Step Off: A Brief History of Dance

Scientific study suggests that we humans possess an understanding of rhythm that is lacking in the rest of the animal kingdom. Musicality in animals is accidental at best. In man it is deliberate and conscious. Rhythm forms the backbone of music. The first instrument is the human voice. One can imagine primitive man aping the sounds of nature, of grunting patterns that developed into speech and then song. The beat of the drum and plucking of string was soon to follow. Woodwinds, too. Music is inherently, definitively human. Where there is music there is likely dance. Dance has evolved over time. Yet, many dances retain a primitive quality. Here I present a brief history of dance.

RITUAL DANCE

Early dance was performed ceremonially. Nomadic tribes were deeply superstitious. Sympathetic magic implies that like produces like. If one were to dance out a successful hunt, surely the next hunt would prove successful. Dances of ceremony exist today in the form of many African tribal dances, Native American dances such as the well known rain dance, and even the measured movements of a Daosist priest or Shinto priestess.

FOLK DANCE

As superstition recedes in favor of logic, dances are performed more as tradition than ceremony. Dance is an expression of cultural heritage. Dancing around the may pole, Irish step dancing, Russian folk dancing - these are expressions of cultural significance. Many of these dances remain unchanged over the years.

SOCIAL DANCING

As tradition falls to the way side, dance is viewed as a means to bring couples together. Social dancing is one of the most common forms of dance, spanning a great many styles. Square dancing, country line dancing, latin dancing, ballroom, the Lindy hop, disco - each is a means to bring together prospective young lovers. Even the waltz is a social dance, though for the upper class. Military men were expected to know several dances and perform them at social gatherings whereby they could meet an eligible young woman. On the other hand, some social dances can get quite risque. The French can-can for instance was usually performed by ladies wearing no underpants. Men were sure to glimpse a little somethin' somethin'.

EXPRESSIVE DANCE

At some point, one goes dancing not in order to meet someone, but simply to let off some steam. Here one dances for oneself. Contemporary dance and street dancing are a fair example. In contemporary dance, the dancer expresses the meaning and mood of the song, the body a conduit for the music. Dance is from the heart and extends throughout the entire body. Though it may lack rhythm in many cases, it can quite beautiful. Street dancing is just as much an expression of music, but more urban. Hip-hop, breakdancing, and crumping embody life on the hard streets. Movement reflects this lifestyle. Distinctions between different styles of hip-hop can be drawn simply from where one lives.

DANCE AS ART/ENTERTAINMENT

On the flip side, there are those who enjoy watching expressive dance. Certain people may go to a club just to watch great dancing. At its finest, dance is high art. Ballet is one form of dance that the general public regards as high art. Just about any dance can be considered art. It depends on how much value is placed on that particular dance. Contemporary dance is finding its place as art. Even if dance is not regarded as art, it may be viewed as entertainment. From vaudeville to Broadway to movies to music videos, dance is used to draw and captivate an audience.

So there you have it, a brief history of dance. Note that many styles overlap. Hip-hop can be regarded as social, expressive, and entertaining. The distinction rests in the intent. Are you dancing with someone, for someone, or for yourself?

The Evil Eye

Of all the causes of bad luck, people fear the evil eye most. The merest glance results in misfortune. One may wish ill upon the subject of his gaze, making the evil eye intentional. Often, though, the evil eye is more incidental than intentional. Simply by looking enviously at a subject, the viewer casts the evil eye. Envy is one of the seven cardinal sins. The evil of sin, magnified through the intensity of one's gaze, is directed, willingly or otherwise, at the source of that envy.

Certain persons are more inclined to possess the evil eye, and must be avoided if possible. Most with the evil eye are otherwise harmless. However, witches are suspected of possessing the evil eye along side other magical properties.

