Florendo B.

Doculara October 11 2017

Xaverian Missionaries Wednesdays 1:30 pm 4:30 pm

Phenomenology Auditorium

Fr. Kenneth Masong

Phenomenological Reflection of Dance

I.

What do you think is the reason why people use to dance? Is it very innate to us? Is there
any significances in our life? Every individual has the capability to dance, for some it is very innate
because it is already their talent. People use to dance in their own way through their own creativity.
Each country has their own national dances even in our country and in every part of the world
there are such a numerous kinds of dances which it reflects what culture they may have. We all
know that dancing is a psychomotor activity and it can develop the graces of our body but if we
will try to think deeper, what is the real essence of dance?

Why I came up to this kind of idea? It is because I am a dance lover, part of my profession,
performer and dancing is very important to me. I tried to ask myself what are the benefits in
dancing? Is it really important in our life? So in my reflection, I am going to discuss to you the
real essence of dance and the things that we can see beyond dancing. There are several ideas why
people keep on dancing, our emotions, culture, mood, paradigm has something to do from dancing.

Since before, dancing is very essential in our life. Many people like dancing very much
even some do not for we believe that it is already part of our life. Dancing is not only for
entertainment it has something to do in the different aspects of our life and through dancing, it also
represents the culture or the lifestyle of a particular country. When we try to ask a dance teacher,
dance instructor, dance lover, and great performer we can get several reasons. We cannot say that
their reason are wrong instead to understand their personal view.

Basically, dancing is an art of body movement. It changes our lifestyle, our paradigm in
life and it becomes the remedy for our stress and depression. It serves as an avenue for a healthy
living and good thinking. In our generation, dancing is more developing because of the
intelligences of the people. We know different genres of dances and each of it has a purpose.

For gathering information, I will discuss the origin of dance. I also conducted some sort
of opinion from my good friends and based from my experiences, through this way hopefully we
will see the true essence of dance.

II.

For other people, they have their own way on how they will define dancing. Dancing makes
a person happy and satisfied. It completes their life. In some they hate dancing but some really like
it. We have several dances that are being known, different genres have been used such as modern,
hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, ballet, tap, swing, contra dance, country and western, belly dance,
flamenco, ballroom, Latin dance, and even in our traditional dances, the folkdances. All dances
tell a story.

In etymology, 1dance is a verb (c. 1300), from Old French dancier (12c., Modern French
danser), which is of unknown origin, perhaps from Low Frankish *dintjan and akin to Old Frisian
dintje "tremble, quiver." A word of uncertain origin but which, through French influence in arts
and society, has become the primary word for this activity from Spain to Russia (Italian danzare,
Spanish danzar, Rumanian dansa, Swedish dansa, German tanzen).

We can say that dancing can give you a holistic development of an individual. In
phenomenological view, dance may be determined as a pattern involving movement of body
through space and time. When we look of a dancer we can see that their body changes position in
space. Actually we cannot really rely in that definition because it encompasses a much larger set
of phenomena. It is a movement of pattern perhaps the gravitational force of the body helps us to
move accordingly. Phenomenology of dance will involve a person or dancer centered movement
and the experiential space in which that movement happens.

We have to look the phenomenology of dance that it is not only for local and global. It is
extending around the world. It offers a natural synthesis for both intuitions that dance has its source
in the dancers first person perspective movement, and that it encompasses an environment that is

1
wider than local or even global environment, in that it includes phenomenological experiential
possibilities open to the creative dancer.

In phenomenology of dance it adjusted in environment, a kind of environment which is

dynamic and rich in phenomena. Our environment has something to do in able to construct dances
or movement. I think it is experiential because we experience environment in able to allow our
body to have a creative dancing approach. We think that phenomenology of dance is rooted in the
phenomenology of our usual bodily moving experiences. So we can also say that our movements
in every circumstances is a part of phenomenology of dance.

What we see when we dance? This question always comes out in my mind. I try to see each
angle and I found out that maybe the things what we see when we see a dance is something the
extension of what we do in our everyday life. By using objects, we can see the motions in doing
something. Like when we comb our hair, wiping the glass window, dribbling the ball, or repairing
a machine.
 III.

Based on my experiences as a dance lover, performer, and teacher which under of my

profession, this reflection of mine will serve as my insights and collected ideas with regards into
dancing through phenomenological view.

I can also say that dancing is my life because since childhood I used to dance and I was
very interested to dance even in any occasions in our place. I dance not for fame or to gain praises
coming from the people, not only to impress the people but also for my personal income and of
course to let them know and realize the beauty of dancing even in any genres. To give hope for
those who are trying hard and frustrated in dancing.

Since elementary I was already exposed on my talent. I always participate in dance field
demo in our school and I already experienced dancing genres like social dance. When I enter high
school, I had the chance to experience dancing other genres from competing in school contest. I
remember when we won in competing for tribal dance contest in our school, I was ashamed
because we were all naked our private part were only covered with a piece of cloth.

After high school I did not stop yet my talent, when I was in my college I used it as source
of my income especially every December. Some of the big companies especially in Makati asked
me to teach them and give them dance piece. Sometimes its for competition but sometimes only
for Christmas presentations.

I was once a member of the dance troupe in our school and for me that was a great privilege
as a college student. I experienced practices and trainings in order to condition our body and
become flexible enough. Because I was eager to enhance my talent I let myself involved in all
dance presentation in our school with the involvement of the students.

Dancing is the graceful movement of our body but as I mention earlier that dancing is
according to the use of a certain group. We use it for entertainment but we should remember that
it is also being use for rituals, celebrations, social events, courtship, burials, and worship, like
praising God.

Until now even I am already a seminarian I did not stop my talent instead I continue and
use it in my apostolate to inspire them and invite them to unleash their talent. I always have the
heart in dancing especially in doing dance concepts. And for me in dancing not only the
choreography is the important but also the time we use and the space, the power and the agility of
our body and also it needs proper coordination of the body. Coordination of the body, space, and
time are the aspects of life that I think are the product of my experiences as a dancer, wherein, the
form of dance is paramount in a subjective awareness to the body of motion.

IV.

So we can say that the phenomenological reflection of dance is