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Pole Dancing To Keep Fit

Tracey Lloyd — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:33:47 +0000

Pole dancing is a new form of enjoyable exercise to hit the UK. Could this fun form of exercise be of interest to you. Do you not have time to go to the gym or bored with the same gym machines and the treadmill. Read more about this new approach to home fitness. This could be the new exercise workout just for you!

Pole dancing burns calories, tones body muscles, increases flexibility and improves fitness. No matter what shape, age, size or fitness level, pole dancing is for everyone. Why not work out on a dance pole in the comfort of your own home? You can tone up and feel fantastic all in one go! You can now purchase fitness dance poles to install in your home on a permanent or temporary basis.

Pole dancing can help tone your whole body, whilst also improving confidence and overall fitness. You can help to strengthen every part of your body whilst enjoying fun dance moves, without wondering what you look like! Pole Dancing can increase your fitness and confidence at your own pace as well as giving you an all over feeling of well being.

There are many instructional pole dance DVDs available which can assist you in the most basic of pole exercises to the most expert moves and dance routines. There is a full range not just the UK but Australia, Canada and US. These feature champion pole dancers in their own right and include Fawnia Mondey, Pantera and Bobbi from Bobbi’s Pole Studio.

Maybe your local fitness centre now offers this new and exciting form of exercise. There are some excellent pole dance classes available with structured workouts to fit your own fitness level. These classes are now becoming more popular. Gyms and leisure centres are starting to offer the classes in addition to other keep fit classes. You can choose to enrol on a course or attend pay as you go classes. The classes are predominately female
only, but this does not stop males from attending some classes. If you are male it is best to check first before you attend a pole dance class. Some clubs and community centres may also offer classes. A search on the internet or local advertisements can bring up the names of pole dance teachers in your area.

There is evidence to suggest pole dancing and fitness can have an effect on psychological processes as well physical ones. It is known that physical exertion has a positive effect on the sensory areas of the brain, causing it to release endorphins and Serotonin. These are hormones which give you feelings of happiness and some feelings of euphoria. They are also known as the body’s own natural painkillers.

Learning to pole dance at first can appear to be difficult. There are many moves that you can learn, from beginners to intermediate through to advanced. There are many exciting names for the moves that can be done on a dance pole including back hook, chair, fireman, fairy, crucifix, chair slide, and sun wheel.

There are several online communities, forums and networks that you can join for free where you can meet like minded people. You can ask members for advice on fitness, pole dancing in general or just exactly how to perfect that move you have been trying to master for ages.

You may well end up with bruises, aches and pains, as you would expect when trying out a new form of exercise. These should be able to be cured by a little arnica cream, a natural herbal remedy for bruising, time and some tender loving care. But if you persevere you will increase your strength and skills which will enable you to become competent at using a pole. Some take to the art of pole dancing which such skill they eventually enter pole dancing competitions. Maybe you could be the next ‘Miss Pole Dance’ champion.

Whatever your reason for choosing to learn to pole dance, many women have commented on their increased confidence since taking up this form of fitness. So go on, why not give it a try and feel like a new woman!

There are many health benefits to pole dancing. Apart from being a fun activity, research suggests that young adults who participate in a healthy fitness regime are less likely to develop diseases such as; heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes in later life. A study conducted in North-Western University (USA) showed that out of a group of 4400 men and women (aged 18-30) studied over a 15 year period, those with moderate or low fitness levels were twice more likely to develop high blood pressure and diabetes than those with high fitness levels.

According to studies, this proves that conditions such as, heart disease and diabetes are not all necessarily the result of ageing. You can then of course partly control your own destiny by undertaking a suitable fitness regime. One of which is as much fun as the prospect of improving your long term health.

Physical activity such as; pole dancing can fit all the suitable characteristics required to give you a fun yet, healthy lifestyle. This activity can have many health benefits. Regular exercise can improve lifestyle as well as improving health, some of which include; increased levels of HDL ‘good’ cholesterol, lowering raised blood pressure, boosting your immune system and improving your mood by reducing anxiety which can be caused by stress and lead to depression.

