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The Dancer Within Me

Personal Treatise

Anna Tanner
Dance 261-Orientation to Dance
Edwin Austin
November 18, 2016

I dance to express emotions deep inside my soul. I believe that we each have a passion
for something in this life and the way we communicate this passion is not through words, but
through action. Martha Graham once said, Great dancers are great not because of their
technique, but because of their passion.1 Passion involves the expression of beliefs by
showcasing the energy we feel inside about something to flow out. With dance, passion makes
people want to move: bending, twisting, extending, using movement to demonstrate the state of
passion and emotion a person feels inside. This art form is beautiful and engaging because the
dancer is using a unique combination of emotive and rhythmic movements in the choreography
to paint a dramatic masterpiece on the canvas of the stage.
Being a successful dancer begins with emotion and a desire to express oneself through
movement. Success comes in achieving a desired purpose. I have been inspired by Kathryn
McCormick, a professional dancer and mentor on the show So You Think You Can Dance. She
said, Success has nothing to do with how popular you are or how many awards or affirmations
you receive. Success is based on what you carry in your heart and in your mind.2 In essence, it
is how you see yourself, the attitude you have about your abilities and capabilities. I think the
reason that people are successful in dance is because they put their soul into it. When I go into
dance class, I must first prepare myself mentally. I do this by leaving outside the problems of the
world around me, negative self-talk, and judgments coming from the attitudes of others. If you
allow other peoples attitudes and judgments to affect you, then you are being held back from
your own potential. The dance community can be a very judgmental place because you are
1

Bhasin, Prihana. "City of Blinding Lights." Drain Dog. October 31, 2016. Accessed
November 6, 2016. https://draindog.wordpress.com/2016/10/31/city-of-blinding-lights/.

22 Fuhrer, Margarhet. "Kathryn McCormick Talks Like Air and SYTYCD."

Http://www.dancespirit.com/news/kathryn-mccormick-talks-like-air-and-sytycd/. 2016.

constantly being compared to the people around you. As a teacher, McCormick talked about how
she has had to work with students who face their own insecurities, much like she once did. We
can come to learn that others may need us to perform for them, to support and uplift, not to just
be the best at what we do.
Becoming a beautiful and engaging dancer requires more than emotion and desire, it
requires practice. As I work to unleash my potential, I hear the words Practice, practice,
practice every day. Growing up I heard those words from my parents and mentors who have
helped push me, so I can magnify the talent and abilities inside me. Practice requires dedication,
deliberate focus on fundamentals, and energy to inspire the hope that the hours of effort spent are
leading to an improved product. Practice pushes you to perfect a skill and to trust the refining
process. Practice is also important to maintain proficiency in skill and to remember the routine.
There are so many different styles of dance and all can express a deep feeling and emotion. We
can observe the beauty of different styles and recognize the beauty that comes from using our
bodies to create shape and movement. Kathryn McCormick expressed what she heard from her
partner Tate on the new season of So You Think You Can Dance. She said, Hearing that Tates
greatest goals are to be humble and kind and to make people feel somethingthat she wanted to
be on the show not to win, but to learnI knew, then, that I wanted to tell stories with her.3
These words emphasize that there is a sense of dedication that is needed to make your practice
worthwhile. I have seen this as I have partnered with my brother in ballroom dance. We
occasionally have our sibling spats, but as we both mature, we are striving to dance with

33 Toomer, Julie. This So You Think You Can Dance Star Is Inspiring The Next Generation.

Guideposts.org. Accessed October 9, 2016. https://www.guideposts.org/positive-living/this-soyou-think-you-can-dance-star-is-inspiring-the-next-generation/page/0/1

purpose, passion, and love of the sport. This makes competitions less about titles and medals and
more about becoming stronger, wiser, and better.
Beauty is another critical element in the creative art of dance. Neal A. Maxwell taught,
Creative expression can also represent the celebration of our gratitude to God for our gifts and
talents.4 The values that are taught from being creative in your work and allowing the help of
the Lord to make your work a beautiful experience makes the true creativity come as such a
satisfying feeling. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I have
pondered on the principles taught regarding God being the creator of worlds. From His attention
to such details as the beauty of the lilies of the field, to the power contained in the tiny mustard
seed, I know that in dance, each specific movement has meaning. Each step, turn, hand gesture,
and facial expression, whether great or small, it is created and executed with purpose. Dance is a
powerful medium that can bring a spiritual and uplifting feeling to life.
We need dance to remind us that our bodies and our brains are not separate things. Nora
Amrosio said, All choreographers use the elements of space, time, and energy whenever they
create a dance. Some choreographers make conscious decisions to manipulate these elements in a
dance, while others allow instinct to dictate what the work will look like.5 The choreography
process is ongoing. Be aware of the world around you and keep an open-mind to all possibilities.
You can create a masterpiece as you explore this creative process and arent afraid to fail.
"Alld great art is an expression of man's delight in God's work, not his own."5 Dance has
special value to me because I can express something meaningful without using words. I can share the
light that God has given me to uplift others and to be an instrument in His hands. Elder M. Russell
44 s A. Creativity. New Era. August 1982.
55 Amrosio, Nora. Learning about Dance. 3rd ed. Dance as an Art Form and Entertainment.

Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2003.

Ballard gave an address at the Mormon Arts festival entitled, The Lords Purpose for the Artist in
the Gospels Plan. In this address, he said, God's purpose for the artist in the Gospel plan is
ultimately the same as for all his children: to bring to pass their immortality and eternal life. Each of
us must use our tools, our gifts and opportunities to triumph in the contest of mortality.6 The ability
to tell stories and emotion through dance is a real gift, and I choose to often use this gift as a tool in
bringing light to others and sharing my way of life with them. In the LDS culture, we have been
given standards to stand and live by. I have learned to live by those standards and to stand firm in my
beliefs even when faced with the challenge of being an artist and performer in the dance world. I
have learned that all good things come from God.
As an art from, dance is an avenue to express the feelings and emotions through creative
movements. I have found as I focus on centering my dancing around my personal beliefs and values, it
brings me much peace and I feel happy because I am sharing the gifts I have been given with others
who need some joy in their life. Once you find purpose in your dance, then you can choose to keep
dreaming and believing that you can achieve those things for which you have hope.

66 Ballard, Russell M. "The Lord's Purpose for the Artist in the Gospel Plan." Mormon Arts

Festival. 1995. Accessed November/December, 2016.


http://www.watchmeninstitute.org/ma/ma95/ballard.html.

References
Amrosio, Nora. Learning about Dance. 3rd ed. Dance as an Art Form and Entertainment.
Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2003.
Ballard, Russell M. "The Lord's Purpose for the Artist in the Gospel Plan." Mormon Arts
Festival. 1995. Accessed November/December, 2016.
http://www.watchmeninstitute.org/ma/ma95/ballard.html.
Bhasin, Prihana. "City of Blinding Lights." Drain Dog. October 31, 2016. Accessed November 6,
2016. https://draindog.wordpress.com/2016/10/31/city-of-blinding-lights/.
Fuhrer, Margarhet. "Kathryn McCormick Talks Like Air and SYTYCD."
Http://www.dancespirit.com/news/kathryn-mccormick-talks-like-air-and-sytycd/. 2016.
Maxwell, Neal A. Creativity. New Era. August 1982.
Toomer, Julie. This So You Think You Can Dance Star Is Inspiring The Next Generation.
Guideposts.org. Accessed October 9, 2016. https://www.guideposts.org/positiveliving/this-so-you-think-you-can-dance-star-is-inspiring-the-next-generation/page/0/1

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