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Lauren Halversen
Ed Austin
Dance 261- Orientation to Dance
30 March 2016
The Voice
Dance is a voice. Sometimes it is loud with sharp syncopations and quick movements.
Other times, it appears light-weight with ethereal breath. The voice of dance is unique to each
speaker. Instead of verbal words, the artists vocabulary comes from technique and training.
Their words are embellished with personal expression and artistry. The expression of dance is
not intended to recite memorized passages of choreography, but rather give life to the language
of movement through the power found within each individuals personal expression. Dance is a
powerful voice and with that power every artist speaks to expresses their faith in society, in other
artists, and in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through hope that dance brings these aspects of our
lives, we as artists have the ability to use our abilities to create the world that we hope to see.
As a society, the values held are an ever changing composition of ideas. Seemingly
overnight, popular views of the public shift as each time period reflects a hope for the world that
they live in. From the 16th-19th century, classical ballet was the dominant form in Europe.
Developed during the Baroque and Romantic periods, ballet reflected the aesthetic values of the
day including regal elegance, grand carriage, absolute control of the body, perfection of skill,
symmetrical balance and the idealization of the human body (Bond 63). The people of this era
desired the art of dancing to reflect something otherworldly. They sought to create a reality that
challenged concrete laws of nature and logic. Ballet came to be a definitive characteristic of the

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epoch as it fulfilled their hope in something more than what the scientifically-minded
Renaissance period provided. From one societys faith to have the art of dancing reflective of
their desires, ballet made a lasting impression on European and dance history.
However, the feelings of hope found in ethereal nature of the Baroque and Romantic eras
were later replaced by a desire for dance to reflect the essence of everyday life. A rebellion
against classical ballet, the works of Isadora Duncan, Marth Graham and many other modern
dance pioneers were developed to meet the new anxieties, lifestyles, and expressive needs of
Americans. No longer did fairies and tutus fulfill the hunger of 20th century American society.
Rather, the American public embraced the relatable nature of modern dance. Grahams work,
American Document, premiered in 1938 and offered a fresh take on dance by [capturing] the
American soul with her representation of groups such as African Americans, Native Americans,
and Puritans (Martha Graham (5/11/1894- 4/1/1991). The work Graham and other
groundbreaking choreographers in modern dance accomplished was a voice for American
society as it cried out for dance that reflected their realities.
Even to this day, in the year 2016, dance continues to serve as the voice of hope for
people in society. A story in The New York Timess arts blog, Arts Beat, emphasized how New
York City Ballets 2016-2017 season features commissions of two female choreographers.
Blogger Michael Cooper referenced in the article how this will be the first time since 2011 that
the company has presented the premiere of a work choreographed by a woman. Inclusion of this
fact reflects a concern American society shares regarding the frequent exclusion of female
choreographers. Through dance, our society finds a voice to create conversations about issues
regarding gender equality. When we examine the issues we face in the world, dance is the
answer we find to fix these problems. Through dance, we can unite together to initiate change in

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the world. We can seek opportunities to break barriers and challenge norms of the past by way of
dance in hope that others will recognize the need for change. Our hope for a better future is
realized as we choose to put faith in the power dance holds in society.
The influence of finding hope through faith in dance is not limited to society, but also
found between individuals. The relationship that requires the most amount of faith is the
relationship between the choreographer, dancer, and audience. This voice is an outcry from the
soul shaped from experiences of the past and then translated into movements for others to
experience. Between the creator (the choreographer) and the presenter (the dancer), a beautiful
conversation occurs. The choreographer creates movement that reflects their artistic point of
view. Within the steps, we find a window into the mind of an artist as the choreographer crafts
their work. What they desire to express is finding an escape route from the abstract of the mind
to kinesthetic movement. In each phrase of a piece, in every minute detail, the choreographer
invests themselves into their work. Yet, their creation is not kept to themselves. They willingly
share it with another artist as an act of faithfaith that the dancer will give life to their voice for
the world to hear.
As the dancer receives the choreographers work, their acceptance of it is an act of faith
in themselves. They must trust themselves that their performance will successfully express the
voice of the choreographer through performance. While at first it appears to be a daunting task,
this is actually the sole purpose of dancers. The performer possesses the incredible opportunity to
share with others the gift of expression through dance. Each dancer has a unique voice
manifested in their own artistry- the manner in which they invest their own point of view into
movement created for them. The choreography then is not merely a regurgitation of anothers
movement, but a dynamic representation of artistry with the language of the choreographer

