My last formal dancing experience was in the sixth grade, when I decided to take dance as an elective. I had never tried it before and I was curious about how I would fare. I remember my favorite part being our lessons on ballet. Beyond the basic positions, I do not recall much from that class except how liberating it felt to be able to move my body in a way that was not to endure labor or stress. Evidently I was not very good because I was always placed in the back during performances. Facing dejection, I have since then subconsciously internalized the notion that I am not meant to dance and I am not ‘good enough’ to. 

As I have matured and spent more time in my own company, I have grown to appreciate music. Music has been there through all of my car rides, relationships, breakups, breakdowns, and the many other aspects of my life. Similar to dance, music has allowed me to feel liberated by providing a space where I can feel different emotions. But now I realize how much I have limited myself. Aside from the occasional dance session when I am alone in my car, I have not considered dancing to music. I have limited myself to a life where I can appreciate music but not be able to express it through my body. I feel that dancing along to music can make my lived experience more enjoyable, as that is the case for numerous people. 

LaMothe, within “As the Earth Dances,” explores the relationship between dance, philosophy, and the human body. She advocates that the human body is constantly changing and can develop with the help of dance and movement. I resonate with her idea that dance is a method of expression that embodies individuals’ relationships with the world and ourselves. Engaging our bodies can help to shape our relationships, experiences, and personalities. I look forward to reconnecting with a lost part of myself by allowing myself to dance and express my emotions.