The Role of Dancing in Religion
February 13th, 2011
Cultures in this modern era, value religion incorporate ceremonial dances to their religious activities as a way to complement the culture as well as history.
Dance and Religion
A religious taboo continues to exist when it relates to incorporating dancing as a part of religious activity. Some people think that dancing is not sufficient to renew energy in both mind as well as body through dancing, while other people consider it to be quite a powerful spiritual experience.
There are several manifestations of spiritual activities through dancing. One of the most usual ways of incorporating religion through dance forms is via rituals. The act of dancing is believed to help a performer enter a trance state which will open up their religious path to an empowering religious experience and communicate with the divine being. Other dances also incorporate spells or prayers.
Native American Dancing
Ceremonial Dances for the Native American society is conducted in many ways based on the intention. The intention may be for the occurrence of rain during drought, it could be for celebrating happiness, sadness, war, and of course religious worship. In the case of the Native American society, the beat of the dance is considered as a guide from the spirits. Ceremonial dances in the Native American history have a huge significance.
But still, there remained to be some others who performed dancing due to the music and for the enrichment of this art form.
Kerala Festival Dancing
The city of Kerala is known for its local festivals that integrate dancing in the celebration. This has earned social significant over the years. Here are Kerala’s many ceremonial dances:
Onam: It is a famous festival in Kerala that’s observed with much gaiety and fervor, normally held between August and September. There are many dancing involved that represent religious harmony amongst several families. There’s also a ritual attached to the ceremonial dances that require the performers to put on new clothing, or paint themselves with bright yellow, red, and black colors. Meanwhile, the music is produced through cultural instruments thakil and udukku.
Mahasivarathri: It is really an annual festival observed by the Hindus that involve lots of ceremonial dances as a way to commemorate the death of Lord Shiva in an attempt to save the world of destruction.
Vishu: A celebration held in April mainly for the thanksgiving of received good fortunes that year and to ask for more for the following year.
Asian Ceremonial Dancing
In the Asian region, music and drama complement each other. The costumes and dance movements also have cultural importances. The dances are usually interpretations of historical events. It can also depict myths or legends. As to how long the dance goes, it’s depended on the length of the historical event, or story being danced to. The dance may also be for asking good luck.
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