October 5, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

A DANCER’S LETTER TO THE WORLD. DON’T GET OFFENDED.

Dear non-dancers,

I don’t speak for every single dancer on earth but I have a message I want to share. I think most dancers will agree with me, but still…we are all different.
It’s hard to understand us and our lifestyle but that does not mean it’s wrong. It sounds cliché but we worked hard to get where we are.

Our job may not have a 9-5 schedule but that does not mean we don’t work as many hours as you do, if not more. When we complain about people not getting us, it’s not because we hate you. We’re just frustrated by the several times we were talked down by others. I know you may not know how to approach us, and that’s ok. We just ask you to approach us with the same respect you would anyone else. Our job is a REAL job. Stop asking us how we actually make money and if we have a real job. First of all, you can make money with dance and art. Second, there is no shame in having a side job to start or continue your dream job.

We love when you support us, we really do! So, please don’t ask us to work for free. Exposure is not a real retribution and neither is giving free class or dancing for free for your event. Most times we can work and negotiate with you within reasonable limits. Although don’t get mad if we refuse your offer. We have our reasons, as you have your reasons not to come to our show.

Most likely there is so much work that we’ve sacrificed and invested into our career that we just don’t want to listen to negative talk. We already know it’s hard, we’re just trying our best. I know you have good intentions, but sometimes encouragement or normality is all we need.

You can ask me about my job. Just don’t do it with the same attitude you use when you talk to a child. Please, don’t just say FUN to describe all of my gigs. Don’t get me wrong! It is fun and I love it, but fun isn’t the first word I’d use to describe it. I’d probably say that is exhausting, tiring, time consuming, hard, complicated. It’s not all negative of course! I just personally think it’s very demeaning telling a person that the job the do is always and only FUN.

Dear families, we appreciate the love and concern but don’t try to give us pieces of advice in a career you don’t have experience in. Your concerns are valid, but so is our lives and dreams. We know you love us and want to help, but trust us, we wouldn’t sacrifice so much if it wasn’t important. We are fully aware of how hard and frustrating our career is. We’re not expecting you to fix our problems. A word of encouragement or buying a ticket for the show often means the world to us.

What I am trying to say is: You don’t need to understand every single aspect of our lives. The most important thing is understanding the passion and the hard work we pour into our art. Although most people don’t see it there’s a lot of research, knowledge, experience and preparation in our work. Just respect what we do. If you want to help even more…advocate for us.

If you read the whole thing… and you aren’t a dancer : THANK YOU SO MUCH! There is so much more that I could explain, but I didn’t want it to be overwhelming. Thank you for taking the time to read.

woman wearing tube dress underwater
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com

August 17, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

DANCERS AND WORKOUT. DO DANCERS HAVE TO WORK OUT?

Often when people find out I am a dancer they’ll often say: You are in shape because you are a dancer! Well dear friends…. although dance is physically demanding, unfortunately it isn’t always the reason why dancers are strong.

woman in black and white polo shirt holding orange smartphone
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.com

Dance is good but not complete (as most activities)

Dance is awesome for the body, mind and spirit! but that does not mean that is the perfect activity for your body. I don’t want to discourage anyone from dancing…. actually I share all these things, so that more people can enjoy dancing injury free!

Dance itself often times is “against nature” I mean just thing about ballet. Most movement are the exact opposite of what your body should do. Can you still enjoy ballet or other dance genre? absolutely!!! Remember always strive to be dancer/ athlete that is “complete”. As a dancer you have to be strong but flexible, fast but also extremely slow. There are a lot of opposites playing within dance.

