The Power of Mindfulness in Dance

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Mindfulness has become an increasingly common topic of conversation in today's hectic and overwhelming world.

So what is it?

Let's start by taking a look at Merriam-Webster's definition of mindfulness:

mindfulness noun

mind·​ful·​ness | \ ˈmīn(d)-fəl-nəs \

Definition of mindfulness 1: the quality or state of being mindful 2: the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basisalso : such a state of awareness

Ok, did you catch the first adjective?

Nonjudgmental.

Over and over again, as you explore the various theories and practices of mindfulness, you will find a reoccurring theme. That to truly be mindful, you must approach what presents itself in the moment, nonjudgmentally.

As dancers, we generally love critique.

We love to fix and strive toward perfection (whatever that really is).

We love to judge.

In fact, sometimes we pay a lot of money, wear uncomfortable costumes, and give our literal blood, sweat, and tears, just for the chance to be be judged.

That, however, is not the point of this step in enriching our dance practice.

Mindfulness is about noticing. It's about becoming aware. It's about connecting.

It's about slowing down so that when we are in motion we can do so with clearer intention and better execution.

Where this really gets fun, is when we realize we can use this connection and awareness to gain better understanding, control and connection with our bodies. We can use it to become better dancers!

Thinking this sounds ridiculous?

Take a minute to do this exercise:

Think of a lemon. Think about it's shape and color and the wight of it in your hand. Now think about cutting it open Touch it to your lips. Now imagine licking it. Now bite into the lemon.

What happened?

Did your mouth start to water? Did your cheeks pucker?

This was all because of what was happening in your mind! The lemon wasn't real but your body had a physical response to it.

Have you ever had an incredible day where, for whatever reason, you just feel great and you notice how much better your dancing is on that day?

This is just a glimpse of how powerful the mind-body connection can be and what it has the potential to do for you. This connection can be utilized to more effectively achieve your goals and improve your artistry in dance.

"Become attentive to the way you think about dancing, and you will be able to eliminate harmful thought patterns and replace them with positive reinforcement, which in turn will lead to better technique and expressivity."

-Eric Franklin

Stay tuned with the Dance 100 blog where we will continue to dive deeper into mind-body connection over the coming year. If you're looking for a tool to help start this process, check out the guided dance journal download here or if you prefer a print version, head to Amazon.com.