World Dance Day – 29 April
International Dance Day or World Dance Day is observed on 29th April and is dedicated to dance, dancers, and dance enthusiasts. This is a day not only to entertain but also educate students about the art form, making them more appreciative of the world of dance.
Introduced by the International Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute in 1982, World Dance Day is promoted by the International Dance Council (Conseil International de la Danse, CID), a UNESCO partner NGO, which is represented in more than 120 countries.
The spring date falls on the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), a French ballet master, and a great reformer of dance in the 18th Century, who was born in 1727. One of the primary goals of World Dance Day is to increase public awareness about the art and importance of dance, as well as to convince governments to provide a space for dance throughout their educational systems.
The intention of International Dance Day is to celebrate dance, to revel in the universality of this art form, to cross all political, cultural, and ethnic barriers, and to bring people together with a common language – dance.
How the day is celebrated
There is a plethora of events held all over the world for World Dance Day. It aims to encourage participation and education in dance through events and festivals held on the day. Everything from special workshops and showcases to exhibitions and featured articles, dance is celebrated in many forms, in many places. This along with a special message or theme from an influential dance personality that is spread across the globe.
The International Theatre Institute (ITI) choose a host city to organize a Gala Celebration event for the day. A different dance personality is chosen every year to write a message for International Dance Day, which is delivered at the Gala Celebration in the host city. The Stuttgart Ballet principal dancer Friedemann Vogel from Germany had written the Message for International Dance Day 2021. But the celebration is not restricted to them this is an event celebrated by the whole world. Various Dance festivals, shows, road exhibitions are organized across the world to mark the significance of this day.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is imperative that you stay at your homes and celebrate International Dance Day from your homes.
What is Dance?
It is the physical expression through the movement and rhythm of relationships, feelings, and ideas. Nobody invented dance. It is deep in the heart of every culture throughout history; dance is part of the pulse of humanity.
From being deeply rooted in the history of cultures, representing, and celebrating one’s heritage, to connecting people from all ages and backgrounds through its diversity (of genres, moves, feelings, music, etc.).
It has a transformative power over humankind to the point it’s been considered as one of (if not) the purest and most creative forms of self-expression. It embraces multiple genres, styles, and traditions and is constantly evolving. Its roles range from recreational to sacred and cover every form of social purpose.
Health Benefits of Dancing
Dancing helps you improve:
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Your heart and lungs conditions
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Your muscular strength, endurance, and motor fitness
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Your weight management
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Your overall coordination, agility, and flexibility
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Your focus and concentration capacity
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The strength in your bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
The bonus of all, and as any other physical activity, the levels of endorphins skyrocket after not even one hour of dance training. You get to move your body on your favorite tunes, get all these amazing benefits, and that much fun and happiness? Let’s dance right?!
Happy Dance Day!
Suggested Read: Regional Folk Dances of India
Top quotes on Dance
“Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.” ― Rumi
Dance is an art that imprints the soul. It is with you every moment, it expresses itself in everything you do. ― Shirley MacLaine
“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
“Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching.” – Satchel Paige
“The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing.” – James Brown
“Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body.” – Martha Graham
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain. – Vivian Greene
“Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.” – Oprah Winfrey
“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.” – Wayne Dyer
“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking.” – Agnes de Mille
“Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire.” – George Bernard Shaw
“Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances. – Maya Angelou
“I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.” – Mikhail Baryshnikov
“Dancing is a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire.” – George Bernard Shaw
“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” – Osho