Some training ideas

I personally love Yoga. I think any somatic practice goes really well with dance, I love Yoga or Pilates to work on my strength and flexibility at the same time. Yoga and Pilates are also great options to help you condition your body or recover after injuries. Here’s some mats that I liked and Yoga gear that use at home:

yoga gear Yoga Mats

Something else I enjoy is easy to use weights, elastic bands or tools that I can use at home anytime. Especially now that not all gyms are open or they are not full capacity yet. I definitely used a lot of my small equipment during the lock down to make sure I maintained most of my strength and agility. Strength training is extremely important for dancers to avoid injuries. It is definitely something that is not talked about enough. Lately more and more people seem to push extreme flexibility on dancers…and let me tell you: THAT IS WRONG. It is pretty to see, but being hyperflexible increases chances to get injured. We want to keep those muscles around the joints nice and strong so that things don’t move in the wrong direction causing dislocations etc.

cross training gear

I know a lot of people aren’t fan of cardio, but it is important. Most dancers need to get more cardio into their trainings. Often dance classes aren’t long enough for us to get aerobic exercise. Running, elliptical, biking, sleepwalking could be some ideas. Pick one you don’t hate and try it out.

A unique washable, reusable, micro-sized orthotic that adds support and comfort for various hard to fit shoes and sandals. The Soul Insole Shoe Bubble makes a life changing difference in preventing and helping provide relief for those experiencing foot problems including plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, flat feet, over-pronation, morton’s neuromas and more. Unlike other insoles, the Shoe Bubble does not crowd the forefoot or change the fit of the heel cup. It can also be used as a bridge for those moving away from maximalist support to minimalist/barefoot shoes.

Rest and recovery are a part of training

We are talking about all these workout activities to be better dancers… but let’s remember….REST IS PART OF THE WORKOUT!! Your muscles need to heal too. Overworking can lead to injurie too. Let’s remember to be balanced! I usually like to rest once a week (more if needed). During my days off I’ll take time to roll my muscles, take hot baths, nice slow walks just to enjoy the sun and some fresh air. A very light dynamic stretching sometimes but not always.

foam rollers

What are some your favorite workouts?


July 31, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

THE UPS AND DOWN IN DANCE

If you are reading this.. you are probably a dance enthusiast, or maybe just curious. I wanted to write a bit about the good and bad things about dance. Many people think that dance is just a “happy place”, which it is… for the most part. Sometimes though the negative aspects can hurt you if your are not aware of them.

six people in black matching clothes dancing at daytime
Photo by Haste LeArt V. on Pexels.com

Dance requires physical and mental strength

Dance was ranked the most physical demanding job in the US. That should already tell you enough about the downside of being dancers. It is a lot of physical training to be able to perform well, the problem is that often the pay does not reflect the years dancers spent training and studying. Isn’t it crazy? Well, let’s also think about the mental strength that dancers need to have. I think most dancers thought about quitting, or at least have a bit of doubts about their careers. I mean you are constantly told that dancers don’t make money, so you shouldn’t be a dancer. People tell you that dance isn’t a real job. Some other clueless people say that they can dance like you without training. So, yes…. it requires a lot of patience and strength.

You always compare yourself with others

Dancers spend countless hours in studios full of mirrors and other talented people. How are you not going to compare yourself to them?
I know it’s not just dancers, everyone falls into the toxic comparing game, but can you imagine comparing yourself to others for every little thing? Body, technique, movement quality, weight, appearance, bookings, social media. The truth is we never know what is going on in someone else’s life but our minds automatically assume that they are doing better than us. Personally, I think not comparing yourself to other dancers require training and experience. It isn’t something you will easily achieve, but you cannot keep progressing if all you can think about is how much better others are than you.

Dance is based on outdated social constructs

You don’t have the right body for dance. Well, I’d lie if I say that I was immune to this mentality. It took years but I finally can say that “the right body” is just a ridiculous statement. If you are able to move and dance…. why would your body be wrong for dance?
I grew up hearing:
You should watch what you eat…
you are a dancer…

stay skinny otherwise you wont be able to move..
you are in shape because you are a dancer…
Your thighs are to big for ballet…
you tend to put muscle on quickly, be careful or you get to bulky to dance…

There was a time when I probably agreed with some of these statements, but that time definitely ended. It is hard to understand the difference between right things and things you were just taught from a young age. Most of these “rules” were based on mostly non-diverse and non-inclusive standards.

