One of the milestones of being a dancer, be it tap dance, ballet, or competitive dancing, is buying one’s first pair of dance shoes. Dance in Australia is synonymous with words like diversity, variety, and a deep pulse of life. Australia has always been the road that followed all different walks of life. It is a melting pot of cultures, nationalities, and languages.
The Australian demographic profile included 25.9% English, 25.4% Australian, 7.5% Irish, 6.4% Scottish, and goes onto other smaller percentages of nationalities like Indian, Dutch, and Greek. While society has been expanding with modernization, at the heart of Australia, the Aboriginals remain the most vital pulse beating through the continent.
Similar to this distribution, dance in Australia is varied in types, colours, and life. Dance in such a multinational continent has different roots and meanings. Ballet and tap could be for self-expression, while dances by indigenous Australians are often linked to ceremonies and occasions that gather the community. In the end, dance is nevertheless a spectacle of talent and emotions.
Modern Vs. Traditional?
One fear and misconception that people have is that modern concepts will overshadow and replace older traditional ideas. This misconception plays into the idea of dance and expression as well. However, Australia has been bold in representing, respecting, and preserving its indigenous dance culture. One such step towards creating awareness about traditional dance is in the National Library of Australia. Its large section introduces traditional dances to any bystander.
Another means to preserve indigenous dance is to ensure that this form of dance is represented as equal to modern ballet or tap. The Australian Dance Council (Ausdance) holds an annual Australian dance week that celebrates culture and diversity in dance. This week is laden with many events that promote dance and support the dance community. Australian Dance Week has been celebrated since 1982. It guarantees dancers a week to put on their dancing shoes and dance their hearts out. Besides dancing, it includes book signings, fundraisings, forums with dancers, and an introduction to free performances and classes.
Dance has always been a valuable part of the lives of Australians. One does not have to be a professional dancer or dance in performances. They just need to love the idea of grooving to the music, the idea of being on the move and forming a way to express themselves. Essentially dance is the response to sound and sound patterns and something humans have been doing since birth. While growing up, this instinct is often controlled, and by the time one becomes an adult, dance might not even be in their mind space.
One must connect to their child-like spirit of curiosity to explore and learn. Australians have always been interested in dance, from shows like Dancing with the Stars to listening to the latest songs. But it is time to connect with these by moving a little.
Grooving to Health
Dance has tremendous potential beyond just expression and moving to tunes. It is a stress buster. Busting out a few moves after work can unwind all the coiled tension. A moving body is a healthy body. Dance increases heart rate, burns calories, and keeps people on their toes. It is an enjoyable manner of losing weight too. Not strenuous or repetitive, but fluid and creative. Trading a sedentary lifestyle for a pair of dance shoes is the best possible decision one can take.