At risk of the evil eye are children, young women, and upstanding members of the community. Anyone that may cause envy in others can fall prey to the evil eye. The evil eye may befall you anytime you have a new child, get a new house, receive a promotion, etc. Objects of envy may be affected as well. Folklore has it that cattle are prone to the evil eye. Symptoms of the evil eye include misfortune, disease, and even death. Paralysis or loss of speech may result. So how does one protect oneself from such evil influence? Superstition suggests many precautions against the evil eye.

AMULETS & CHARMS - Jewelry especially designed to protect one from the evil eye are common in the areas of Greece and Turkey. In a case of fighting fire with fire, the charms predominantly display an eye motif. The eye is frequently blue in color and is set in silver or gold. Protection may be worn as earrings, rings, bracelets, or what have you. The Egyptian Eye of Horus is a strong symbol against the negative power of the evil eye. Other amulets may be in the form of stones, pieces of bone, wood, or shell. The Italian horn is a fine example of a charm.

DECORATIONS - A well placed charm or talisman in the home prevents misfortune resulting from the evil eye. The Chinese use of the bagua mirror, or feng shui in general, can greatly reduce or redirect evil energy. Even applying certain colored paint either in or out of doors fortifies the home against the curse.

EYEPATCHES - The evil-eyed can prevent the negative influence of their gaze by wearing a patch over the offending eye. Black is the color of choice.

GESTURES - Ritualized actions can counter the curse. Most frequently, the sign of the cross suffices to rid oneself of evil influence. Forming the devil's horns, a gesture now witnessed at most rock concerts, is another option.

HUMILITY - If one wishes to prevent instances of evil eye, it is advised to avoid making others jealous or spiteful. In China, superstitious parents give their children humble names as to not incur the wrath of the gods. Another option is to give a male cild a female name as to confuse the gods or demons. In the middle east, parents are quick to list the faults of their children so the evil-eyed will not direct their dreaded gaze. Parents may go so far as to leave their children unwashed and/or shabbily dressed.

SALIVA - Spitting, especially within gypsy culture, possesses anti-magical properties. Spitting in the palm of the hand in order to seal a deal is to ensure you are not making a deal with a witch or the devil. Spitting in a witch's cauldron is a pretty sure way to rob it of its magical properties. Therefore, it stands to reason that spitting would have a similar effect against the evil eye. Spitting over the shoulder to counter a curse is displayed as far as China. As the left side is the sinister one, spitting over the left shoulder is preferred. Spitting is generally a last resort.

SPELLS - Many cultures employ spoken word defenses to the evil eye. By reciting magical phrases, one counteracts the negative power of the evil eye. Invoking God is a common defensive spell in Ireland. "God Bless," is a versatile tool to counteract most instances of the evil eye.

Although belief in the evil eye is more common to country folk and the less developed countries, it is surprising how many of us still believe in luck. The world we live in is increasingly secular. Science views the world through cold, analytical eyes. Everything is quantifiable, measurable, categorical. Yet, many believe in some invisible force, whether God, chi, karma, or what have you. Something influences our lives, making us more or less successful, healthy, or content. There are various ways one can defend a belief in luck.

Anthropologically speaking, the belief in superstition and the practice of ritual maintains cultural trends. Crossing oneself, spitting, wearing charms, these are perpetuations of a myth. These practices root man's place in the universe.

Psychologically speaking, the belief in luck can positively or negatively affect one's performance. Lucky individuals are more likely to succeed in that they have greater confidence. The power does not come from some lucky penny or shirt, but from that individual's belief. On the other hand, those who think themselves unlucky make themselves more subject to failure. In a very real sense, one makes one's own luck.

According to quantum mechanics, the attitude of the observer may affect objects at a sub-atomic level. How matter manifests within the probability field is determined by the observer's perspective. Should that perspective be positive, the object observed should reflect that positivity. In this instance, the power of the evil eye is very real. By looking at something with envy, hate, or spite, that object is manifested with negative aspects.

So whether or not you believe in the evil eye, or in luck in general, there is no denying the power of the evil eye throughout human history. Belief in the negative power of envy and hate, an in its influence over the innocent, is a part of our heritage.