This cause-and-effect of music, song and dance is a phenomenon common to mankind and has so fascinated us that we would regard music, song, dance and/or a combination of them as metaphors of life. The beauty of this all is that we are unique individuals and we have our own preferences and likings.
Thus, the way to live life forward would be to listen to our choice of music, sing or dance to the tune of it, and to sing and dance so well that we attain mastery in the song or dance of our lives.
Truth be told, music, song and dance is not an end in themselves. They are not the goals. People may buy a CD and watch a dance for their artistic qualities in the first instance. But, knowingly or unknowingly, they are really buying hope – hope of a trade-off that would give them a new and feel good experience. Then, if it has worked for them, they will go on to buy the next release.
What then is this hope in all of us? Well, it could be the hope of healing from a breakup, liberty from a troubling relationship, courage to do the right thing, standing up for one’s belief and so forth. I would boil all these up (not down) to living the dreams of our life; to keep looking up for a better tomorrow.
Our dreams (visions or imaginations) can really come true when we have enough fuel through music, words and thoughts (believe) to begin our dance or song (action or plan) towards our desired outcomes. As Mr. G.M. Rao, the founder and chairman of GMR Group, a global energy and infrastructure development corporation based in Bangalore, India, has said: “Believe in your dreams and never let go. Be persistent, keep believing, and it will be realized. Every journey starts with a dream, and your full faith and belief in your dream will pave the way.”
This brings me to the music “Flashdance … What a Feeling” featured in the Flashdance movie of 1983 which I still find inspirational. According to Wikipedia, this movie was inspired by the real life story of Maureen Marder, a construction worker/welder by day and dancer by night in a Toronto strip club with aspiration to enroll in a prestigious dance school.
In the movie, Alexandra Owens (Jennifer Beals) worked as a welder at a steel mill in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and moonlighted as a dancer in a neighbourhood bar and grill with the spark of gaining entry to the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance and Repertory as part of her quest to become a professional dancer.
Maybe like Maureen Marder, we, too, have a dream that is remote from our present circumstances. It may be insignificant to us now, but if we keep living out our dreams by listening to the music of heart, we could well realize the beautiful movie script of our life story for real.
May the following lyrics and rendition for “Flashdance… What a Feeling” infuse us with new strength and hope to keep pursuing our dreams because dreams really do come true:-
"First, when there's nothing but a slow glowing dream
That your fear seems to hide deep inside your mind
All alone I have cried silent tears full of pride
In a world made of steel, made of stone
Well I hear the music, close my eyes, feel the rhythm
Wrap around, take a hold of my heart
[Chorus:]
What a feeling, bein's believin'
I can't have it all, now I'm dancin' for my life
Take your passion, and make it happen
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life
[Solo]
Now I hear the music, close my eyes, I am rhythm
In a flash it takes hold of my heart
[chorus (with ... "now I'm dancing through my life")]"
What a feeling
What a feeling (I am music now), bein's believin' (I am rhythm now)
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life
What a feeling (I can really have it all)
What a feeling (Pictures come alive when I call)
I can have it all (I can really have it all)
Have it all (Pictures come alive when I call)
(call, call, call, call, what a feeling) I can have it all
(Bein's believin') bein's believin'
(Take your passion, make it happen) make it happen
(What a feeling) what a feeling... [to fade]
For the movie trailer click here and for the dance audition click here.
Although flashdance never featured in the song and it is not a known category of dance, my hunch is that it is a metaphor for the flashing sparks of welding mimicking the true dance or passion of our life.
Here are some selected maxims to max out our dreams:
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -- Walt Disney
“It takes a dream to wake up your faith, but it takes faith to make your dream come true.” – Art Sepulveda
“You must see your goals clearly and specifically before you can set out for them. Hold them in your mind until they become second nature.” – Les Brown
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” --Jesse Owens
We are truly alive when we are in the pursuit of our dreams. Now is the time to keep believing in the beauty of our dreams, put on our dancing shoes and dance even when nobody is watching.
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