Is Dance a Language?
Language is defined as “communication of meaning” (according to dictionary.com). Does dance communicate meaning? I definitely believe so. Is the communication always clear? No, it is usually up for debate. However, any language is open to debate: if it is verbal, the diction and tonality are just two things that could be subjective. In body language, which dance could be included in, physical stance and movement are examined for interpretation.
Dance is a form of self-expression, therefore the dancers, the choreographers, the directors and everyone else involved in creating dance include their interpretations. Observers then put their own experiences and observations into dance and formulate their own ideas. Each dance also has its own meaning. For instance, a tango may communicate passion or fury between two partners while a classical ballet maybe communicate structure and beauty to an observer. However, these two interpretations can easily be flipped for a different observer. While the interpretations may vary, reactions are still inspired and meanings are developed.
Meeting Dante Adela was inspiring. He showed us that dance was one of his most fluent languages. He was able to use different forms (break-dancing, interpretive, modern just to name a few) to communicate certain ideas. Everyone had different reactions and ideas about the video that he showed us, which is a clear example that dance communicates meaning even if it is not consistent from one person to the next.
