A Dancer's Three Meditations on Feet, Clumsiness, and Connection
The Nature of Dance
A dancer reflects on three aspects of his favorite hobby. First, how underused feet atrophy from a stable surface into a line and then a point, undermining balance. Second, whether clumsiness is innate or a developmental failure of proprioception, leaving some people 'foreigners in their own bodies.' Third, why 'connection' in partner dance remains a mystical catchall, and how a physicalist, slow-motion analysis might reveal its mechanics.
Can you be a foreigner in your own body?
- deskamess
I have been seeing many videos on aging and how dance is a good option to delay dementia as it uses both the mind and body (assuming you try new dance moves as the old ones become automatic). What is the best way to get into dance if you are above 40 and have heavy feet? For me this is purely for mind-body benefits and not to get 'good' at a particular style. I guess same can be said for picking up a musical instrument although the physical aspect seems less involved (unless you are drumming). Some sort of weekly progression chart.
- xfeeefeee
Dance is such a nuanced thing. Really I think it is more like a language than anything else.
My favorite example of this is at somewhere like a rave or Phish show etc where you can see people form their own little conversations and groups and move on as the night goes.
And of course you have people just enjoying having a nice talk with themselves and the music.
In more professional settings you see people try to fit dance into little boxes and say what it is or is not... it predates spoken language. It is something very primal, not even uniquely human.
- noelwelsh
When I think about dance, it's about the algebraic structure in it. E.g. translating moves between different levels, transitions between moves, and so on. That, and the movement options that increased physical capabilities unlock. So nothing like what OP thinks about. Not a criticism of what they've written; just a different perspective.
- srean
https://divisbyzero.com/2009/05/04/the-maypole-braid-group/
Of maypole dance and the algebra of braids
- robertacion
I found quite interesting the apps the author created for dancing: https://vester.si/blog/dance-tools/
However I could not figure out which partner dances he focuses on, I would be curious to know.