Unbound on the dance floor

A few weeks ago I had the sheer joy of performing as part of LA Unbound.  In addition to the amazing experience of watching so many talented dancers and choreographers come together for a shared vision to explore the medium of dance, I was struck by the name of the production.  It truly lived up to its name – “unbound.”  Dancers from as varied backgrounds as ballet, aerial, belly dancing, salsa and hip hop all shared the stage.  One felt the production was in the spirit of collaboration, not competition.  And each group was unbound on the stage – dancing freely, wholly and without limits. Backstage the feeling was the same – people laughing, sharing their diverse backgrounds, making new friends.

Merriam Webster defines unbound as “not bound: (1) : not fastened (2) : not confined.”  Your Dictionary.com notes it as “released from bonds, ties, or shackles.” I believe this is true spirit of dance – it is moving freely, connecting with music and connecting with other people.  The more we can get people of all walks of life to embrace this idea, the better the world will be for it.  So I challenge you as a dancers – whether a professional or amateur, ballerina, tap, folk, swing or ballroom dancers – look for ways to free yourself from preconceived notions about what dance is and find new ways to make dance as an experience even better.