Dance

dance (dans) n.

1. A series of motions and steps, usually performed to music.
2. The art of dancing: studied dance in college.
3. A party or gathering of people for dancing; a ball.
4. One round or turn of dancing: May I have this dance?
5. A musical or rhythmical piece composed or played for dancing.
6. The act or an instance of dancing.

Twyla Tharp wrote, "You can't just dance or paint or write or sculpt. Those are just verbs. You need a tangible idea to get you going. The idea, however miniscule, is what turns the verb into a noun--paint into a painting, sculpt into sculpture, write into writing, dance into a dance."

Last evening I had an opportunity to see a dance. A friend was performing with her high school dance company, so we went to see her. There were ideas in action on the stage. Some were dramatic, like Robert Battle's "The Hunt." Others were more traditional, like Fernando Hernandez's "Tamaulipas Huasteco." Our favorite was "Calm, Cool, and Collected," by Jay Franke. The stage was filled with life, energy, color, and teens dancing to the exuberant saxophone of John Coltrane. The dancers portrayed common interactions with joyful, unbounded enthusiasm--our friend told us later that she laughed all the way through the piece--and the audience was caught up in the mood.

I don't know what creative idea put this particular dance into motion. I do know the feeling that resulted.

Life is sweet. Don't wait for someone's birthday to make it a party.

Bob