You have to get out your comfort zone

You can’t always decide what to perform. Trust me, You will get out of your comfort zone. There is no way you will feel prepared and comfortable in every single class, audition, shoot or show. If you are… I am glad you are a superhuman. For common people, I think it’s pretty safe to say that sometimes choreographies are harder than we think, teaching a dance class is harder than we anticipated. Dancers have to deal with this kind of stress very often, sometimes even on daily basis. While this is nerve wracking…. It does make you a very open minded and flexible person. There is always something to learn, and even if you are a naturally narrow minded person… I think dance may change your ways.


May 14, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

DANCE IMPROV (FREESTYLE) FOR A WHOLE MONTH! HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED…

This past month I decided to get more into improv. I didn’t improv every single day of the month but almost! I just regret not starting this habit earlier.

Dance improv is exactly what it sounds like, improvising dance on the spot. We can see that under a different name in hip-hop too (freestyle), but the concept is the same. Personally, I was kind of forced in improv and freestyling from a young age and I am glad I did it.

I decided to take a few minutes a day to just move. Sometimes I used random music, other times I picked something I liked, I also danced without music at times.

How it started

Why did I start my late night dance improvs? Many reasons but the biggest one was muscle recovery. I had a small injury that was taking longer than I expected to heal. This was nothing major though, so I decided to reincorporate movement little by little, and what better way than an improv? I know what I can move and what not to move, because it is my body, it isn’t like learning someone else’s choreography. I knew where my limits were for range of motion, speed, and levels.

The first day I decided to do some easy modern slow improv, just to assess my body. I realized I could move more than I thought, so I actually danced for one hour. The second day I decided I was ready for some hip-hop and breaking freestyle which went wonderfully. I felt I was doing much better than anticipated.

Later on after 5 days in… I felt it. The commitment was starting to feel heavy. I decided to still dance, but just to one song. My body felt better immediately but I decided to stop there. I didn’t want to do hours and hours of improv per week, I was looking for something to aid my recovery and spirit and just not crush me.

Improv feels nice but what’s next?

I was enjoying my late night improvs so much but sometimes it was getting boring, so I decided to alternate different music, genres, mix styles, duration in my sessions. I felt so well and I felt like a totally different person, I knew already the benefits of dance improv but I just didn’t commit.

Unfortunately, I cannot keep up with this rhythm forever but I will keep trying to improv at least a couple of times per week. Life happens, things get in the way. The good thing is that 5 minutes is enough for me to feel better and assess my body.

I decided to record some of my improvs. Initially just to see how I was moving and checking if there was anything worth remembering for the future. In the end I decided to post some of the clips. Why? It’s always good to have footage of you dancing! I was definitely tempted to say: that’s just an improv… It’s not even that good.

Often we have to let go of the perfectionism that we have as artists and just do what we should do. Movement exploration is good, it’s not supposed to be perfect. What you consider bad, may not be that bad in real life. Sometimes we just need to put our stuff out, even when it’s not as perfect as we want. There is beauty in the process too, not just the final result.

The hardest part

The hardest part is starting, getting over the fear of not knowing what to do. Trying not to feel stupid or weird is also a thing. The truth is if you want to get better at improv or freestyle, there’s no way around it… you have to practice.

Another hard part is definitely getting over the fear of being judged (if in class). I am used to it now, but I know exactly that terrible feeling of insecurity and anxiety. It feels like everyone is watching you, even when maybe they aren’t. I can assure you, it is a fear that practice can help you conquer.

My opinion

If you are a dancer, or even a non dancer… try to take some time to improv. You don’t need to do crazy stuff, you can just start by moving one joint at a time or do simple movement you like. Little by little you will feel more aware and confident. Remember improv doesn’t need to look good… it’s more about movement itself, exploring new pathways and rhythms. When you are just practicing … don’t worry if it doesn’t look like you imagined! It’s normal, it’s real. Let me know if you try it or you have questions!

April 29, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

WHO AM I? I GUESS THIS IS MY INTRODUCTION

I realized I never explained anything about myself. Which is fine, but it is my website and blog… so it makes sense I introduce myself. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or requests about blog posts.

