Experience the liberation of dance

Be a free spirit, at home with music. You can experience the liberation of dance, in your own space, for free, explains Ali Roff

By

Experience the liberation of dance

Free-movement dance doesnโ€™t have to be something you pay for, or something you even do with other people, although we feel more resistance when in the presence of others, and so may have a more fulfilling experience. When Iโ€™m feeling restricted in my mind, or trapped by a situation, Iโ€™ll clear a space in my bedroom, crank up the music, close my eyes and just let go. I always surprise myself at how much more love and compassion I have for myself afterwards.

No oneโ€™s watching

Free dance is about listening to your body and allowing it to move in the way that it wants. My first experience of free dance was during an hourโ€™s class, which at first I baulked at. Eyes shut, arms waving and legs swaying, I thought the rest of the class was watching me, laughing. I wanted to sit down. I wanted to stop. The feelings I experienced proved how resistant my mind was to letting my body move freely. But, by giving in to the body, we are given the chance to let go of the mind โ€“ although it wonโ€™t go down without a fight. Every limiting belief, every self-doubt, every word of negativity that I could muster made itself heard during that first challenging hour.

Once I began to push the resistance aside, thatโ€™s when time began to have no meaning. I laughed. I cried. Not just tears but sobs, shaken out of me by jumping and bending. I felt powerful. I felt free.

Stop fighting it

I still feel a little internal resistance when I free dance at home. If my fiancรฉ is watching TV in our living room, my mind will try to convince me that he is about to walk in and โ€˜catch meโ€™ doing it. Even when no one is home, Iโ€™ll still have thoughts that tell me Iโ€™m silly or indulgent or just plain crazy. But, after the first couple of songs, my body takes over, my mind clears and the negativity subsides.

Itโ€™s like taking a break from the nonsense. It allows feeling to take over from the reflection. And itโ€™s fun! Sometimes, Iโ€™m tempted to keep my eyes open, but itโ€™s so much easier to go deeper inside myself when I have no stimulation from anything other than the music.

Songs to get you started 

  • Chandra by Prem Joshua
  • Waheguru by Jai- Jagdeesh (Krishan Remix)
  • Bliss by Sirgun Kaur & Sat Darshan Singh
  • The Polish Ambassador Let the Rhythm Just featuring Mr Lif & Ayla Nereo
  • Yesterday by Rara Avis

Find these tracks on YouTube

Photograph: iStock

Enable referrer and click cookie to search for eefc48a8bf715c1b ad9bf81e74a9d264 [] 2.7.22