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Quoted By:
Dance like nobody's watching
"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."
- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900),
German philosopher
When Hollywood actor Johnny Depp appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on American television, he confessed to being terrified of dancing.
"I fear it more than anything in the world," he said, adding that he would rather "swallow a bag of hair" than dance.
He is not alone.
Many people feel anxious about dancing in public.
Often, this is because they feel that they do not know how to dance and are worried that others will look on with a critical, or even a mocking, eye at their efforts.
For many years, I felt the same way.
When I was a little boy, my primary school headmaster once stopped me, mid-boogie, at a school disco and informed me that I was dancing out of time.
He then gave me a public lesson in keeping to the beat that kept me off the dance floor until well into adulthood.
DANCING IS ABOUT HAVING FUN
That incident caused me some unnecessary stress in later life.
I came to dread social occasions where I might be called upon to dance.
But even worse, it meant that I missed out on a lot of fun.
Dancing is not primarily about keeping the beat or showing good technique - it is about having fun.
The great American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham once said: "Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion."
She was right.
Apart from my misguided but possibly well-meaning headmaster, nobody cares much whether you can dance well or not.
They just want to see you having a good time.
There are two kinds of dancers that I personally admire.
First, there are those who, through diligent practice or natural ability, can dance.
They arouse my admiration because they are skilful and look great.
Second, there are those who cannot dance, in a technical sense, but who put their heart and soul into their moves.
They arouse my admiration because they know how to live.
GRANDMASTER OF DANCE
About 30 years ago, I watched a television documentary that followed the British chess team as they competed in an overseas tournament.
I recall that the tournament organisers hosted a party to welcome the teams on the evening before they were scheduled to play.
The entertainment included a disco session, but this seemed to hold little interest for the players.
Most of them sat at the tables, huddled over pocket chess sets. All of them kept clear of the dance floor.
Except for one.
The player (I think it was the English chess grandmaster, Jon Speelman) stood alone on the dance floor performing a strange dance that involved holding his arms wide apart and swaying from side to side.
I was deeply impressed.
Not with his technique. Certainly not with his technique.
But with his willingness to stand there alone and simply "go for it".
I often think about him now when I am called upon to dance in public.
For me, he epitomises the true spirit of social dancing, which is neatly summed up by lyrics from the 1979 hit song by The Sugarhill Gang. Rapper's Delight: "Just throw your hands up in the air and party hardy like you just don't don't care."
"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth."
- William W. Purkey, educator and author
"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."
- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900),
German philosopher
When Hollywood actor Johnny Depp appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on American television, he confessed to being terrified of dancing.
"I fear it more than anything in the world," he said, adding that he would rather "swallow a bag of hair" than dance.
He is not alone.
Many people feel anxious about dancing in public.
Often, this is because they feel that they do not know how to dance and are worried that others will look on with a critical, or even a mocking, eye at their efforts.
For many years, I felt the same way.
When I was a little boy, my primary school headmaster once stopped me, mid-boogie, at a school disco and informed me that I was dancing out of time.
He then gave me a public lesson in keeping to the beat that kept me off the dance floor until well into adulthood.
DANCING IS ABOUT HAVING FUN
That incident caused me some unnecessary stress in later life.
I came to dread social occasions where I might be called upon to dance.
But even worse, it meant that I missed out on a lot of fun.
Dancing is not primarily about keeping the beat or showing good technique - it is about having fun.
The great American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham once said: "Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion."
She was right.
Apart from my misguided but possibly well-meaning headmaster, nobody cares much whether you can dance well or not.
They just want to see you having a good time.
There are two kinds of dancers that I personally admire.
First, there are those who, through diligent practice or natural ability, can dance.
They arouse my admiration because they are skilful and look great.
Second, there are those who cannot dance, in a technical sense, but who put their heart and soul into their moves.
They arouse my admiration because they know how to live.
GRANDMASTER OF DANCE
About 30 years ago, I watched a television documentary that followed the British chess team as they competed in an overseas tournament.
I recall that the tournament organisers hosted a party to welcome the teams on the evening before they were scheduled to play.
The entertainment included a disco session, but this seemed to hold little interest for the players.
Most of them sat at the tables, huddled over pocket chess sets. All of them kept clear of the dance floor.
Except for one.
The player (I think it was the English chess grandmaster, Jon Speelman) stood alone on the dance floor performing a strange dance that involved holding his arms wide apart and swaying from side to side.
I was deeply impressed.
Not with his technique. Certainly not with his technique.
But with his willingness to stand there alone and simply "go for it".
I often think about him now when I am called upon to dance in public.
For me, he epitomises the true spirit of social dancing, which is neatly summed up by lyrics from the 1979 hit song by The Sugarhill Gang. Rapper's Delight: "Just throw your hands up in the air and party hardy like you just don't don't care."
"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth."
- William W. Purkey, educator and author