BTS from Inanna’s music video “Change”. Ph by Anders Dunker

Who am I?

Hello Everyone, My name is Michela Melone and I am a dancer. If you know me personally this is no surprise, if you don’t know me personally you probably realized I was a dancer anyways haha. I have always been involved with art, and I hope I can use this platform to help others become more acquainted with the dance/art world. Hopefully, exchange opinions and useful material. I usually write about being a dancer and what that means, dance/art books I like, personal experiences or maybe suggestions (although it is based on me and may not be applicable for everyone).

What do I do?

Currently, I live in Los Angeles, California, where I am pursuing and furthering my career as a professional dancer and choreographer (and some acting too). My main focus is working for music videos and commercials. My main dance styles at the moment are Hip-Hop, Breaking and Modern. Although I have studied a variety of genres these three are the one I use the most and I specialized in. During my time here I had the chance to work on several music videos as an actor, dancer or choreographer. I have worked on a few commercials and ads. I also worked as an extra on a few sets to get some experience and see how it is. I love dance company work but I lately realized that I love working in the commercial dance field too. What I am enjoying the most in being involved with several different productions and artists. It’s always something different, it’s hard to get bored. I am learning so many different things about this industry that were unknown to me. There is so much that I am being able to uncover about myself, and so much that I am incorporating in my career. I keep training, studying etc. It’s just in a different way than before, still a lot of hard work and focus but it feels good. I am definitely keeping and open mind and trying things I never did before. I am learning the importance of taking an opportunity, but also the importance of saying no. I am exploring my artistic talents in a different way than before (which is neither better nor worse). I am learning the importance of being ok with making mistakes and starting over.

I am extremely happy and grateful to be here at this moment of my life, because I am learning a lot about new things. Lots of people hate LA, but I truly don’t. I think there are pro and cons anywhere, but I love this place, the projects and and growth I am experiencing. Not everything is as nice the media likes to portray, but luckily I had people that helped me navigate this big city, that I didn’t know at all. I have been here for just one year and a half, and I feel I learned a lot and I still have a lot to learn.

My background

I started dancing since I was 6. I kept dancing until now. I grew up in Italy and I am Italian/Brazilian. I had training in ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, Jazz, folk dances, and modern. I also grew up learning Brazilian and West African dances with family and friends. I have had my first professional dance gig when I was 11 years old out of the country for an international shoe fair, where I represented with my crew an Italian shoe brand. I have had several performances before then but that was the first time that I had a taste of professional dancing. We stayed there 1 week, and if I remembered correctly we had to perform a 30-40 minute show, three times a day. It was tiring but I think that was the first time where I thought about pursuing dance as my career. I had the chance to participate to the opening ceremony of the Mediterranean games in 2009, which made me fall in love even more with the art of choreography. I was lucky enough to start subbing and teaching around the age of 17 in my local studio. I had the opportunity to be involved with 2 professional dance companies that gave me the chance to learn more about company work, dancing on tv and adapting to a lot of different circumstances (hip-hop and contemporary). After this I decided to get my BA in dance in the USA. My 3 and half years in University were extremely packed with useful and awesome information about dance. I had the opportunity to go on tour with the University Dance team and we went to most southern states. I think my biggest gain from school was learning about the body and how to avoid injuries to keep dancing as long as possible. Although there I learned about choreography, directing, dance video, somatic practices, dance history, nutrition, pedagogy, conditioning for dancers and much more! I also decided to get my yoga certification during my last year in University. After school I moved to LA for several reasons, so here I am, nice to meet you. 🙂

February 10, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

DANCING AT HOME, THE GOOD AND THE BAD

I am sure everyone is trying to keep moving somehow during this pandemic. There are good and bad sides to the whole online dance lessons. Although lately a lot of dance studios have reopened, I decided to keep dancing at home for a little bit more. I believe that in person lessons are different from online ones.

athletic shirtless man jumping under light
Photo by Сергей Гладкий on Pexels.com

Pros

No need to wait in line or check in.
There is less stress about looking good.
Don’t need to drive or get into a train to go to class.
No need to park.
You can pause the class for bathroom breaks. (if not live)
Don’t need a mask.
Can spend a little more time experimenting.
Overall cheaper.
Practice as much as needed.
No one steals your spot.
Sometimes you can change the speed.

