resolving internal conflict through dance

I started dancing at a young age. I was always very attracted to the live music and would position myself next to accompanyist, usually a pianist or a drummer.

I would enjoy that moment just before the musician began to play the music and I would be inspired to move. It is an anticipation or hesitation combined with a tension.

This moment of hesitation is so powerful for me now because whatever conflict or stress I am feeling inside, can be transformed as soon as I tune in to the music. It feels to me, however, that this movement takes the conflict from the mind to the body where it can be expressed and moved around. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is the analogy to 'stagnant Qi.'

This metaphor is so powerful because in my opinion the most toxic part of conflict is not the conflict itself, but staying in it. Moving through conflict, to 'shake it off', dance it out, becomes an integral role in mind-body health and resolving 'stagnant Qi'.

I was inspired in particular to explore the idea of conflict through the book entitled The Choreography of Resolution, for further reading into the metaphors of dance.