Let's Dance!

I set my mind to memory and my feet started moving...

I recall once inviting one of my Samoan workmates over for dinner. We enjoyed each others friendship at work and I thought it would be fun to spend time together socially. She hadn't been in New Zealand very long and her extended family were looking after her. She was a little younger than me and told me she would have to bring a chaperone. "That's alright", I said, imagining a stern old lady that I would somehow have to entertain. They turned up at my place - my friend and her chaperone, who was her aunt. Her aunt was younger than me and very bubbly and cheerful! I was living with a whole bunch of other young people so I took them to my room before dinner to listen to music (I was almost in love with my sound system in those days). So we sat there listening to my sounds. Silently. And after about half an album we had the following conversation:
Me: (Feeling a bit nervous that they might hate my music) Do you like this music?
Friend: Do you dance?
Chaperone: (Just gives me a really inquisitive look).
Me: I used to dance a lot but I haven't for a while (I decide not to explain that I seem to spend half my life or more at church and our feet are nailed to the floor).
Friend: We dance.
Me: Where do you dance?
Friend: When we play music at home we always all get up and dance.
(Silence. I still don't get it but I will...)
Friend: We could dance now.
Chaperone: Yes (Huge smile).
Me: Now??
Friend: Music is for dancing (looks slightly puzzled).
Me: I think it's dinner time now - we should go check (oh coward soul!).

Fast foward a little...
My Samoan friend comes up at work and asks if I would like to go to The Social. "Who is having the social?" I asked. It was a Samoan social. "Can I bring a friend?" I said, suddenly feeling inadequate. Let me tell you, I was a cool person. I played guitar, a bit of drums, had a great music collection. In a previous life I had danced my socks off at nightclubs. But I felt out of water a bit for some reason (like my church didn't dance, and we do have funny reactions to other cultures for inexplicable reasons...) I could bring a friend. So I got hold of one of my girlfriends. "You have to be my chaperone at The Social" I said. Kiwis love socials. It a band, and food sometimes. So we went to The Social.

The band was good, and they played traditional Samoan music and other contemporary stuff. The lights were on. Never in my life had I been to a dance where the lights weren't at least dimmed. Not only were the lights full on, but everyone either danced or watched those who were. Dancing was a cultural community expression - something natural and normal to do and watch. So these guys started coming over asking me to dance, and I said no thankyou because my coolness had evaporated under the lightbulbs. "You should say yes", said my Samoan friend. "It's hurtful to the man to say no". Oh my - I had to... And I did, and so did my "chaperone" and I tell you they danced us nearly off our feet in the most enjoyable and respectful way. Those guys could dance. And later we tucked in to some wonderful Samoan food. Cooked bananas in coconut cream (you haven't lived until you've tried those). Thing is, there were all ages at The Social. Dancing together was a tradition. No self consciousness, no embarrassment. When the band played a traditional Samoan number people did Samoan dancing - with huge support from those watching. It was one of the best nights out I've ever had. It completely challenged me on how I thought of dancing and community.

Fast forward a few years...
Went to a three day celebration of cultural music. It was a Christian event, and all the groups participating were Christians from different cultures. The highlight for me was the Cook Island drummers. Pacific Island drumming is simply fantastic. I was given the privilege of playing with a group one night at some-one's place - a jam sesssion if you like (and unusual since I'm a woman). It isn't like regular drumming. Each person has a different drum, with a rhythm and beat that is unique, but it fits with the others. It aint slow! Anyway, this event took off. You cannot listen to Cook Island drums without your feet lifting into the air. Of course there are different ways drums are used, depending on what story is being told or what is being expressed. And this occasion was an expression of Christian spiritual life.

The Messianic Jews did some wonderful dancing at that event too. I have ancestry in that department so I had a eureka moment. I mean when Moses sister Miriam led all the women in a victory dance after they escaped Phaoroah's mindless persecution, I don't think they were gliding about with glassy expressions. Those women were gritty and real. They had been slaves and had struggled. When they danced they danced. I just love that story, how it says Miriam led out all the women...

Watched a concert of Aretha on tv with a friend some time ago. She did a gospel segment. The guy on the keyboards had the skinniest legs and he stops playing and starts dancing. His legs are like rubber band lightning. "I wish church was like that!", said my friend (who does not attend a church). "Me too", I said. And then Aretha's sister climbs onto the stage and is singing this hymn from somewhere so deep I don't have words for it, and doing this dance move the whole time. I can see why some of those old songs were called "spirituals".

Well I did join a church that danced. With the lights on. All ages. Only where I am now they don't. Been thinking I might venture out elsewhere every so often. I don't know why God gave us rhythm but I can't see why we can't express it back to him. I've never heard a good reason not to, other than some-one's own preference, or non-dancing upbringing, or self-consciousness. There are a lot of different cultures where I live. For some dancing is part of family life, and church is family. I like to dance. I fiddled about with my radio the other day because I get bored in two minutes with most of the stations. It tuned on a little station I've never heard before. They were playing Pacific Island music. Cook Island drums. I danced all over the living room.

Put on any colour shoes you like. Or go barefoot. Would you like to dance? Let's dance.