ElisabethAllred

Dance261
EdwinAustin
TreatisePaper
DanceisSimple
Idefinedancequitesimplyandlooselyitcanbemanythings,however,whenwedefine
danceasanart,thedefinitionbecomesalittlemorestringent.WhenImnervousorexcited,I
feellikemynervesarehavingadancepartyinsideofme.WhenIminlove,Ifeellikemyheart
iswaltzing.SometimesthosefeelingsgetexpressedoutwardlywhenIdoahappydanceorwhen
Iswayaroundmyroomthinkingaboutmylatestcrush.Happydancingandswayingaroundis
dancingeveniftheyarelaxdescriptionsofdance.However,IwanttomakeitclearthatIdonot
believethatthoselaxdescriptionsarealsodescriptionsofart.Artineveryform,whetheritbe
paintings,music,ordanceisartbecauseithasbeencreatedwithapurepurposeandintent.
Danceandartarenotsynonymousbuttheyareverycloselyrelated.Generally,Ithink
dance,beyondthehappydancingandswayingaround,isthoughtofasthecategoryofartthat
involvesmovement.However,veryrarelyisdanceperceivedasbeingperformedbyanything
otherthanhumans.Iwanttoelaborateonthisideabycritiquingthefollowingtextbook
definitionofdance,
Danceisanartperformedbyindividualsorgroupsofhumanbeings,existingintime,
space,force,andflow,inwhichthehumanbodyistheinstrument,andmovementisthe
medium.Themovementisstylized,andtheentiredanceworkischaracterizedbyform
andstructure.Danceiscommonlyperformedtomusicalorrhythmicaccompaniment,

andhasasaprimarypurposetheexpressionofinnerfeelingsandemotions,althoughit
isoftenperformedforsocial,ritual,entertainment,orotherpurposes.
WhiletherearecertainlyaspectsIagreewithinthisdefinition,thereisoneparticular
aspectIdisagreewithandthatisthenotionthatdanceisonlyperformedbyhumanbeings.Ina
discussionaboutthisdefinition,somepeoplementionedthatthisassumptionisfalsebecause
bees,amongfewotheranimals,dance.Thatwasgenerallyaccepted,becausethedancingthe
beesdohaspurposeitisameansofcommunication.Iwentontoarguethatnotonlydosome
animalsdance,butsodoesnature,forexample,thewind.However,thencamethequestionof
whetherthemovementisdanceifitdoesnothaverealintentandpurposebehindit,implying
suchpurposecouldonlycomefromaliveconscience.Iwanttomakeanexpoundedand
hopefullystrongargumentastowhydanceissomethingexecutedbymorethanjusthumans.
Doesalifelesspuppetnothavepurposewhenitisbeingmanipulatedbyabreathing
puppeteer?Doesitnotstilltellthestorythatwasintended?Ofcoursethepuppetstillhas
purpose.Itstillhaspurposebecausethecreatorgaveitpurpose.Similarly,allofGodscreations
aregivenpurpose.
IbelieveallofGodscreationsthathavetheabilitytomovealsohavetheabilitytodance
humans,animals,andnature.Godisamaster.EverythingHehascreatedisamasterpieceand
asaresult,Ibelieve,isart.IlovehowRussellM.NelsondescribedourbodiesinhistalkWe
AreChildrenofGod:Yourbody,whateveritsnaturalgifts,isamagnificentcreationofGod.
Itisatabernacleoffleshatempleforyourspirit.Astudyofyourbodyatteststoitsdivine
design.Ourhumanbodies,ontheinsideandout,areextremelyintricateandexquisitethey
aretemples.Forexample,theethmoidbone,aboneintheskull,whichaidsinolfactionand

