Bodies were moving in all sorts of directions as they belted out at the top of their lungs:
“Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.”
For generations, and in a variety of camp contexts, I have witnessed campers young and not so young light up in both body and spirit when they sing this song. Some of it is ‘camp’ but I also know there is a deeper level that dance can play in our being.
Years of standing on stage with my soul brother, Fran McKendree, I have witnessed right in front of me the synchronicity of the movement of body, soul and music. There is unquestionably something inherently instinctual about the way music seeps into our bodies and quite literally moves us.
One my favorite and spiritually inspiring moments about dance comes from 2nd Samuel as David through music and dance expresses his joy and thankfulness, “David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals…and David danced before the LORD with all his might.”
In my experience the only hesitancy folks have to dancing is frankly in our heads. I remember the first time as a young camper when a counselor invited me to the dance floor. My brain was clear – I do not know how to dance…even though I had moved around to music for as long as I could remember. Yet, sensing my reluctance, she took my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor and said, “There’s no right way to dance. Look, everybody dances differently. Just let the music move you as you feel.” It was one of the most mind, body and soul freeing moments of my life.
Camp at its best is a place where people can try things that they would be hesitant to do in another context. I am ever grateful for that counselor who pulled me onto the dance floor and the hundreds of other campers I have shared her wisdom with. “Dance, then, wherever you may be!”
I sometimes forget that
I was created for joy
My mind is too busy
My heart is too heavy
Heavy for me to remember
that I have been
called to dance
the sacred dance for life
I was created to smile
to love
to be lifted up
and lift others up
O sacred one
Untangle my feet
from all that ensnares
Free my soul
That we might
Dance
and that our dancing
might be contagious.
The Sacred Dance for Life by Hafiz
BP