Cons

Less motivation.
Sometimes you barely have space.
Involuntary small range of motion.
Breaking furniture or injuring yourself.
Carpet burns (if you have carpet)
Neighbors may complaint.
No feedback.
Wi-Fi problems.
Feeling lost.
Feeling insecure about your performance
Not sure if video is mirrored or not.

Types of online classes

At the beginning of the pandemic I had very mixed feelings about online classes. I really thought they were useless and more of a way to feel better about yourself. Just a distraction from your own guilt for not being productive. I bought a set of classes/ tutorials to try and I realized that it wasn’t that bad. It took me some time to get used to the new formats. I tried:
1- Zoom classes
2- Pre-recorded classes/tutorials

Zoom Classes

I didn’t love it but I also didn’t hate it hahah. I liked the feeling of being in “class” but also it was kind of weird and awkward dividing people in groups to mimic in person classes. You never know which group you belong to. Also, everyone seemed to change the counts of the combo…when in reality the zoom call was just lagging. I really enjoyed receiving general feedback though. It’s hard to beat the calmness you achieve when someone gives you direction instead of trying to figure it out yourself. What I didn’t like was the feeling of being a stranger among a group of friends or people that knew each other previously. This is something that can happen anywhere, but for some reason I didn’t think I would notice it online.

Pre-recorded classes and tutorials

I was extremely skeptical. I thought I was basically paying for a dance video, but I changed my mind. Let’s start with the biggest benefit for me: I can learn the combo whenever I have time! There isn’t a time set when everyone needs to be online. The video can be from 25 to 40 minutes, which is a little shorter than a normal lesson. I noticed that there is lot of explaining and repeating the combo without music, probably because they let you decide how many times you need to practice with the music. The hardest part of these types of classes is… self doubt. You don’t actually know if you are doing it right or wrong. You don’t know if you are looking good or not. Feedback is not an option. Despite that, I think it is important as a dancer to be confident and have the courage to take decisions and explore.

young slender female athletes giving high five to each other while training together in sports club
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

In-person classes

Most classes have reorganized their rooms or parking spaces for a safer environment. I think it is amazing seeing the effort and the flexibility that many business owners have shown. It was really sad to see many artists and business suffer from the pandemic, but also I am very appreciative of their innovations (like online classes) and new set of rules to protect others. Most clips that I see from classes have everyone wearing masks, for the most part. There are several dance studios that hold their classes in parks, in a parking lot or simply inside wearing masks. I would assume other than the mask and the floor…everything seems pretty normal. So just make sure not injure yourself on cement! Wear good shoes and careful with the impact.

Castings and auditions

Honestly, castings that have been cutting in person auditions seems to be doing ok. I don’t mind having to do less steps for a job. It seems to be convenient and effective to me. I really think it’s not a bad thing. Obviously, the feeling of being in an audition room with the casting director is very different but is it really better or worse? Or is it just different? I do understand that in person auditions and classes can give to the casting director a better idea about who fits the part and who doesn’t but they are doing a great job so far even without in person auditions 🙂 There’s a bad and good side in everything I guess haha.

My contrasting points of views

Personally I’d love to take in person classes but I have been very hesitant lately. I already suffer from asthma. It hasn’t really given me any problems lately but I know it gets bad once it starts. That is why I revaluated online classes, I enjoy them now. I think I can learn something from them, with or without feedback. I learned that I have to own my choices. If you just hate online classes… just don’t do it! It isn’t the end of the world if you can’t get much out of it. You can just participate in the in-person and outdoor classes.

January 28, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

THE MAGIC WORLD OF PINA BAUSCH

I wanted to share my thoughts about my favorite Movie/Documentary ever!! Pina, I have watched this documentary several times and I never get tired of it.

