Is Dance Just for the Elite?

4 Min Read  •  Dance

As a dance educator I have always been curious about where in which the contemporary perception of dance derived.  When talking to non dancers, many perceive dance to be a recreational activity, a fun past time, or something cute that their daughters do after school.  Lately, with reality shows like So You Think You Can Dance or Dance Moms, the perception has gotten even worse.  We have dancers pushing themselves, on the brink of injury, vying for a title, and perpetuating the inaccurate notion that monetary input equals quality output.

When did dance become so elitist?

Historically, dance began in the paleolithic period as evidenced with movement inspired rock paintings and cave drawings.  Primitive cultures used dance as a means of expression and communication.  It became a way of life and the basis of many significant rituals.  Slowly, dance became aesthetically pleasing and was introduced to the Greek Theaters.  However, dance was quickly banned in the medevil era due to its association with pegan activity and witchcraft.  Dance was eventually revived in the Renaissance period through folk and court dancing.

Aristocratic steps were performed among nobility and royalty and this birthed the foundation of ballet.  Dance moved to western civilization and morphed into multiple genres including modern, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, and the ever popular contemporary.  Dance with flashy costumes, numerous tricks, and economically driven training, as seen on TV,  has only existed in the past century, so at what point did society’s perception make it so elite?  We want to believe that we make dance for everyone, yet that is not the way we teach.

Dance is for everyone!

We need to ensure that dance is a reality for all students, no matter where they came from, where their going, or what disabilities they have.  We need to begin teaching this way and discontinue the promulgation of dance as a competitive sport only for the elite.

There are many organizations that advocate for the Dance is For Everyone philosophy.

AXIS dance Co is a perfect example. Their mission is to create, perform, educate, and support “physically integrated dance” a contemporary dance form that evolves from the collaboration between dancers with and with out disabilities www.axisdance.org

Dancing Wheels Co. also promotes movement for all.  Their mission is to educate, advocate and entertain through compelling, innovative dance www.dancingwheels.org
Or programs like Mark Degarmo & Dancers who is committed to enlivening bodies, shifting perspectives & changing lives and works in yearlong, multiyear partnership programs with NYC schools, including public school students and communities under-served in the arts, dance & aesthetic education. www.markdegarmoarts.org

And Movement Exchange whose mission is to foster civic engagement, cross-cultural understanding, and creative expression through dance and service by using dance as a vehicle for social change and diplomacy.   www.movementexchanges.org

What upsets me most is that these programs are not glorified on a more public forum.  Society has So You Think You Can Dance and Dance Moms to base perceptions, which unfortunately sends the wrong message.  You don’t have to turn multiple times or leap to the greatest heights to be a dancer.  This perception can begin to change if we all find ways to integrate dance into our classrooms, either through creative movement or incorporating the history of dance into traditional history lessons.  The more we educate our students about dance the faster the perception will change.

A fun way to remind students that dance originated way before reality tv  is to integrate dance into traditional history classes.

Two dance standards that marry with traditional history standards are: