
I’ve always been a very rhythmical child, and I was never the ‘sit still’ kind of kid (on the contrary). Yet, for more than 10 years, I didn’t allow myself to dance whatsoever. There are two distinct moments that jump out at me as to why I didn’t dare to dance for many years. First there was shame, which for me was more a fear of being humiliated. Shame to show myself. I guess I always knew deep down that the way my body wants to move is quite eccentric and expressive, and I wasn’t sure how a group of 12-year-old classmates would react to that. So I chose to hide.
A few years later I would actually muster the courage to overcome this fear of being seen, this shame. Unfortunately, a group of partying 16-year-olds didn’t react as open-minded as I believed they would. So, I was humiliated. Simply for moving my body freely, in the way that felt good to me.
Safe to say, I didn’t dance very much after that. Years went by without dancing, until I actually started to believe that I could not dance. I would simply tell people: “I’m a musician, I can play, but I cannot dance.” They accepted this as truth, as this was a common phrase uttered by musicians.
It was nature and a couple of very close friends that helped me to gain the confidence to start moving again. To dance my heart out. I started to realise that not only could I dance, but that I loved it too. In the video below, I share my story with you. I hope you find it inspiring, and that it might help you to realise that you love dancing too.
On music you can dance so dance, I love to dance but as a child I was in the beginning when you lurn too walk I was not sure. And now I dance my brains then are happy.
Hope you will try our free authentic dance session Henrica. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Marie from the Songdance team x
Yavin, I hope you keep dancing forever! I’m glad to read that you got over the shame. When I am in my workspace (an old classroom) and I turn the radio on, sometimes I spontaneously start dancing. Then my body is smiling 🙂
Yes! Dance anytime, any space, anywhere 🙂 x
🙂