It is hoped that this factual information has motivated you to make slight adjustments to your lifestyle which could improve your long term health benefits. Pole dancing and exercise offers you a fun, yet fulfilling form of exercise which can be enjoyed at any age or fitness level. So why not give it a try and see for yourself!

Find out more about the art of pole dancing. Join a pole dancing exercise class, and improve your fitness. Buy a pole dancing pole for your home and give home fitness a new meaning.

Author: Tracey Lloyd
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Dance

Julia Jones — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:33:45 +0000

Dance has been described as a non verbal communication. It is a body language that expresses itself without having said anything. Belle dance, break dance, hip hop or ballroom dance whatever the form all are a way of expressing different emotions and at the same time a good source of entertainment. Dance is an excellent way of conveying your feelings as well as letting out all the emotions buried inside you. It is a good exercise for the body. It keeps your body flexible and fit. Dance is good both for the body and the brain. So why not dance when it is advantageous.

Couples should always indulge into some kind of dance as it is important for them. Dancing for couples is a first-class way to be together, enjoy each others company and at the same time a good technique for exercising. In this busy world couples hardly find time to enjoy each others company especially when it is no more new and fresh. As the time passes by and a relationship grows old the responsibilities grow and couples very comfortable in the company of each other. They let things go as they are, prefer the normal routine of going to work, returning home, eating and going off to sleep with little or no other activity. This kind of routine makes a relationship dreary and desolate since there is no excitement. Dancing is a good option to make a relationship enjoyable.

How to dance when you really don’t know it? Well not a big deal. You do not have to be a perfect dancer. Get some dance videos and practice those steps. Try following the easier steps and once you get them you won’t need the videos. This is because you get into the rhythm and your body becomes flexible and as such you are able to get your own dance steps. If you want to be a perfect dancer then you could join a dance school and become a perfect dancer. If you are not keen in becoming a perfect dancer you can still go for it to get excitement and entertainment in your life. You do not have to go to a dance club as you can create your own dance hall in your house. You do not need much space. Just shift some of the furniture in a corner and make sufficient space to dance. Dancing shoes are not required you can dance bare footed as it is your own house. Then put on some dance music and dance together. Dance in whichever form you feel like. If you feel romantic put on some light music and do the ball dance and if you loaded with to much of energy then go for some bubbly number and dance to the notes.
Dancing in such a manner makes your life thrilling and lively. You do not feel like one of those dull couples who feel that there is no charm left in their married life and are just dragging their life.

Find more information visit: Dance [http://www.keepcondom.com/articles/relationship/dance.htm]

Author: Julia Jones
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The Dance Of Success: Top 7 Principles Learned About Passion, Propulsion & Performance in Business

Denise Corcoran — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:33:44 +0000

Jerry Rice, former NFL receiver with the most touchdowns, said it was the hardest thing he has ever done. What is it? Competing on TV’s show “Dancing with the Stars” last year. “I worked more on dancing than when I played football.”

Dancing – one of my greatest life passions – has also been my greatest teacher. I have learned more about life and success from dancing, than any book, seminar or even business mentor. When I step out on a dance floor, my whole world changes. I transcend my everyday world of busy activities, demands and challenges to a place of timelessness … that defies words. It touches every fiber of my being.

This “wise teacher” has taught me how to:

o Achieve my goals and visions more effortless.

o Fill my days with a deeper sense of passion and joy.

o Increase my productivity and focus dramatically.

o Develop synergistic relationships resulting in more powerful win/win outcomes.

o Live what I call an “inspired life.”

Regardless whether you are a dancer or not, you too can experience the same powerful shifts. Below are 7 critical principles that can teach you how to transform your business journey and destination …beyond what you thought possible.

PRINCIPLE 1: MAGIC happens in the experience, not the outcome.