breathing,hasincredibledetailanddesignwithswirlsandcurveslikeasnowflake.Theswirls
andcurvesofthisbonearenotonlyphysicallybeautiful,butalsofunctionallynecessary.Bymy
definition,thisdelicatebone,whichalsohasfunctionalpurpose,isart.Thesamegoesfor
animalsandtheirdetails.Furthermore,thisplanetweliveonisclearlyoneofGodsmost
magnificentandbeautifulcreations.Aplanetthatcansustainlifeandhassomuchlightand
beautyamongstauniversefullofdarknessisundeniablyart.Takingthistoamorepreciselevel,
Ibelieveitisfairtosaythatthewinddances.Somemayarguethatinorderforsomethingto
dance,thesubjectthatisdancingmusthavesomesortofconsciousintentandpurpose,butI
disagree.ThewindisjustoneofGodsdancers.ThunderisjustoneofGodssymphonies.And
allofnatureisoneofGodspaintings.Godmakesthewindmoveandgivesitpurpose,and
therefore,Ibelieve,thewinddances.So,Iwanttoreiteratethatdanceisnotsomething
exclusivelyforGodschildrenbutforallofHisothercreations,too.
Notonlyistheimportanceofart,specificallytheartofdance,evidentinGodscreations,
buttheimportanceofdanceisalsoevidentinthescriptures.Asdescribedinthebibledictionary,
dancingisanaturalsignofrejoicing.KingDavidandallofthehouseofIsraelwouldpraise
HeavenlyFatherwithdancingandmusic.BecausepraisingourHeavenlyFatherthroughdance
hasbeenanactivityandritualperformedbyGodschildrenformanythousandsofyears,andin
manypartsoftheworldcontinuestobesuch,Ibelieveitisanimportantactivity.Danceisnot
somethingthatwasmanmade.OurabilitytodanceisaresultofGodsmasterfulcreativity.God
intendedforustodanceandpraiseHim.However,theextensivetechniqueandskillsthathave
developedthroughouthistory,Idonotbelieveareintendedforeveryone.WhileIamcertainour
HeavenlyFatherispleasedandproudoftheexceptionalandadvancedmovementssome

individualsstriveforandwhichsomehavemasteredincategoriessuchas,ballet,ballroom,and
modern,Goddoesnotexpectallofhischildrentostriveforsuchheightsintheareaofdance
onlythosehehasgiventhetalentto.
IdancebecauseIloveit,butonthedaysthatIdontfeellikedancing,IdoitbecauseI
havebeenaskedto.Ihavebeengivenatalentandhavebeenaskedtonothidemylight,my
talent,underabushel(Matthew5:1516).M.RussellBallardsaid,
Greatarttouchesthesoulin
auniqueanduncommonway.InspiredartspeaksinthelanguageofEternity,teachingthingsto
thehearttheeyesandearscanneverunderstand.
Danceisameansofmissionarywork.Ihave
beengivenalightandthatlightisintendedtobeshared.ThatiswhyIcontinuetostriveto
improveanddevelopindance.ThemoreIprogressandthemoreworkIputintomycalling,the
morelikelyitisthatIwillbeinapositiontobeinspiredand,asaresult,toinspireothers.Iwant
tobeabletopraisemyHeavenlyFatherwithmybest.WhatbetterwaytothankmyHeavenly
FatherforallthathehasgivenmethanmydoingmybesttostrengthenthelightHehasgiven
me?
Ialsochoosetodancebecausemenarethattheymighthavejoy(2Nephi2:25).I
dontintendtolivemylifedoingsomethingIdonotenjoy.Iambeingefficientwiththetime
andgiftsGodhasgivenme.Iforeverendeavortogettoapointwheremydancinghelpsbuild
thekingdomofGod.ThemoreIworkonmytalentswhilelettingGodinspireme,themoreofan
influenceIwillbeabletohave.
Danceissuchasimplething.Itcanbeascandidasbobbingyourheadoraselaborateas
apasdedeux.Yet,itissoinherentwithinme,andIbelieve,inothers,aswell.Ournerves
partydancewhenwereexcited.Ourheartswaltzwhenwereinlove.Whenwearehappy,do

wenotfeeltheurgetodohappydances?Thesefeelingsofexcitement,love,andhappinessare
alllittleseedsofdance.Someindividualsmayhavebiggerseedsthanothers,orseedsthatgrow
fasteroreasierthanothers,butIbelieveGodintendedforallofHischildrentonourishthose
seeds.Godlovesitwhenwearehappy,andwantsustoshowHimourhappiness.Anoutward
expressionofhappinessispraisestoHim.Anoutwardexpressionofhappiness,suchasdancing,
issharingthegospel.Justlikethewind,IamoneofGodsdancers,andwiththatcomespurpose.
Idancetospreadthelightandtopraisemycreator,myHeavenlyFather.