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uniting with the voice of the dancer. Artistry is the soul of a work and response to a work is
increased when soul is honestly and vulnerably offered in a performance. The most important
thing for dancers to remember is that their individualism is a necessary element. It is the
responsibility of the performer to take a choreographers work and project it for the world as
There is only one of you in the world, just one, and if that is not fulfilled then something has
been lost (Graham).
As dancers share their voice with others, their potential to influence others is
unquantifiable. Each individual audience member reached during a performance is impacted by
the message shared. Dancers give of themselves in performance in faith that the audience might
receive their voice and find something with in the communication to hold onto forever. The
greatest purpose a dancer can serve is to use lift up their voice and share the gospel of Jesus
Christ with others. When dance is centered in Christ, a message of hope is gifted to all who
witness it. The Light of Christ has the potential to touch an individuals life as the truth and
happiness of the message is shared through creative expression. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a
source of inspiration for dance through its powerful message. It shows us that dancers have the
potential to use their talents and knowledge to serve others around them. M. Russel Ballard once
stated, While achieving greatness in artistic pursuits, painting, music, drama, dance, film,
sculpture, and the written word, you should always seek to achieve God's purposes. God the
Father wants all of His children to know of Him and Jesus Christ. The gift of dance is an
opportunity to show others who may be lost and searching for the truth their way towards the
Father and Jesus Christ.
When we choose to center our craft in Christ, we as dancers are examples of Jesus Christ
and testify of what we believe as people of faith. Not only are audience members impacted by

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dancers who share the Gospel through dance, but the faith of the individual dancer is
strengthened. The truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message filled with love, compassion,
and incredible joy for all who are touched by it. We are vessels for that message to the entire
world. In every moment that we proclaim our belief, our faith in Christ is fortified. Our
testimonies are grown in the moments that we take what talents we are given by the Father for
the intent to express our beliefs. We feel the love the Savior has for His children from the
companionship of the Holy Ghost that joins us as we share our testimony with others. Our
personal conversion to the truth ignites a fire within our souls to profess Christs commandments
and teachings in all that we dance. An internal feeling grows and pushes us beyond the comfort
zones of our spirituality as we find new ways to express our faith to others. As sons and
daughters of God, we progress not only as artists, but as followers of Christ.
Dance is a powerful voice that is used by every artist to expresses their faith in society,
other artists, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. In every piece choreographed and performance
given, an image for a new future is proclaimed to the world. Artists tackle societal issues with
hope that their voice will spark a movement for change. Choreographers entrust dancers with
their personal expression through movement, and the dancers individual artistry elevates the
movement so that it can reach others. Dancers testify of their faith in Christ by centering their
work in Him hoping that the audience will continue to seek after the Savior. Through our
expression of faith in each of these aspects we as artists have the opportunity to use our abilities
to influence the world around us. Dance is a voice that comes in many shapes and forms unique
to each individual. We must never let ourselves shy away from sharing our voices and let our
hope for the future die.

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Works Cited
Ballard, M. Russell. The Lords Purpose for the Artist in the Gospel Plan Tuacahn Mormon
Arts Festival. 8 April 1995. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
<http://fc.byu.edu/jpages/ee/w_mrb95.htm>
Cooper, Michael. City Ballet Season to Feature Two Premieres by Women. The New York
Times, 24 March 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
Graham, Martha. I Am A Dancer. 1952. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
Marth Graham (5/11/1984- 4/1/1991). Martha Graham Dance Company. 2012. Web. 27 Mar.
2016. < http://marthagraham.org/about-us/our-history/>
Bond, Chystelle Trump. An Aesthetic Framework for Dance. Journal of Physical Education,
Recreation & Dance. (1987): 62. Print.