Last week, I went to a seminar by Robert Dilts, top NLP (NeuroLinguistic Programming) trainer, called “Demystifying the Wealth Factor.” Using the NLP tool of modeling with hundreds of entrepreneurs, he identified the top 7 critical factors of business success.

Passion was one of those factors. Although passion being a critical success factor is not new, what was new was Dilt’s view on passion. He said “true passion happens when the destination and the journey become one and the same.”

A big “AHA”! I now had words to describe my own experience with dancing. Being goal-oriented by nature, dancing has taught me to suspend my need to be at a specific place at a specific time. To experience the magic of dancing, you cannot be anywhere other than where you are at in the moment.

Dancing teaches me to stay focused on the experience of the moment. That each moment is a destination in itself. That only in the moment can passion and magic happen. What’s your experience of the moment … right now … in your business?

PRINCIPLE 2: Ensure that you have the right structure. It allows maximum movement and helps you achieve goals easier and faster.

From day 1, a dancer learns the importance of the right frame, whether as a leader or follower. You will often hear a dance instructor say in class “No noodle arms or hand squeezing.”

For a leader to lead and a follower to follow, there must be enough (not too little or too much) tension in the arms. Too little tension, and the leader must effort for the follower to do her steps. Too much tension constricts movement, can injure the body and make the dance anything but an enjoyable experience.

The same is true in business. Too little structure and you have to work harder to achieve your goal. Too much structure constrains the ability of an individual or organization from moving with ease, speed and momentum. Make sure you have the right amount of structure. To what extent do you have “noodle arms or squeezing” in your business?

PRINCIPLE 3: True mastery happens when you shift your focus from “doing” to “becoming.” Only then can you experience optimal performance.

One of my favorite classic books is George Leonard’s “Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment”. George Leonard was a master black belt martial arts instructor who applied the principles of aikido to leadership and success in business.

As a runner, he used the example in his book that true mastery comes when you transcend from “doing” the run,” to “becoming the run.” Great musicians and artists know this state. I have experienced this state in dancing. When you move from “doing” to “becoming,” you experience an amazing sense of effortlessness and “flow,” as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described in his classic book, “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.”

In the business world, there is a big difference between “doing the right thing” and “becoming the right person.” Great achievers know that when you focus on “becoming” more, you will do more. On what side of the equation is you focus on?

PRINCIPLE 4: Timing and rhythm are everything in business. Know when to move quickly; know when to slow down and pause.

Every dance has a certain rhythm, utilizing a combination of quick and slow (or hold) movements. Eg., in salsa, for every 3 quick steps, you pause on the fourth. For a dance to be graceful, fluid and dynamic, mastering its varying tempo is essential.

In business, timing and rhythm are equally important. The most successful businesses know that there is a time to grow and seize opportunities quickly. There is also a time to pause, regroup and put the necessary resources in place to go to the next level. Do you honor your own business rhythm? Do you know when to move quickly and when to pause? How can pausing help you to get to your goal faster?

PRINCIPLE 5: Developing powerful business (or personal) partnerships requires sensory acuity. Pay attention to the unspoken communications.

One of the most critical skills in partner dancing is developing sensory acuity. Both the leader and the follower must learn to communicate and “listen” to each other, without words.

A follower must “listen” to a leader’s cues — communicated from his frame to her frame — for next steps. The leader uses this skill to discern whether his partner “heard” his dance cues correctly and, if necessary, to adjust his lead accordingly.

Powerful “partnerships” are at the heart of every business. Whether between a boss and employee, between a company and their customers, or amongst peers, such partnerships listening to the unspoken communications.

Only 7% of our communications comes from words; 60-70% through physiology. Pay attention to a person’s physiology – such as their gestures, posture, etc. What are these unspoken “signals” telling you? How can mastering this skill improve your bottomline?

PRINCIPLE 6: Great leaders lead from behind. They know how to put the spotlight on others and help them succeed.

