminated across the stage and gracefully hits the inner dancer’s soul that sits in the audience. One does not need to know all the history of dance to appreciate what is happening before their eyes.  Dance is for everyone not just those who have studied in a studio for years, but those all over the world with different religions, race, and even social classes. It is not so much as only the technique, but the story and meaning behind every step and hand gesture demonstrated. Dance is the root of history and will never be lost. It is an evolution that will never stop evolving. It is the fire that burns in everyone’s heart. The one true escape from the madness in society. It is the silent poetry that has no limits. When you dance don’t be afraid who’s watching and dance for yourself. We are often afraid to show others our gifts and may be scared of rejection or humiliation. With dance we let these boundaries go. Dance is no longer just a hobby, just a sport, or just a movement, but dance is a tool. It is a tool to show others your thoughts, a tool to declare what is right and what is wrong. Dance is what I love, the one true love that will never disappoint, never judge but simply be what you want it to be. The only definition of dance is what you make it to be.