Surfing through television channels, a variety of dance styles are aired on reality shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars, with the possible exception of religious dance.
It’s not because the type of dance is different, but because the purpose behind the dance is different, said Zelma Badu-Younge, an associate professor in Ohio University’s School of Dance.
“In other dance areas, you are performing, but it’s not for a deity; it’s for yourself, an audience, and a lot of times you are getting money for it,” Badu-Younge said. “For a lot of religious dances, the reward is in heaven, not in your pocket.”
Trying to describe the differences between religious dances is almost impossible, Badu-Younge said.
“Everything depends on the culture,” she said. “Religious dances are as diverse as religion itself.”
Hinduism emphasizes that religion should be enjoyed, and dancing provides a joy through freedom of expression, said Bhakti Shah, a graduate student studying education administration and the president of the Indian Students Association.
“We not only think it’s important, but it’s a way of life,” she said.
Hinduism has many different gods and goddesses, so most of the dances tell stories about the Lord or about the human relationship with the Lord, Shah said.
It is important to state that the roles of dance have changed for many religions, said Tresa Randall, assistant professor in the School of Dance.
Randall said that Bharata Natyam, a traditional Indian dance she studied in India 20 years ago, has a more secular component now, but it still uses Hindu stories and imagery.
Dance in the Christian faith has also changed from the past, Randall said.
“I think it’s important that any time you talk about religious dance, (you realize) there are of course prohibitions in the Bible, and for many centuries, there were prohibitions against dance in the Christian church,” she said.
Anointed Ministries, an Ohio University faith-based student organization, has a praise dance group called Hallel.
“Praise dance is a dance form with the specific purpose to praise and worship God through Jesus Christ, as well as minister to the audience in order to usher them into God’s presence,” said DesJaVae Conway, a senior studying organizational communication studies and Hallel dance director for Anointed Ministries.
Dance, she said, is an outlet for emotion.
“Just as it's natural for some to sing in terms of their happiness,” Conway said, “others are inspired to move.”
ao007510@ohiou.edu
