My take on dance.
Dancing is when someone is relaxed, mind and body are together; eyes, if not closed are looking into nothingness filled with bliss...The spirit induces the body to flow and float.That's the reason why people can't resist from dancing on joyous occasions like marriages or victories etc........Dancing to me, cease to exist if it happens for the outer world. Dance, I feel can only be pure when someone is dancing for oneself...there is no need for rehearsed steps, no performance anxiety and no worries about how one is looking to rest of the world.The way Sufis dance is one of the supreme forms of dance. Dance is at its purest as it becomes the way to connect to God. Compare that to today's so called "dance", where competition kills the dance as dance exists no more for inner self but entirely concentrates on outer world The whole body becomes conscious of its movements. Mind is tense and the smile does not reach the eyes.To enjoy dancing, one does not have to "know" dancing, however it is a plus if one does. To quote a anecdote on this phenomenon: Tansen, who was regarded as the greatest singer of his time was once asked by Akbar about his Guru. Akbar was interested to know about the teacher of such an exceptional singer. Tansen took Akbar to his Guru but asked him not to reveal himself. He pleaded Akbar to hide and listen to his Guru when he was singing in early morning after bath.Akbar did so and was amazed to find out that the Guru sounded much better than Tansen. When he wondered more about this, Tansen explained: I sing for you in anticipation of rewards but my Guru sings for himself as and when he pleases and there lies the difference.