It may be a long movie but it is also packed with information. If you love dance and have never heard of Tanztheater (Dance Theatre) I highly suggest to watch it. If you already know what Tanztheater is…. you should definitely watch it. I am sure several collegiate dancers had to watch this movie in one of the many dance classes. The movie was directed by Wim Wenders and it really capture the essence of Pina Bausch.

Body Awareness

First of all, The thing that struck me the most was the dancers body awareness. I think that such great body awareness comes from constant exploration of movement. Trying to always find new shapes and ways to moves. I wonder if exploring feelings and emotions also helps increase body awareness. In the movie, many of her dancers said that Pina mostly encouraged them to explore and let their personality through dance.

Becoming a better dancer by self-discovery

In my understanding Pina didn’t seem to be the most talkative person. I think this kind of behavior helped the dancers to rely on themselves for improvement. Obviously she was guiding them in the process, but she wanted each one of their personality to come out, that’s why she did not tell them exactly what to do. Can you imagine how hard that is? I think most people would prefer to just know what to do. Although it is also beautiful the fact that she wanted her dancers to bring something to the table. She definitely valued individuality.

Breath is life

I think that all of her dancers knew exactly how and where to breathe. Their breath sometimes was louder than the music. They knew when to inhale and exhale, in fact their movement were very clear and precise. Even though they used many non conventional dance movements, they still had purpose. I also think that the use of breath deeply influenced the quality of movement and their body connectivity. the dancers were able to switch movement quality and speed in an incredible natural way.

Keeping it fresh

Another thing that I loved was the ability of changing planes in the space. They used basically all of the planes and directions. Not only that but every choreography felt different from the previous one. Watching more of Pina’s pieces I realized how smart was the use of props and costumes. Every setup was different, every concert had a different feeling.

I’d say that Pina has caught the real meaning of feeling dance. All of her pieces hide so much meaning behind them. She might have not explained what her pieces were about but I feel that there is so much life inside her choreography. Life full of emotions, mistakes, thoughts and real experiences. Definitely works of art.

January 17, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

THE HARDSHIP OF BEING AN ARTIST

Why is being an artist so hard?
Some people may think: How can it be hard if you literally do what you love every single day? In some way it is true. Artists dedicate their lives to what they really love but at the same time, there are several reasons why being an artist is so hard. Here’s just a few.

Constantly prove their worth


Artist have to justify their choices almost every single day, which is part of the beauty of art, but it can be mentally draining having to constantly convince others that you are good enough for that job or that your art is good enough for something. Plus, artists often are so self-critical that often this can bring to moments where they just lose themselves and may or may not go through an identity crises or artist block. I think it is a deadly combo try to convince yourself of your worth and others every single day of your life.

Could you imagine having to do an interview every few days in order to keep working the same position you already have at your job? I know it isn’t a perfect comparison, but just think…. a dancer, an actor, singer most likely have to audition or apply to different jobs every single day. How does that sound? exhausting uh? The truth is… it can get exhausting. Also, just think that many jobs require more than a round of audition. So just imagine yo got a job as secretary in an office. Now, every 4 days you will have an interview for the same job. Then, some weeks you will be required to rewrite cover letters and turn in samples of your work. Well, that is one of the aspects of the artist life.

Keep learning

Most artist even as professional must keep investing on themselves, which often times means keep learning in some way. This might be taking lessons, buying new material, experimenting different techniques, reading, visiting galleries or whatever relates to the art they make. It takes constant investing in several ways. The hard truth is that investing in your art takes guts and money. It feels everything is a gamble, and in part it is. You will never have the warranty of success, but if you don’t try you will never have the slightest chance. Every experience is a learning one and it can benefit you.

Learn to market themselves

This is one of the hardest things to learn. Artists must learn how to appeal to the public sometimes, which often results in painful process. It could result in the artist thinking that if no one likes the art as is, are they even good artists? The real answer is, probably yes! There can be so many reasons why people don’t buy your art or don’t cast you for roles. I think often the main problem is that people don’t know you, consequently they do not know your art and product. That is why it is very important to learn a bit about marketing how to get your services “out there”. It means to learn a new skill that can benefit the art career.

