Neuroscience & Dance: Don't You Feel It Too?
I entered the Barbara Barker Center for Dance and immediately noticed a man with headphones on dancing out loud in the center of the quiet room. There were about 20 other people milling about, some scrolling through their phones. They’re probably setting up their playlist. I was early. I checked in and felt a rising sense of panic. What the heck do I do now? I didn’t know anyone. I should have asked someone to come with me. Ugh, why am I so awkward?
Hold up. Wait a minute. I see you, Old Pattern!
Once I labeled my anxiety as just that--an old pattern-- my jaws relaxed and I sat down next to another participant and dove in, “Hey! Have you ever done this before?”
Though she had a hardened face as she concentrated on her phone, once I addressed her, she looked up from her phone and her brows unfurrowed and the corners of her lips curled up. “No, this is my first time! How about you?”
“Yep, my first time too!” Phewf, another newbie!
And so began my experience at The Neuroscience of Exercise and Public Dance with Dr. Wendy Suzuki*. I had initially been drawn into this event by the name-- I love neuroscience AND dance! How perfect! Plus, it was an event sponsored by University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing*, and I loved their last sponsored lecture that I went to. It wasn’t until I got my reminder email a few days before the event that I realized a group called Don’t You Feel It Too?* (DYFIT) Was hosting a public dance before the lecture. Needless to say, it got me extra excited.
After introducing myself to a few more people and sharing excitement and smiles, Marcus Young, a behavioral and social practice artist and founder of DYFIT, gathered everyone into a circle to introduce the concept of the group. The practice is meant to liberate you, allowing you to dance “your inner nature in public spaces.” Every participant listens to their own music and dances as softly or loudly as they’d like in public. After about 20 minutes, everyone does a few gentle half-sun salutations to cool down, then rests in savasana. He then went over the rules of the dance:
Always Be Safe
Love Your Music
Feel What You Feel
Marcus emphasized that we must honor our feelings through our song choice and our movements. “Don’t pick a song because it’s what you think you should like, pick a song because that song is calling to you and resonating with you right now.” He also let us know that if anyone came up to you to ask what was going on, to resist the urge to justify/rationalize/explain; instead, simply ask, “Don’t you feel it too?” and continue to dance. YES!
It is mindfulness embodied through auditory and physical autonomy. I was grinning like a damn fool.
“Now, if you’re ready, please head outside and begin!”
I wandered across the street where there were less people and flat concrete, and selected a yoga playlist of mine and put it on shuffle. I hadn’t spent time building a specific playlist, so I just scrolled until a song felt right. I couldn’t even tell you which songs I danced to, I just remember the general vibe and my feelings.
The first song was my warm up, my ease into the unknown. It was an instrumental, gentle song, and I moved like water, swirling my arms, my spine, and creeping low to the ground. It felt amazing to slowly feel the fluidity of my movement swell. There were about 30-40 people now dancing all around me in such completely different ways. I made eye contact with a few, and we exchanged knowing smiles. With my heart feeling ready to open, I began dancing to the next song that popped up. It was playful, acoustic, plucky, and I hopped and bopped around, dancing like a carefree child. My heart started craving more.
I skipped to the beat of my music across the street to join a larger mass of bodies that were boogying on a large stretch of sunny grass. I noticed a pile of shoes that were taken off, and was inspired to take mine off. The next song began playing; it was mostly instrumental with an ethereal voice vibrating throughout the piece. It felt right as the coolness of the grass graced my feet. I folded over and swayed, relishing the feeling of grass blades swish through my fingers and the sun beaming on my back. I saw Dr. Wendy Suzuki pumping her fist, rocking her head, and run-dancing barefoot across the grass. My soul lit up with some fire and I switched to the next song (eh, not feeling it), then the next song (hmm, not quite), then finally found one that felt energetically perfect. It was some kind of rock song, hard heavy beats, exciting vocals, perfect to jump around to. I began jumping up and down as though I was at a concert, whipping my hair and feeling like pure magic and light. I moved through the crowd of slithering, rocking, leaping, resting, twirling, shimmying bodies and acknowledged that this truly was a moment of pure magic.
Marcus began his half-sun salutations, folding forward then sweeping his arms up and back down, and one by one, the bodies followed suit. Soon, in unison, we were all lying down on our backs--on the grass, the concrete, wherever you were-- and just breathing. The perfect song began to play as I unfurled, layers of string instruments building buoyant billows of sound, and I chose to listen to it all the way through, eyes closed, breath soft, soul soaking it all in.
~~~
Once my song finished, I slowly rose up and followed the slow trickle of people entering the auditorium for the neuroscience lecture and discussion.
Dr. Suzuki, professor of neural science and psychology at NYU and author of the book Happy Brain Happy Life, began by letting us know that we all possess the most complex structure known to humankind-- the brain. She then shared her story of how she came to focus her research on movement’s effect on the brain.
While pursuing tenure at NYU, she had been so focused on work that she had neglected her health. While seeking a way back towards health, she found intenSati*, a practice founded in New York that pairs physical movements like yoga, dance, and kickboxing with shouts of positive affirmations. After a year and a half of consistent practice, she surprised herself by passively thinking “This grant writing is going well!” For years, she had simply forced herself to write grants, dreading the tedious process. Could her exercising have changed her brain?
Since then, she has found and produced research that shows that physical exercise increases the size of the motor cortex (movement) and cerebellum (balance). It also creates new brain cells in the hippocampus, the area that help us form new long term memories, and in the prefrontal cortex, the area that enhances focus. On top of all that, exercise has time and time again been found to enhance mood.
Basically, aerobic exercises like dance is as close to the fountain of youth we can get!
So, Dr. Suzuki’s years of exercise had made her more joyful, more focused, and had enhanced her ability to remember new material. No wonder grant writing became easier!
Marcus then asked an important question, “How is Don’t You Feel It Too? different than other types of exercise?” These two beautiful beings then discussed how this form of public dance could be uniquely liberating by allowing individuals to truly claim public space. They also entertained the idea that it unlocks creativity and freedom as the hippocampus (memory center) has been recently found to possibly have a role in imagining the future as well!
Moving our bodies can help us envision and manifest bigger, brighter futures!
I've definitely felt this effect. Have you?
~~~
I had to leave early to go teach a yoga class, so I have no idea what nuggets of gold I may have missed, but I left feeling invigorated and inspired. Thank goodness for good people, sharing joy, love, and the science behind it all.
I'm grateful for this breath.
I'm grateful for this day.
I'm grateful for this life I get to live in my own way.
~~~
Learn more about Don't You Feel It Too? and how to get involved.
View Dr. Wendy Suzuki's Ted Talk to learn more about her research.
Check out the Center for Spirituality and Healing on facebook for upcoming events.
Try intenSati at Prana at 50th & France Saturdays 10 AM or sign up for a series at Armatage Park. I'm definitely going to try it out cause it sounds freakin awesome!