In dancing, the leader’s role is to lead the steps, bring out the best in the follower and let their partner shine. The follower’s “job” is to implement the dance choreography … ie., its vision and essence.

So it is with business. Your business success is directly proportional to your ability to lead from behind, bring out the best in others and help them succeed. Such is the paradox of great leadership.

To what extent do you bring out the best in others and help them succeed? How can leading from behind make your “job” easier and produce better business outcomes?

PRINCIPLE 7: The greatest dance of all is the dance with uncertainty. To succeed in today’s times, you must learn to let go of control, be “light on your feet” and ready to respond in a moment’s time.

The greatest gift that dancing has taught me is the ability to live in the moment, let go of the need to control/anticipate the dance steps and to trust myself and my inner guidance. Every follower must learn to live with 100% uncertainty and be ready for any step – even those never learned – that the leader chooses in the moment.

The 21st century is one of rapid change and unpredictability. Social upheaval, technological breakthroughs, environmental catastrophes, etc. can instantly change the course of a business. To survive and thrive, you must learn to dance with uncertainty, Every change presents threats and opportunities. Your ability to flow with, not against, the tide of change will determine your ultimate outcome.

How comfortable are you with uncertainty? How does your management style prevent you from responding to change? Do you move with or against the tide?

As Jerry Rice learned that being great in dancing is not different from that in football, so too have I learned the same holds between dancing and business. As diverse as these disciplines seem on the surface, they intersect at the core elements driving every great success story. Timing, intuition, passion, creative expression, spontaneity and rhythm are just a few of the commonalities. The “Dance of Success” is not about winning the medal. It is the path to mastery itself that catapults us beyond the edge of who we are and what we are capable of. I hope you enjoy the dance ☺).

Author: Denise Corcoran
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Learn All the Secrets of Belly Dancing

Dane Bergen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:23:10 +0000

The word ‘belly dance’, is a western name for an Arabic style of dancing. In Arabic countries it is simply called ‘oriental dance’ and some American enthusiasts call it ‘Middle Eastern Dance’.

Belly dancing is a form of dance that is not so widely acknowledged in America and other countries, but there is still a large following in the vast ethnic sector. There is a lot of debate in the belly dancing community as to the exact origin of belly dancing. Some believe it descended from early Egyptian dances, others say it is derived from religious dances and some say it comes from the migration of the Roma people, with Indian origins. No matter where belly dancing comes from, the fact remains that it is an exquisite form of dance and its popularity and following grows every year.

Belly dancing is a great way to increase fitness. It is a very active and energetic style of dance, which elevates the heart rate and increases cardio vascular ability, so one of the many benefits of belly dancing is to elevate fitness level, and burn fat. It also helps to stretch the muscles, and limber the joints up so that the participant becomes more nimble and agile. With these two health related factors, it shows us that belly dancing is a great hobby for those with a few extra years on the clock to keep them young and vital, and also just for the general health of people of all ages. This style of dance can be tailored to suit anyone’s personal abilities, so that it is not overly strenuous on the cardio vascular system, or on the stretch in the muscles. The fat loss aspect is something that belly dancing has actually been manipulated for. Some fitness experts have used belly dancing in personal training regimes to help a client lose weight effectively. This is possible because it is a fun activity, so the client will be happy to perform a certain amount of belly dancing practice each day to work towards their fitness and weight goals.

Males in belly dancing are not very common however there are some males in this form of dance that are very masterful at the art. Even though they are amazing in their performance, they are sometimes not looked upon with much respect in the belly dancing community, as it was an art created by women, and was not intended for men to perform. This topic is one of much debate with the introduction of women’s rights, why shouldn’t men be able to do the same things women can do, and so on.

All these factors make belly dancing an ideal activity for anyone of any skill level or age. It is both fun and good for physical fitness, so there is a number of positive’s and no negatives. Give it a try!

Author: Dane Bergen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Is a Dollar-Money Dance Right For Your Wedding?