So basically what I am saying is, being an artist is a real job, but it isn’t enough just being good at what you do. Also, let’s not forget that market yourself also takes courage. Everyone knows that each person should be confident, but everyone also knows that this is quite a hard task sometimes. Putting your work in the eyes of everyone means to get more visibility, but more visibility often results in also more criticism. Well, I guess c’est la vie!

Be responsible

Duh, everyone needs to be responsible, but have you thought about the fact that artists have to be accountable to themselves? a lot of deadlines most artists make plans and set goals but don’t have anyone to keep them accountable. Often there isn’t someone to check on your goals or giving you pieces of advice on how to achieve that goal. There are dancers or artists that in some case have a mentor and such, but it isn’t always the case. The business plan, training plan, self tape/ audition schedule, editing schedule etc… are all under the same person, that often times is just a perfectionist that is close to a burnout!

Some people may ask: Is it worth it? Yes it is, but this isn’t a one size fit all answer. It is my opinion. So, for me, in this very moment it is worth it, for someone else’s it may be the opposite. I think being an artist is such a fulfilling call. I hope everyone can be drawn to the arts in its own way. You don’t need to be a full time artist to be an artist, but you also don’t need to be a non-artist to be a real worker.

January 11, 2021
Struggle of being a dancer

THE INTERESTING SIDE OF THE COFFIN DANCE MEME

A lot happened in 2020 but one thing I could not keep out of my social media feed was memes. Specifically one meme interested me more than others… the coffin dance. It was so intriguing and entertaining that I could not stop thinking about it. I wanted to write about a few things of this viral phenomenon.

What is the coffin dance?

First of all, there might be many people that don’t know what I am talking about, so here is the video.

I believe this became viral because of the nature of this video, such contrasting elements in one work. There is clearly a funeral, that implies someone died but then we hear a catchy song and see upbeat dance moves. The first thing most people think probably is: WHAT IS GOING ON? Well, there is a lot going on.

The origin of the coffin dance

Where did this video come from? According to what I found on the internet a few years ago BBC published a video documentary called: Ghana’s dancing pallbearers bring funeral joy. Apparently that is where the original footage comes from, although the music was not the one that went viral. The minidocumentary explains how some families in Ghana can decide to add dancers and choreography to the funeral. Bejamin Aidoo the leader of the pallbearers, stated in the BBC video that he just asks a client what kind of funeral they want. In his words: “Do you want it solemn or do you want a bit more of a display? Or maybe you want some choreography in it?”

I am not sure how the new song came to be, but that is not my focus. I don’t know if this is part of their tradition or not, but it definitely made me think a lot about dance and the different events where dance is considered widely a taboo. Should we change our view about funerals or dance? Perhaps both…

Dance as a form of reverence

I loved the coffin dancers meme when I saw it for the first time and I was mesmerized by the dance moves and the choreography. The fact that dance was used as a form of reverence to depart from life was beautiful. I know I sound crazy but think about it… did any of you participate to a funeral where dance was involved? most people probably would say no, because in our society dance is mostly seen as a form of entertainment. Most times dance is not considered high enough in the arts world to be seen as respectful.

The Oxford dictionary defines reverence as deep respect for someone or something. I remember many times in my life where I was told to be “reverent” ergo be still and not move, because not moving meant you had respect for the event or the person. So if we go by this definition we can assume that dance is considered as something that does not bring honor or respect. Why is that?

I think there could definitely be several reasons…but I think it has to do with the body. I mean the actual body of a person, dancers move their bodies. In a lot of cultures moving the body is still some kind of a taboo. I mean I don’t think I need to explain it that much. Just think, when you tell people you are a dancer… they ask you: “Yes, but what’s your real job?” or “That must be fun”. In religious events most likely there isn’t dance involved, but there is always music, singing and paintings.

