Recent studies in Neuroscience indicate that dancing is one of the very best things you can do for your brain, and that’s just one compelling reason to get your groove on. Here Dr. Nas explains some of dancing’s benefits on Instagram.
We Need Dance!
Right now we need to feel good and move for change more than ever, therefore I’m taking on a personal challenge to dance every day in December and inviting you to join in, too!
We will move mindfully and joyfully through the winter holidays and into 2025. Or you can take the challenge and repeat as desired at any time of year.
YOU Are Invited
Whether you’ve got one minute or all day, there’s a way for you to participate and benefit.
Such a daily creative dance practice is accessible to all abilities and experience levels and achievable in minutes a day. Be amazed at the far-reaching impacts such a practice can have in your life.
8+ Ideas for Daily Dancing
Here are some of the ways I may dance each day in December. What might you try and what did I miss?
1. Give a Class, Take a Class
Three days a week I regularly teach class, and maybe you also have a class or two you could attend to kick off your daily dancing habit.
Return to that class you started, a favorite technique, or sample a new style. You could also join my live Mindful Movement Classes in-studio and online.
2. Dance Along with a Video
Less commitment- and time-intensive and good for days when no class is available or you don’t have time for an hour-long session, check out free offerings on YouTube or TikTok.
One resource is my library of playlists at the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel, where I will also be sharing clips & compilations from my daily dancing practice in December. For example, the Creative Ballet Port de Bras – Arm Artistry Exploring Nature Article and YouTube Playlist contain a bunch of upper-body dance ideas.
3. Groove to Music
This strategy requires even less time and effort. Simply Move to the Music: pick a song or piece of music, old or new, that makes you boogie! Or sway, waltz or sashay.
Lots of space would be great, but the kitchen or car is fine too, using just a body part or two (head & shoulders, just arms…) or the whole instrument.
4. Egg Like Twyla Tharp
This practice can be done with or without music and in any available space. I demonstrated a version of this exercise in my Ignite the Spark of Creativity 5-Day Challenge, which Tharp describes thus:
“The exercise I call Egg is a great way to start a creative session. It couldn’t be simpler: I sit on the floor, bring my knees to my chest, curl my head down to my knees, and try to make myself as small as I can. In this minimalized shrunken state, I have nowhere else to go; I cannot become smaller, I can only expand and grow. And so it becomes a ritual of discovery for me. If I lift my head and straighten my back I become Tall Egg. If I stretch out my legs and point my toes, forming an L-shape, I become Jackknife Egg. I stick with it as long as it remains interesting, sometimes going through as many as a hundred positions. I’ve been doing this daily for years and I usually find something new in the process.” (The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life p.112)
One can take on this improvisation every day and come up with something new every time!
5. Dance in a New Place
Observe how you move in a different location with a Site-Specific Exploration. Use whatever space you have or seek one out that you have access to. Small or large works, video is a space too. Notice how my move in this environment, respond to what you see and sense.
6. Make Character Moves
Wear a Costume/Embody a Character Embodiment. Try different clothing, accessories, or props. Could be a cape, a skirt, shirt, hat, shoes, or a whole outfit or costume.
Take on a disguise, be a different version of yourself or someone else entirely. Imagine how the person inhabiting such an ensemble would move and then go with their flow.
7. Come to Your Senses
Try some Eyes-Closed Somatic Sensing by carefully and slowly notice your movements with your eyes closed or softly focused. Notice how shapes and shaping, movements and relationship to your surroundings change without a visual representation.
Or tune into or out of other senses: how is it to move in response to the texture of a surface, the smell of a scent, the temperature or movement of the air and wind, the taste of a flavor?
8. Do a Different Prompt Daily
Use the same impulse or prompt each day or try a different one every time.
Create December is a creative challenge hosted by Heather Mattern and Documented Journey meant for a variety of media, Inktober is a daily drawing challenge that takes place in October for both of which there are heaps of daily prompts available for this and past years’ events. These can be used to stimulate creative dance improvisation, studies, and choreographies as well!
Keep Dancing Through Life
I hope you will join me for Dance Daily December and witness the transformation that a daily mindful movement and creative dance practice can cause in your life!
Can’t wait to discover what I and other movers discover during the month, and will be posting clips from my explorations on social media (Instagram, possibly TikTok, where I shared my Alphabet Superset Micro Choreo Videos) and YouTube.
Resources for Further Exploration
- 5 Ways to Get Down Daily – how to build a habit of creative dance Article is a recap of my 5-Day “Get Down Daily” Dance Challenge on Instagram
- Delicious Dancey Digest for International Dance Day & National Dance Week Article with loads of my dance goodies published over the years
- Charming Chosen Challenges – creative ways to try out or jumpstart a habit Article presents a variety of inspiring challenges to bring out the artist in you
- Alphabet Superset Creative Challenge Recap 2023-2024: Learning from Filming 26 Micro Video Choreos on TikTok A-Z Article details one of the challenges I completed this year
- Joyful Movement & Creative Living with Life Coach Jolynne Anderson Article
- Subscribe to my email newsletter to receive creative living inspiration weekly
Questions for Reflection
- What is your favorite dance style or technique?
- Which type of dance or movement haven’t you tried yet that you’d like to sample?
- What creative practices do most enjoy?
- How could a mindful movement or creative dance enhance your life?
- What do you dream of creating?
Let’s keep in touch, keep dancing, and never hesitate to let me know if I can be of service!
Blythe Stephens, MFA & Bliss Catalyst
they/them or she/her
Creator of A Blythe Coach @ablythecoach
helping multi-passionate creatives
dance through difficulty
DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.