Heather Robinson — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:23:08 +0000

There are many questions surrounding a wedding dollar dance (also known as a money dance). Do you need to know what one is? Are you unsure if you should have one or not? Do not worry we are here to help.

What is a dollar dance?

A wedding dollar dance is preformed by the bride and groom at the reception. Traditionally, it’s purpose is to give the couple extra money to spend on their honeymoon. It is more prevalent in some families than others. For this reason, the dollar dance has adapted slightly varying purposes over the years.

Should you have a wedding dollar dance?

That is strictly personal preference. Talk to your friends and family members to get their feelings about it. However, if it is something you want – then by all means have it!

One bit of advice: If dollar dances are not frequently done in your area, do not assume that your guests will know what to do. Have your bridal party, or close friends, initiate the dance. You may also want your DJ or band to announce what is taking place.

How does a wedding dollar dance work?

Here are two different ways:

1. The bride and groom dance together to the song of their choice. A friend, or family member, stands close to the dance floor holding straight pins. Guests go, one by one, to the bride and groom to pin money to their clothes. The dance stops when the song ends or when the last guest gives money.

2. Same as the first except the bride and groom stand apart. The male guest line up to dance with the bride and the females with the groom. Each guests gets a short (few seconds) dance with either the bride or groom after pinning money to their clothes. This one is our favorite! It allows for interaction between the couple and their guests!

Wedding dollar dance alternatives

You may want to employ one of these alternatives if you like the idea of a dollar dance, but feel uncomfortable about your guests giving you money.

1. Well Wishing Dance. Place small pieces of paper on the tables with instructions to write down thoughts and wishes for the bride and groom. Have your guests pin these wishes to you and your groom instead of money.

2. Have a money or well wishing tree. Place a box or fabric covered board near your guest book. Have your guests stick well wishes or money there and eliminate a dance altogether.

3. Guess Who Has The Gift Dance. This is a really cute idea that we came up with for a couple not too long ago. It was a hit. Do not give your bride and groom gifts to each other before the wedding. Instead, give them to your maid of honor and best man. Have them secretly pick out two guests to hold onto them.

Continue with the #2 wedding dollar dance example. Have the DJ or band announce that a special dance is about to take place and that all guests should line up to dance and give well wishes to the bride and groom. Have him/her also mention that somewhere in the line is the bride and groom’s gifts to each other.

You and the groom are then required to ask each guest “Do you have my gift?” during your dance until you are left dancing with the person who is holding your gifts from each other.

You can then open them and share that moment with all of your guests.

Hope this wedding dollar dance information helps you decide what is right for your wedding reception. Whatever you choose, have fun with it!

Author: Heather Robinson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Dancing in Proper Dance Shoes is Crucial

Andy Maingam — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:23:06 +0000

Not only is dancing a great way to exercise but it’s probably the most fun too. But if you dance a lot you should think about getting some suitable dance shoes too as this will not only prolong your fun, it’ll benefit your feet as well. I’ve lost count of how many young women in particular have had to leave the dance floor because they’ve developed blisters, sprains, or just got plain uncomfortable wearing inappropriate hip footwear.

Obviously the type of shoes you buy for dancing depends a lot on how often you dance, where you dance, and how you dance. If you are just an infrequent dancer who likes a jig on the occasional weekend, then properly fitting dress shoes that you feel comfortable walking around in should do the job just nicely.

If you are a dancing enthusiast then it’s a different story. But if you are passionate about dance to the extent that it’s become a regular pastime then you’ll probably already beware of the kind of shoes to be dancing in. If you’re new to the game, here’s a few pointers are what type of footwear you should be looking at for what kind of dance.

Ballroom Dance Shoes Shoes specifically for ballroom dancing will likely have non-slip soles and a metal shank for support on the foot’s arch. This is very important as there’s a lot going on down there in the foot department.

Salsa This can really turn out to be a bit of a workout regime if you get into it and it’s popularity is certainly growing in the west of recent years. Serious salsa dancers need salsa shoes and I would suggest you seek advice from your salsa instructor before purchasing.

Ballet If you’re getting into ballet then you’ve surely head of Ballet Pointe shoes. These are the odd shaped shoes that allow ballet dancers to dance on the very tips of their toes. However, they’re not usually the kind of shoe that a new enthusiast would begin with, and once gain, properly fitted footwear for ballet dancing in crucial for you safety and comfort, so consult your instructor prior to purchase.

Free Style This is your style and is usually is usually just a case of strutting your stuff on the dance floors at discos and special events. In such cases, just about any leather-soled foot wear will do just fine.

Of course, the types of dace and dance moves are endless but most of the popular forms of dancing have their own style of footwear and for good reason too. Whether it’s Latin dance, Jive, Argentine Tango, or whatever, make sure your number one priority is finding the right kind of dance shoes before you even hit the dance floor.

Author: Andy Maingam
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Ireland – Land Of The Dance

Joseph Donegal — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:23:04 +0000

Over the centuries Ireland developed a unique style of dance, but it’s only in recent years it has come to the attention of the wider world — and here’s why.

During the interval at the 1994 Eurovision song contest, a little known group of Irish dancers called “Riverdance” brought the audience to their feet and astonished a massive world wide TV audience with their feet-tapping rhythms and colorful dance style.

Riverdance is produced by Moya Doherty and its instant popularity owes much to the brilliant and flamboyant execution of the principle dancers, Irish-Americans Jean Butler and Michael Flatley.

Thus a dance style that drew its inspiration from many races became universally recognized and enjoyed.

The history of Irish dancing has its roots back in the period before even the Celts arrived in Ireland. At that time, the Druids worshipped nature — in particular trees — and they would have performed rituals which involved dancing around the oak tree, in particular.

When the Celts arrived from mainland Europe, they brought with them dance styles from their countries of origin. When the Normans conquered Ireland in the 12th century, they brought with them fresh dances.

Chief of these Norman dances was the Carol, which involves a circle of dancers surrounding a single singer in the center. You can see echoes of this style in the Riverdance sequence, “Countess Cathleen” a dance of empowerment for the women dancers.

Later, three principle dance styles were evolved. These were the Prince Fada (the long dance), the Trenchmore and the Irish Hey. Irish dancing was accompanied by the Uilleann pipes — a type of bagpipe, with its origins, as with the Scottish bagpipes, in the Mid East.

For many years it had been the custom for traveling musicians to roam the country, stopping at wealthy manor houses and entertaining the residents with songs and stories, in return for which they received bed and board. In the eighteenth century, this tradition was enlarged to include traveling dance masters who would roam the country and teach villages to dance in the traditional way.

In order to whip up enthusiasm the dance masters held group dances and competitions, with the best dancers in each village held in high esteem. In order to give a firm surface for dancing, doors were often taken off their hinges and laid flat for the dancers. This, coupled with the use of the hard shoe, gave rise to the rhythmic and rapid foot tapping, so closely associated now with Irish dancing.

One interesting sequence in the Riverdance show, is a little tableau when some Irish immigrant dancers meet some American “hoofers” and try out each other’s style of dancing.

Dancing competitions between villages were held on neutral ground crossroads where the roads to the rival villages met. Later, this gave rise to the building of permanent dance halls at crossroads, which subsequently led to romantic liaisons between members of the different villages, when social dances were held.

Today, Irish dancing is thriving as never before, aided by the popularity of Riverdance, and The Feis, as the dance competitions are called, are an important part of Irish cultural life, particularly in rural areas.

The World Irish Dancing championships are held annually near Dublin and reflects the fact Irish people took their dance culture to many parts of the planet, with competitors from as far away as New Zealand and Australia as well as The USA, Canada and England.