Dance and serious matters can mix

I was watching the series MOVE on Netflix (so good! watch it if you can) and I stumbled upon the episode about Israel Galván. Apparently, he started a huge controversy just for the fact that he created a piece where he danced in an open coffin. Can you see the difference? Just the idea to associate a funeral (which is a serious event) with dance caused a controversy. Why? I mean he wasn’t dancing to upbeat song or anything, he just choreographed something in a coffin. What was so wrong about that? Are people uncomfortable with a dancing body?

Mindset

Don’t get me wrong I am not saying that each person on this earth should agree to this different mindset. What I am trying to say is: Why does dance have to be considered not good enough for certain “rituals”? Why is it always looked down upon? Why is it considered demining?
I too as a dancer sometime struggle to open my mind to new things but I think we can at least all observe and ask ourselves questions, then if and when we are ready to…. embrace a new mindset.
I think as dancers and artists we should be the first ones giving dance credit and respecting our art form. It is important to know the value of what we do. It is also very important to be openminded and welcoming change.

December 29, 2020
Struggle of being a dancer

WHAT DANCE TAUGHT ME ABOUT BALANCE IN LIFE

We always hear the words balance, equilibrium, stillness. They are used as something to describe the perfect point in your life. Where and when everything seems to make sense and flow the right way. Then, why is balance so hard to find in our lives?

Perception of a balanced life

I think most people like me envision balance as a stagnant point where you place yourself and observe things going the direction you highly hoped for. Probably something like a massive cement structure that holds a bridge or a huge building. I thought you just had to follow a list and hope that those foundation would support everything that happens in life.

Is achieving a balanced life like that? The truth is that no, at least not for me. Maybe there is a general misconception on what means to achieve balance. When I learned more about yoga, meditation, and mindfulness I realized something that totally changed the way I think about balance.

A different view of stillness

Eric Schiffmann says in the book Yoga the Spirit and Practice of moving into stillness: “Stillness is not the absence or negation of energy, life or movement. Stillness is dynamic. It is unconflicted movement , life in harmony with itself, skill in action.”

I had the wrong idea about what stillness was. My thought of stillness  was too “static”. I was imagining achieving great skills or knowledge to finally place my self in the “center”. There I could watch all my responsibilities, worries, and problems twirl around me almost without touching me. I thought my goal was to be like an orchestra director that directed everything and knew the score.

My expectation of balance and stillness was wrong. How could I ever think that I could control my life like I already knew what was going to happen in the future. How did I expect to know exactly how to react and know the directions that things should take? It is just impossible.

Dance and balance

While reflecting about this I realized that as a dancer I must always work on my balance. There is a lot of work to put into it. When we need to achieve balance, there is shifting of the weight involved, even if very small.

Some people add tools between them and the floor to train the body to adjust its weight in a faster and efficient way. Things like Pilates disks, balance balls, balance disks. Most times we cannot achieve balance just knowing the “right position!” but we also need to constantly adjust the weight to keep that balance.

Being able to adjust to life is what helps us achieve balance. Most things around us can be unbalanced. We can still live and adjust our thoughts, actions, emotions to keep that “sweet spot” we achieved. It is also important to remember that “achieving” this balance it is not an end goal. It is rather a tool that can help us to live happily and aid our mental state. Dancers do not work on their balance just to have a picture-perfect pose. Dancers work on balance to move better, to turn better and to have “dynamic” balance.

Isn’t it also beautiful to watch a dancer move in different qualities and speeds? A piece doesn’t usually keep the same pace, but there’s variety to it. Our lives are similar. Balance doesn’t mean perfect. It could just mean that is rich in experiences and situations that we will just live with a “conscient mindset.”

Final thoughts

I personally think that in real life balance looks more like a continuous shifting and moving. Avoid the extremes. Otherwise you may tip over and sometimes you will tip over and it is ok because you can try again. As everything in life, balance takes practice, it takes effort and will power. You can feel that balance, but it might look different than what you were expecting. Let us be open and learn from life itself. Let us learn to enjoy the process and not just the results. To me a balanced life is being powerful enough to live the moment and change gear when needed.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Michela Melone - Theme by Grace Themes