I’ve mentioned before that for the last eight years, I’ve danced with a troupe in Bennington. We dance a style of belly dance that is referred to as American Tribal Style. The hallmarks of the dance form are improvisation and dancing in a group, taking turns leading and following. I’ve learned so much over the years with my group, and one of the most important themes is how to dance together. We have an expression that we frequently reference about making your fellow dancers look beautiful. Since each of us is at a different level of experience, you always take into account who you’re dancing with when you’re the leader. For example, there are specific moves that only a few of us know - you would never throw that move with someone who doesn’t know it. Not only would it make you look like a show off, it would make your fellow dancer look like she doesn’t know what she’s doing. It also means teaching a fellow dancer something that they might not know, about costuming, for example, or make up.
I was thinking about this concept the other day. I feel like we could all, as humans, put this idea into practice in our everyday lives. What if we lifted up the people around us in a way that everyone felt important and valued? What if we tried to celebrate other’s accomplishments without diminishing ourselves? I think there’s a feeling that if I lift this person up, I won’t feel as special, when really when you’re making someone else look good, you look good, too. When we dance together and lock into each other’s strengths, we all look strong and empowered. When one of us steps back to let another shine, it’s a reflection on all of us.
You can see us dance in the next couple of weeks. The group will be walking in the Bennington Pride Parade and performing a fifteen minute set at 1pm. We will also be performing two sets at the McCullough Library in North Bennington on July 5th at 7:30pm. Please say hi if you’re able to come by and watch us!
the whole world would look and operate differently