Nicole Somma The unity of dance and religion CR 4

Nicole Somma

Sacred and Profane Beauty

The unity of Dance and Religion

Class Reading #4

“We have lost the dance as an element of culture almost completely” (32)

I disagree with Van Der Leeuws statement that we have lost dance in contemporary cultures. There are still cultures all over the world that use dance as a form of communication and ritual. Through the first chapter, Van Der Leeuw discusses all about dance and how it changed over time. From the importance it once held in society to how it was used in different aspects of life. It is clear that dance is not as important in modern day cultures as it once was, but it is still used.

For example, when I traveled to New Zealand I was exposed to the Haka dance. The biggest sport in New Zealand is Rugby and the country is full of fanatic fans. I was lucky enough to attend an All Blacks game when I visited and I was pleasantly surprised by the opening show. Right before the game was about to start, all the players on the All Blacks team took the field.  All the players started performing a ritualistic dance, screaming and pounding of their chest. They were even speaking in a different langue. The local fans in the stadium all knew the chants and moves by heart. The tour guide told us that they were performing an ancient war dance that was performed by the Maori people. They perform the Haka at every game.  Van Der Leeuw speaks of the unity that dance creates and it is evident in the New Zealands dance. The team becomes one when they perform and it pumps them up before the game. I would have never known about The Haka if it was not for my visit to New Zealand. That is why I disagree with Van Der Leeuw’s statement.