Every year on 29th April, people around the world from all sects of societies come together to celebrate one of humanity’s oldest & most joyful forms of expression DANCE, International Dance Day has been an annual event since 1982, created by the Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute. The goal is to promote the art of dance & bring people together across cultures through the universal language of movement.
At its core, dance is simply about letting your body move freely to the rhythm of music or beats. But it means so much more than that. Dance has the power to unite people, create happiness, relieve stress & even promote peace. That’s why International Dance Day is such an important & beautiful celebration that we should all take part in,
Bharatanatyam & Khatakali like dances in India, Samba in Brazil, Tarantella of Italy, Flamenco in Spain, Dragon dance of Chinese, Kabuki of Japanese, Tango in Argentina, Hula in Hawaii Spiritual Sufi whirling in muslim middle east countries, boisterous Native American powwows, including Indias traditional dances like Kathak, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Punjabi Bangda, Gujrati garba, Kashmiri Roff and many more are all the diffrent forms of same exercise which we call dance.
You might wonder how something as simple as dance could possibly impact such major issues as world peace and human welfare. But the dance community will tell you, when you experience the joy of dance & creative movement together with others, even strangers, you can’t help but feel a sense of connection and understanding. Think about it, dance requires no spoken language. Through body movements alone, dancers can express a wide range of emotions that resonate across cultures. If we can find communion through dance with people of different backgrounds, that shared experience plants the seeds of mutual empathy & respect.
That’s why dance has often been used as a tool for conflict resolution and bringing divided communities together. In areas of ethnic tension from Rwanda to the Palestinian territories, dance programs have helped marginalized groups find healing through movement. The dance floor becomes a place of solidarity, where people bond over their shared humanity. Mai Lam, the founder of Dancing Through Fields of Color, has used dance therapy in refugee camps across the Middle East. She shares, “When you’re dancing with someone, you’re instantly connecting through a language that doesn’t require words. The movement invites a spirit of playfulness that disarms & brings joy.”
Psychologically and physiologically, dance also has benefits that support human welfare & mental health. The act of moving freely can release “feel good” endorphins that relieve stress and anxiety. Dance has been shown to reduce depression, increase self-esteem & even boost cognitive performance. With all the tension in today’s world, turning to dance for relaxation and well-being makes perfect sense.Speaking of relieving tension, dance is the ultimate natural stress buster, When you get lost in the rhythm and let your body move however it wants to, all your worries and anxieties seem to melt away, if only for a little while. That sense of being present in the moment through motion is incredibly liberating for the mind.
In these hectic next level modern times when we’re constantly tethered to screens & demanding jobs, dance offers a freeing escape for the body and soul. All those troubling thoughts and pressures get pushed aside as you focus on expressing yourself through movement. Your mind clears as your body takes over with creative flow. That’s why so many people have turned to dance fitness like Zumba or Hip-Hop classes as a fun way to blow off steam. You get a great workout while shaking off the stresses of work, relationships, finances, or whatever weighs you down. Jamming out to some energetic rhythms, you can’t help but get lost in the groove & feel invigorated.
But you don’t have to punish yourself with intense cardio to experience dance’s relaxation benefits. Any style of dance, from slow and meditative to wild & freeform, can induce a state of mindfulness where your cares drift away. Simply swaying with the music & letting your body move naturally brings presence and stillness to the mind.Perhaps that’s why Dance Movement Therapy has become such a valuable psychotherapeutic tool. The brain body connection in dance helps people get out of their heads & into their bodies to process emotions. Many find it easier to access and release pent-up feelings through physical expression compared to talk therapy.
Madam Naima Childers writes in her book Dancing Our Way Through Life, “In a culture where minds are often disassociated from bodies, dance can reunite you with the physical being you reside in. It opens the door to your most authentic self.”In addition to inner peace and stress relief, dance fosters a beautiful sense of community and human connection, especially when we dance together. There’s just something instinctively joyful about moving in synchronicity and creating a united experience through bodily expression.
Think about your favorite memories of folk dancing at weddings or music festivals, where total strangers become beaming partners by joining hands for a line dance. Consider the vibrant dance circles at neighborhood park parties, where all are welcome to jump in with their own freestyle moves. Or how about the energizing atmosphere of a packed dance club, when the whole room becomes alive & bonded through the same pulsing beat? These communal dance experiences create bonds and loving feelings in an effortless, organic way. We experience the simple pleasure of harmonizing our bodies, sharing an atmosphere of fun & letting loose together. Suddenly, our differences seem to fade away as we all celebrate just being human through the magic of dance.
That’s why dance is such an integral part of major cultural events, holidays & rituals across the globe. From spiritual of Bhajan Kirtan, Sufi whirling to boisterous Native American powwows, Punjabi Bangda, Gujrati garba & Kashmiri Roff, traditional dances form unite people through rhythmic movements rooted in their ethnic heritage. Even in modern secular settings, we dance together to create equal community, think of the ceremonial dancers at sports games who get the whole crowd hyped. Beyond bringing community together, dance allows us to create connections across cultures too. When we witness traditional dances from other parts of the world, we gain an glimpse into the richness of diverse art forms while marveling at our shared need for beautiful self-expression. Many dance conventions now create intercultural performances to promote awareness and appreciation between different dance styles & backgrounds.
For dancers themselves, the bond formed through rehearsing and performing as an ensemble is incredibly special. By breathing together, synchronising movements & working towards a collective creative goal, dancers become like a tribe or extended family. That uplifting sense of belonging and shared purpose is extremely gratifying. It’s a major reason why so many find such fulfillment and community through their dance crews or companies. Ultimately, dance connects us not just to others, but to the core of what makes us human, the ability to create beauty through movement and share stories with our bodies. How powerful that a simple series of physical expressions can unite people across languages, cultures & borders, that’s why International Dance Day is worth celebrating for everyone, not just dancers. It’s a radiant reminder of how the most natural of human impulses, to sway & groove to rhythms, has the power to create collective joy & mutual understanding. So on 29th of April, don’t hold back, get out on the dance floor with loved ones or complete strangers, move your body however you wish & experience the stress busting bliss that dance can bring. You might just make some new friends and spread a little more peace in the world.