Sacred dance facts for kids
Sacred dance is a special kind of dance that is connected to religion or spiritual beliefs. It includes all movements that are religious in nature. People perform these dances to express their faith, connect with something spiritual, or tell important stories from their religion. These dances are often very old, passed down through many generations.
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What is Sacred Dance?
Sacred dance is more than just moving your body to music. It's a way for people to show their devotion and connect with their spiritual side. These dances are often part of religious ceremonies, rituals, or celebrations. They can be performed by individuals or groups, and each movement often has a special meaning.
Purpose of Sacred Dance
People perform sacred dances for many reasons:
- Worship: To honor gods, goddesses, or spiritual beings.
- Prayer: To ask for blessings, healing, or guidance.
- Storytelling: To share myths, legends, or historical events from their religion.
- Community: To bring people together in a shared spiritual experience.
- Transformation: To reach a different state of mind or consciousness.
Types of Sacred Dances
There are many different types of sacred dances around the world, each with its own unique history and meaning.
Whirling Dervishes
One famous example of sacred dance is performed by the Whirling Dervishes. These dancers are part of a Sufi order, which is a mystical branch of Islam. Their dance, called the Sema, is a form of moving meditation.
- The Dance: Dervishes spin continuously, often with one hand pointing up to receive blessings from above and the other hand pointing down to give those blessings to the Earth.
- Meaning: The spinning symbolizes the planets orbiting the sun and the journey of the soul towards God. It helps them reach a state of spiritual awareness and connection.
Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest classical dance forms from India. It originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu and was traditionally performed by female dancers as a form of worship.
- Expressions: This dance uses complex hand gestures (mudras), facial expressions (abhinaya), and body movements to tell stories from Hindu mythology and express spiritual ideas.
- Spirituality: Bharatanatyam is seen as a way to connect with the divine and is often performed in temples or during religious festivals.
Ancient Sacred Dances
Sacred dance has been a part of human culture for thousands of years.
- Ancient Egypt: In ancient Egypt, dancers performed rituals for gods like Osiris and Isis. These dances were often part of temple ceremonies and funerals.
- Hittites: The Hittites, an ancient people from Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), also used dance in their religious practices, as shown in carvings from places like Yazılıkaya.
- Biblical Times: In the Bible, King David is described dancing with all his might before the Ark of the Covenant, showing his devotion.
Indigenous and Folk Dances
Many indigenous cultures around the world have sacred dances that are deeply connected to their traditions and the natural world.
- Hula: The Hula dance from Hawaii has sacred roots. It was originally performed as a religious ritual to honor gods and goddesses, like Pele, the volcano goddess. Each movement and chant in the Hula can have a specific spiritual meaning.
- Sanghyang Dedari: In Bali, Indonesia, the Sanghyang Dedari is a sacred trance dance. Young girls are believed to be possessed by spirits (hyang) during the dance, which is performed to ward off evil or illness.
Images for kids
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Bharatanatyam, one of the classical sacred dance styles of India
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Dancers in ancient Egypt. Tomb of the Dancers, 17th Dynasty, Thebes. 5th or 4th century BC
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King David dancing before the Ark. Italian terracotta, c. 1660
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See also
In Spanish: Danza sagrada para niños
