Dancing“ There are short cuts to

happiness, and dancing is one of them.”- Vicki Baum

Dancing is an art form, using expression through rhythmic

movement of the body, usually to music (Wikipedia, 2012).

Humans use dance as a meaningful occupation to express themselves socially, spiritually or artistically, to interact with others and to perform.

“The dance is a poem of which each movement is a word.” – Martha Graham

Focus Features. (2008). Fred and Ginger – 75 years of perfection. Retrieved from http://focusfeatures.com/photofolder/1229551532_567aa50adbfeb4a8039002d3fec39c75

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance in the film Flying Down to Rio

A ballerina practices in the streets of New York City

Shitagi, D. (2012). The ballerina project. Retrieved from: http://ballerinaproject.blogspot.co.nz/

“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful.” –Agnes De Mille

Performance danceYoung, N. (2007). Dance. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickyoungphoto/490308524/

The Royal Ballet performs Swan Lake

Muir, A. (2011). Swan Lake, Royal Ballet, review. Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/8279269/Swan-Lake-Royal-Ballet-review.html

Indian Bollywood style danceCourtney, D. (2012). Bollywood dance. Retrieved from: http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/nritya/bollywood.html

“Dancing is the loftiest, the most moving, the most beautiful of the arts, because it is not mere translation or abstraction from life; it is life itself.” – Havelock Ellis

Women performing an ondjongo dance before a wedding

Beckwith, C., & Fisher, A. (2012). Photo gallery: African marriage rituals. Retrieved from: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/african-marriage-rituals/#/himba-ondjongo-dance_11326_600x450.jpg

Young boy dancing in Malawi

Evans, A. (2012). Dancing in Malawi. Retrieved from http://digitalnomad.nationalgeographic.com/2012/04/05/dancing-in-malawi/

Overcoming social barriers – In the film “Billy Elliot”, the title character pursues his dream to

become a ballet dancerRay, M. (2012). #269 – Movie 3. Retrieved from: http://mettelray.wordpress.com/tag/billy-elliot/

“The truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music. Bodies never lie.” - Agnes de Mille

A dance class for kids with Down syndromeSnavely, R. (2010). Free 2 be me dance: Ballet for kids with down syndrome. Retrieved from: http://www.worldpulse.com/node/17810

Dancing with wheelchairsMathur, A. (2012). Dancing with the stars is overated: Dancing for disabled persons – a pure joy on wheels. Retrieved from http://www.ibtimes.com/

articles/307220/20120301/dancing-stars-overrated-what-disabled-persons-pure.htm

Mathur, A. (2012). Dancing with the stars is overated: Dancing for disabled persons – a pure joy on wheels. Retrieved from http://www.ibtimes.com/ articles/307220/20120301/dancing-stars-overrated-what-disabled-persons-pure.htm

A disability does not have to prevent engagement in meaningful occupations such as dance

“Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion.” ― Martha Graham

Dancing can create a sense of unity – a group performs in a Flashmob

Phan Man. (2012). EDM flashmob NYC mix. Retrieved from: http://thruthevine.com/tag/flashmob/

A screenshot from a viral YouTube video of a wedding party dancing up the aisle – watch the video here: http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0&feature=player_embedded#!

YouTube. (2009). JK Wedding entrance dance. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0&feature=player_embedded#!

Dancing children.

Early Sparrow. (2009). Dancing in Chicago. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/earlysparrow/4173684178/

Oldagepeople. (2012). How to stay and look healthy even after 40. Retrieved from http://oldagepeople.wordpress.com/page/2/

Dance knows no age!!

“Dancing can reveal all the mystery that music conceals.” - Charles Baudelaire

Beatitude nuns perform a traditional Jewish folk dance

When I was at school, we had a production called “Dancing with the Staff”. Here are some of the

younger children performing.

Doing the Charleston - Akaroa Area School “Dancing with the Staff”

production 2009

And lastly here’s me trying to bust a move… Thanks for

watching!

References:

Wikipedia. (2012). Dance. Retrieved fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance