{"id":192,"date":"2020-10-25T16:54:37","date_gmt":"2020-10-25T16:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/?p=192"},"modified":"2020-10-25T17:08:05","modified_gmt":"2020-10-25T17:08:05","slug":"virtual-dance-has-become-popular-whats-behind-this-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/2020\/10\/25\/virtual-dance-has-become-popular-whats-behind-this-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual dance has become popular. What\u2019s behind this rise?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Dancing during The Coronavirus Pandemic<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"Skype\"
Skype<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\"Google\"
Google<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\"MS
MS Teams<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\"Zoom\"
Zoom<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Creative dancers share genes with strong social communicators, suggesting that we evolved to overcome isolation.<\/h2>

Pandemic lockdowns might be pervasive, but not all our movements are restricted. This has led to a rise in dance, as people seek fitness, stress relief, healing\u2014and connection. Live classes on Instagram and YouTube have proliferated, headed by the likes of dance legend Debbie Allen and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Living rooms are becoming rave scenes thanks to live-streaming dance parties by celebrity spinners\u00a0<\/span>Diplo<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>D-Nice<\/a>. And mindfulness is taking center stage at\u00a0<\/span>dance therapy<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>sessions on Zoom.<\/p><\/div>

It\u2019s all happening in time for\u00a0<\/span>International Dance Day<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>on April 29. This annual UNESCO-supported event celebrates dance and encourages governments to recognize its social and educational significance. The day underscores UNESCO\u2019s commitment to\u00a0<\/span>dance<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>as a cultural expression; Spain\u2019s flamenco and the Middle East\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>dabke,<\/i>\u00a0<\/span>along with many other dances, are inscribed on the organization\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Intangible Cultural Heritage list<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Left:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>

The Palestinian Jafra Dabke Team performs a traditional dabke dance while wearing latex gloves and surgical masks, in Tarqumya, a town in the occupied West Bank<\/p>Right:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>

Argentinean dancer Maria Belen Ciaschi performs the flamenco, accompanied by Uruguayan musician and singer Walter Javier Maulelo, in Batroun, Lebanon. Both have been locked down in this coastal city due to the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p><\/div>

PHOTOGRAPH BY HAZEM BADER, AFP\/GETTY IMAGES (LEFT)\u00a0<\/span>AND\u00a0<\/span>PHOTOGRAPH BY IBRAHIM CHALHOUB, AFP\/GETTY IMAGES (RIGHT).<\/span><\/span><\/div>
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\u201cMore than ever, we need to dance with purpose to remind the world that humanity still exists,\u201d says Gregory Vuyani Maqoma, an acclaimed dancer and educator from South Africa who wrote this year\u2019s International Dance Day\u00a0<\/span>message<\/a>. \u201cOur purpose is one that strives to change the world one step at a time.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

Choreography is a conversation. Thanks to the recent uptick in virtual events, geographically separated groups of strangers are moving in the same direction to the same rhythm without speaking a word. Recent research has proven that even our earliest ancestors recognized the health and social benefits of dance.<\/p><\/div>

Wired for dance<\/h2><\/div>

According to a recent study published in the Public Library of Science\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Genetics Journal,\u00a0<\/span><\/i>creative dancers share two similar genes with good social communicators. These researchers believe the simultaneous evolution of those genes dates back more than 1.5 million years, when group organization and communication were essential for survival. Our prehistoric ancestors who were good dancers used those skills for bonding, social interaction, and courtship. We dance to celebrate harvests, beckon much-needed rain, and bring healing.<\/p>

In the Guadeloupe Islands, dance was once one of the only means of communication for an entire population. West Africans were brought over to the French Caribbean as slave labor for the sugarcane fields starting in the 17th century. Members from various ethnic groups speaking different languages began to find common ground in rhythms and dances. This improvisational art form became\u00a0<\/span>Gwoka<\/i><\/a>, meaning \u201cbig drum\u201d in Creole. Each Gwoka rhythm conveys a specific human experience, such as love, sadness, the hard work in the fields, and the celebration of Carnival. The dancer and the drummer in the Gwoka tradition communicate together, speaking through movements and rhythmic accents.<\/p><\/div>

I learned to speak a bit of this language at\u00a0<\/span>Akad\u00e9miduka<\/a>, a Guadeloupean folk dance and music school in Pointe-\u00e0-Pitre. Gwoka shared similarities to the\u00a0<\/span>bomba<\/i>\u00a0<\/span>dance that I had tried in Puerto Rico. Bomba, in turn, had reminded me of the\u00a0<\/span>tambu<\/i>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>tumba<\/i>\u00a0<\/span>in Aruba and Cura\u00e7ao\u2014the swish of skirts accentuating movements in a similar way.<\/p>

Here are a few ways to groove virtually<\/h2><\/div>

Debbie Allen<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>leads dance classes for people of all ages and levels every week, live from her\u00a0<\/span>Instagram account<\/a>. Follow at #DanceWithDebbieAllen.<\/p><\/div>

Daybreaker<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>puts on a pre-work\u00a0<\/span>dance party<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>that\u2019s perfect for social distancers. Ridiculous onesies, out-of-this-world outfits, and kids are encouraged.<\/p><\/div>

New York City Ballet\u2019s<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Tiler Peck, a principal dancer, hosts live daily ballet classes on\u00a0<\/span>Instagram<\/a>. No barre necessary\u2014just use a chair!<\/p><\/div>

Kate Shela and Amber Ryan<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>are movement teachers who offer joyful\u00a0<\/span>weekly guided dance sessions<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>by Zoom. Previous dance experience isn\u2019t necessary, since the focus is on the healing power of movement.<\/p><\/div>

D-Nice<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>started #ClubQuarantine from his kitchen with an eight-hour session posted on\u00a0<\/span>Instagram<\/a>. More than 100,000 \u201cparty go-ers,\u201d including Michelle Obama, Oprah, and Quincy Jones, tuned in, and now, the party continues weekly.<\/p><\/div>

The Ailey Extension<\/b>, the official dance studio of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Foundation, streams free daily classes via\u00a0<\/span>Instagram Live<\/a>. Follow for schedules, then tune in to teachers\u2019 accounts to join classes.<\/p><\/div>

TodayTIX<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>started the Intermission Mission in support of The Actors Fund and Broadway artists. Bop along to exclusive musical performances\u00a0<\/span>online<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>while supporting the arts.<\/p><\/div>

ClassPass<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>offers live classes\u00a0<\/span>online<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>via the company\u2019s app. Stay in shape and help support the local studios and businesses hit hard from studio closures.<\/p><\/div>

Dexter Dance School Offers offers pre-recorded classes\u00a0<\/span>online<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>via the company\u2019s website that can be downloaded.<\/div><\/div>

Mickela\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/b>weekly #BareFeetLIVE series features interviews with musicians and dancers from around the world offering lessons on dances including the Irish\u00a0<\/span>sean nos<\/i>, a Haitian folk dance, the Brazilian samba, and more. Tune in Tuesdays on\u00a0<\/span>Facebook Live<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and Thursdays on\u00a0<\/span>Instagram Live<\/a>, both at 10 a.m. Pacific\/1 p.m. Eastern.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dancing during The Coronavirus Pandemic Skype Google MS Teams Zoom Previous Next Creative dancers share genes with strong social communicators, suggesting that we evolved to overcome isolation. Pandemic lockdowns might be pervasive, but not all our movements are restricted. This has led to a rise in dance, as people seek fitness, stress relief, healing\u2014and connection. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"saved_in_kubio":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beginner-hip-hop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/gettyimages-1210035306.jpg","blog_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/gettyimages-1210035306-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"full":["https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/gettyimages-1210035306.jpg",2048,1265,false]},"categories_names":{"3":{"name":"Beginner Hip Hop","link":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/category\/beginner-hip-hop\/"}},"tags_names":[],"comments_number":"0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=192"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":202,"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions\/202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dexterdanceschool.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}