As I think of my childhood, the enduring image of a Bollywood movie billboard at the bottom of Brigade Road with fluttering birds taking flight in a moonlit silhouette. One knew, with no explanation required, that this was a celebration of love. As I reflect on the memory, I also knew what came next in the movie. Dance! Love was always a great excuse to celebrate, with large groups playing off each other. The scene was an amazing invitation to join in, even if I as a teenager did not understand the full story.
As I look out over a peaceful residential area in the emerging dawn, in the distance is an Address hotel. As I close my eyes, I return to my only visit, a wedding which ended up with the wedding party gathered up on stage, an uninhibited celebration of dance.
The intensity and clarity of one’s celebration is enhanced when it comes with music, community, and movement. There is something magical which only lives in a collective expression. As one joins with the many through the expressions of dance and music, each knows what the other is saying. The energy which is expressed is tangibly felt by each participant as well as those watching.
Great expressions of dance and celebration are recognized by those present without the need for boundaries and rules. What are the limits of a new couple’s love, none! Does beauty, excitement, and wonder find itself constrained? I hope not. There is something magical in letting one’s soul go free, to dance without reservation, to celebrate without end. In the rare moments these come together, belief emerges and finds its life.
There are many forms of dance which all lead to the celebration of love and hope. It could be the first dance as husband and wife, a quick dance in silence with a lover, or a no-rule celebration as a group. With each, I feel the psalmist’s words coming to life. “Let them praise his name in dance; strike up the band and make great music!” (Psalm 149.3)
