Dance like nobody's watching...

This phrase “Dance like nobody’s watching” has been on my mind for a good while, ever since I saw this little girl dancing at a party back in October. I was at a Halloween party with my family, the lights were low, the music blaring and as usual the dancefloor was pretty empty other than small groups of children running around, all except one girl who must have been about 9 or 10 just dancing in the middle of the dancefloor. I couldn’t help but watch how freely she was dancing, feeling the music through her body with no care for anything or anyone else. While us “oldies” stood on the sidelines tapping our toes, or swaying to the music, secretly wanting to join in, this little girl was just dancing. It was beautiful to watch. Most captivating for me was how uninhibited she was, how free. I just love that. Love watching people who can let go like that.

Obviously the ability to dance with abandon on an empty dancefloor speaks volumes about how one lives ones life. Carefree and without restriction. Not all children have this ability to let go on the dancefloor though – you also get the children standing on the sidelines wanting to join in but not knowing how to. My youngest, for instance, who is 5 has been like this. We’ve seen him on holiday wanting to join in with the other children dancing on stage but not feeling confident enough, or simply feeling too shy. At a school party last month he cried because he said he didn’t like dancing but I knew that wasn’t true. He dances at home when he feels secure so clearly it’s not just the dancing, so I took it upon myself to dance with him at home a little, have fun with it and at his school Christmas party this week he felt free enough to jump up and down wildly to the music, all the while looking at me and smiling, so pleased with himself for letting go enough to express himself freely. It was a beautiful moment to witness. A real breakthrough in confidence for him.

This is why I love dancing so much, because of what it represents. I rarely go to parties these days but in my youth I wasn’t one of those people dancing wildly on the dancefloor, not until I’d had a bit of “Dutch courage” in any case and then I’d be a permanent fixture! But I always wanted to be that person dancing freely without a care in the world. My sister was always like that- she could let loose enough to dance anywhere, I was always more “restricted”. These days, however, I’ve found an outlet for letting go in my Zumba classes. I love dancing about to the music and not caring about anyone else, feeling the music through my body – I feel free enough to do this in this environment, maybe because the movements are choreographed and thus it feels safe in a way, but whatever the reason I come away from these classes on a real adrenalin high that lasts for hours and so pleased with myself for allowing myself to enjoy the experience fully without restriction. I can’t claim to look amazing when I’m doing it ;-) but I do have a lot of fun! It is really quite amazing how dancing can make you feel. I also love to watch the other people, those coming for the first time who are all awkward and stiff and self-conscious but who after a few classes start to relax and let go.

This is what we all need, to relax enough to allow ourselves to just “be” without letting our egos get in the way and I guess this applies both to life and to the dancefloor. Whatever your music preference, or dance style, just try it- even if only in the safety of your own home, get that music on, move those hips and fling your arms and legs around, I promise  you will feel a whole load better afterwards :-D