Adrienne Clark

Edwin Austin
Dance 261
December 14, 2015
Personal Treatise
Dancing can be interpreted in a variety of ways. It is, according to the Oxford Dictionary,
to move rhythmically to music, typically following a set sequence of steps (Oxford). While
this and many other definitions contain truth, dance is so much more than just movement that has
been put to music. Dance is the most outreaching expression of the innermost feelings. It is a
compilation of emotions, technical mastery, rhythm and music, and performance. While each one
of these elements is very different, their unique qualities are fused together and create dance as a
pure art form. The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of dance based on these
four elements and how it is influenced by my personal beliefs. Greater understanding of our
purpose here on earth can help dance to be a spiritually uplifting experience that can greatly
impact lives. This understanding along with the five elements previously stated, are the
fundamentals in the creation of dance as a pure art form. They allow dance to become so much
more than a hobby, even a life changing experience.
Dance is an enriching experience. Few things come close to the exhilarating feeling of
dancing with utter and complete vulnerability. That deep level of expression is hard to achieve,
but once reached it is never forgotten. As many people say, dance is a way to express what words
cannot. It does exactly that because it is capable of expressing all kinds of emotions. How many
of us start to do a little jig when the radio plays our favorite song? That is an expression of

emotions. It is a happy feeling that quite literally cant be contained. Frustration, an emotion at
the other end of the spectrum, can also be expressed in a healthy way by simple movements of
the body. Sadness, anxiety, frustration, laughter, love, anger, and excitement are all emotions that
can be expressed and exposed in a healthy way by simply moving the body. Often times I find it
far easier portraying my feelings through dance rather than stumbling to get the right words
across.
There are many styles of dance and each of these styles has a specific technique. Dancing
can also be done just for fun without any technical mastery required. Technical mastery requires
hours and hours of practice dedicated in classes, in the studio, and at home. It is a very focused
and driven form of dancing. The true fine art of dance is prevalent when technical mastery is
reached. For example, many people go to clubs or dance parties over the weekend and they
dance just to have fun and let their cares go away. This kind of dancing has no written form or
technique. The only real objective is to have fun. On the other hand there are many dancers who
have dedicated much more to dance. Their afternoons are spent in class improving, and their
weekends are filled with performances or competitions. While they too are having fun, their
main objective is to become the best that they possibly can and reach a certain level of technical
mastery. Dance has many technical aspects that help to create the beautiful fine art.
Have you ever noticed how music can instantly change the mood of a scene? Music is a
powerful tool that can evoke emotions. This assists with the artistry in dancing. Rhythm,
similarly, changes the dynamic of a piece and assists in creating a dance. A series of movement
can be done over and over again, but once music and rhythm are added the movement creates a
dance.

Performance is a very important aspect of dancing. The Merriam-Webster dictionary

defines to perform as to do an action or activity that usually requires training or skill
(Merriam). Typically when I think of performing I think of a stage with big lights, costumes,
makeup, and an audience. While this definitely is a performance, it is not the only way to
perform. Performances can also be something personal that take place alone or even just during a
simple dance class. The performance is the execution of the dance. It is the actual moment when
the skills are put to use and implemented into the specific set of movement. Performance is what
displays emotion, technical mastery, and the music and rhythm of a dance. These four factors are
combined to create dance. Emotions, technical mastery, rhythm, music, and performance are
what are at the core of dance.
Dance reaches its purest form when the body and spirit fuse and work together as one.
There are many factors that go into this cohesion. It is important to know and understand that the
body is a heaven sent gift that is required in order to reach our highest potential and that we have
all been given talents that we must use to bless the lives of others. My religious beliefs as a
member of the LDS church greatly influence my feelings toward dance.
The body is a heavenly gift given from God. It is an essential part of His plan for us. In
fact, God himself has a body of flesh and bones, a perfected body. God has created a plan where
we, his children, can become like him. That is why we received a body. We use our bodies to
feel, see, touch, and experience this life. This body enables us with so many powers. We can
move, we can communicate, and we can create. If we take care of His gift we will one day
become as He wants us to be. However if we try to change according to the worlds standards,
we are only destroying this precious gift. Elder Russell M. Nelson once stated, The gift of a
physical body is priceless(Nelson). We must treat them as such. Only through this mortal

experience, in our bodies, can we return to the presence of our Heavenly Father one day. Now
that we understand the importance of the human body, we can understand what it enables us to
do in order to enrich and enhance our lives. We can maximize our bodys potential and use this
gift to influence others for good. Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated, Creative expression can also
represent the celebration of our gratitude to God for our gifts and talents (Maxwell). As a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints, my perspective on being a
dancer/artist differs from the opinions of the world because I understand why our bodies are so
important. They are essential for learning and growing here on earth. Our bodies are a home to
our spirit. As I stated earlier, our bodies help us to create. Our bodies can create beautiful art that
can inspire others and even enlighten their spirits. Russell M. Nelson once stated that, spirit and
body when joined together become a supernal soul (Nelson). This supernal soul is used to help
us along our mortal journey. Dance can be an outlet to express the supernal soul.
Our bodies are capable of doing so many amazing things. Each person has been blessed
with specific talents. It is expected of our Heavenly Father that we use these talents to bless the
lives of others. There are too many talents to name, but I would like to focus specifically on
those who have been blessed with the ability to express themselves artistically through dancing.
They are given the opportunity to bless the lives of others through their movement. Elder Ballard
stated, God's purpose for the artist is to inspire. To give us visions of ourselves that we might
not otherwise see. To make us better than we would have been (Ballard). Simply put, the
purpose of an artist is to make the world a better place. I know that the Spirit of Christ can
inspire through worthy dance and artwork.
My personal beliefs and philosophy of dance greatly influence the choices I make as an
artist. It is the motivation behind everything that I do. I see things in a greater light backed up by

a deeper purpose. Dance is the most outreaching expression of the innermost feelings. It can
reach such a high level of expression only when body, mind, and spirit unite to create one soul.
Then the precious gift can inspire others by displaying emotions, technical mastery, rhythm,
music, and performance. This is dance.

Bibliography
Ballard, M. Russell. ""The Lord's Purpose for the Artist in the Gospel Plan"" Elder Ballard's
Tuacahn Address. 8 Apr. 1995. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.
<http://fc.byu.edu/jpages/ee/w_mrb95.htm>.
"Definition of Dance in English:." Dance: Definition of Dance in Oxford Dictionary (American
English) (US). Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.

Nelson, Russell M. "We Are Children of God - Ensign Nov. 1998 - Ensign." We Are Children of
God - Ensign Nov. 1998 - Ensign. LDS, 1 Nov. 1998. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.
<https://www.lds.org/ensign/1998/11/we-are-children-of-god?lang=eng>.