Author: Joseph Donegal
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Israeli Folk Dance Reminds Me of Krishna’s Rasa Dance

Victor Epand — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:23:02 +0000

Some acquaintances of mine recently told me about how wonderful it was to go to what is known as the “Israeli folk dance” at the local synagogue where people of all ages get involved with this style of dancing. Since I was always shy and not really a dancer and also because I am not Jewish, I was reluctant to attend. They told me anyone could go.

So I finally decided to take a peek one Sunday evening (after the local ISKCON temple program, ironically) to see what it was all about, just as a casual observer. While both locations were religious or spiritual institutions, each had their own unique atmosphere that were gulfs apart in terms of intent and ideology. I’m glad I went because while driving back home I had these incredible realizations that I would like to share with devotees.

I entered the synagogue and to my surprise there were as many as 100 or more men and women of varying ages all participating in a folk dance that for the most part was very lyrical. The choreography and music was very refreshing and something I had never seen before. There were people from many walks of life and faiths. I thought to myself, how interesting. Interesting that this many people can come together and enjoy the social function of just dancing. My mind of course went to Krsna.

I sat down and spent an hour or so just watching the different people dance and suddenly I thought of the “rasa dance” wherein Lord Krsna expands Himself into millions of duplicate forms and dances with millions of gopis and of course, His eternal beloved consort, Srimati Radharani. Everything began to make sense. This is what people need. Dance is the eternal function of the soul in every culture throughout the entire planet since the beginning of time. But this type of dancing was material, temporary, perhaps an ancient memory of the REAL, eternal dance, transcendental in nature.

Israeli dance to me is a strange blend of Greek, traditional Israeli and even Russian dance steps that have a very elegant quality to it. Sometimes it’s fast and modern, sometimes slow and classical. Whereas in modern dance, such as disco, country-western et al the main focus is sense gratification and sex desire, that is, men and women coming together to meet and mate, Israeli dance is somewhat different in that the dancers sometimes form circles and clap and have very unique dance steps. It’s not overtly lusty.

I wondered what Srila Prabhupada would make of all this and we all know that he would look at this from a pure Krsna conscious point of view. Fortunately, I could also. Of course, there were no deities. While the concept of bringing men and women together for such a social event may seem pleasing, it is primarily self-centered, in other words, it excluded the center of attraction, Lord Sri Krsna as the supreme enjoyer.

I then wondered what ISKCON would have been like if Srila Prabhupada introduced this kind of temple worship where, rather than having men and women segregated as opposed to dancing together, would the movement have been more popular? Maybe it would because it would not have seemed like a “strict” religious movement. That is, popular in terms of a place where one can congregate without feeling alienated by institutional constraints.

I then said to myself, no, this was not in keeping with the Vedic conclusions and Krsna consciousness in general and besides, men and women in the temple were eventually meeting and marrying anyway, dancing together or not. This would have gone against the original nature of the temple environment Srila Prabhupada established in keeping with the dictates for practicing pure Krsna consciousness.

Krsna always had to be in the center, else, ISKCON would have degenerated into just another fad, another mundane religion. In fact, what makes Krsna consciousness so unique is that, to my knowledge it is the only spiritual movement that incorporates sankirtana, congregational dancing into their temple worship, whereas other religions tend to concentrate on singing hymns and listening to sermons. If there is dancing and food, it is usually a separate social function for fund-raising etc.

Still, I enjoyed watching everyone dance and drove home feeling a sense of sadness for these souls caught up, as I sometimes am, in the modes of passion when their eternal rasa is to dance eternally with Krsna in Goloka, Vrndavana in the spiritual sky, their only real home. I also sensed that these dancers were very lonely.

Krsna consciousness is not easy. But just as we became Krsna conscious, we must, as Srila Prabhupada often said, “Hope against hope,” pray that one day they will also come to grips with the conclusions of the Vedas and join the progressive march back to Godhead to dance forever in their eternal rasa with Lord Sri Krsna.

Author: Victor Epand
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The Dance Of Success: Top 7 Principles Learned About Passion, Propulsion & Performance in Business

Denise Corcoran — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:23:00 +0000