By Mariam Asabe Iyeh
I HEREBY present my message to the world, entitled “Dance to keep hope alive”, on the occasion of the International Dance Day, holding on April 29, 2022.
Greetings to all global communities as we celebrate the esteemed world’s dance day; a day set aside and chosen by the dance committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), which is an important affiliate to the Performing Arts of the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to commemorate the French Dancer, Jean Georges Noverre (1727 – 1810), also known as the father or creator of Modern Ballet.
It will be recalled that April 29, every year is set aside to celebrate the art of dance and all that it represents, in order to create awareness about the value of dance, and what it offers to mankind. Thus, in creating and promoting the awareness, activities of dance are showcased formally and informally at different forum, to mark this day. It is a day that professionals, amateurs, dance enthusiasts and dance stake holders take time off to demonstrate the art of dance and dancing. Dance as we know, is both a source of entertainment, and utilitarian in nature. This is depended on which side a choreographer or dancer chooses to adopt at a particular time. With this in mind, the reputable Dance Scholars and Practitioners Association of Nigeria (ADSPON), has chosen to adopt the two sides as we celebrate this year’s world’s dance day. As professionals, we engage government with dance to draw its attention to the shortcomings, ineptitude and insensitivity to the plights of the citizens; we also use the opportunity to explore the benefits that dance and dancing present for the wellbeing and healing of humanity at difficult times like this.
Never is dance more needed than now in the history of Nigeria, and the world over, when bitter experiences of terrorism, wars and rumors or war, banditry ,senseless killings, bloodshed, protests, riots, famine, mudslide, floods, earthquake, economic meltdown, among others have become common occurrences, thereby creating a sense of hopelessness and a bleak future for the nations of the world. These experiences have often resulted in gory sights to behold, exposing the average human beings as victims in most parts of the world. We are all witnesses to how the war between Russia and Ukraine has affected most parts of the world, especially the Europe and America. The people now live in fear and trepidation; the people are having sleepless nights, and days filled with stress and tension of hunger and fear.
Specifically, the terrible and traumatic experiences Nigeria and Nigerians share at the moment represent the worst that can happen to a nation; Nigerians are truly disillusined because of bad governance that has resulted in corruption and gross unemployment of the teeming youths. Infact, the failure of the Nigerian political leaders to secure future for our youths is the major cause of restiveness and the rising rate of criminality and illegalities in the country. Besides, the few workers left in government payroll, after thousands have been sacked, retired and withdrawn, are feeling frustrated, but no longer enthusiastic, excited and commited to their jobs, because their entitlements and conditions of service are not being settled regularly and appropriately. Of course, there is anxiety among the people, whether the nation can ever be fixed again. It is most disheartening that almost all public Universities in Nigeria are currently under lock and keys, due to the rollover strike by lecturers and other University workers, because the government has failed to keep the 2009 agreement with them. As a result, students are out of school with no hope of resumption in sight. It is a dismal situation, having a psychological, emotional and financial toll on the people.
Many ailments have been attributed to stress and poor conditions of living in Nigeria. The effects of worries and anxieties associate with the factors mentioned earlier, have caused the people a lot of health challenges, including mental problems, heart problems, Hypertension, Diabetes, Stroke, Ulcer and depression e.t.c. A visit to big pharmacies, chemists, hospitals and clinics would reveal how most Nigerians now regularly visit these centres in numbers to take medications, in order to attend to their health challenges. This situation gives us a clue to the health statuses of Nigerians. This is a sorry sight!
Stress managers have counselled that patients or people should avoid stress inducers, like worries, over labour, depression, e.t.c, but I am quick to add that if the cause(s) of these social challenges are not dealt with adequately, they could be threats to our lives. That is the situation with Nigerians right now, suffering but smiling! We have come to accept that pattern, as a way of living, forced on us by our leaders.
Be that as it may, it should be noted that, man in his resilience to survive must try to devise means of coping with the predicament he is confronted with by dance, which is one of the ways to ease off the hard times.
What is Dance? Dance is a very friendly art that accommodates participation from all and sundry; It is an open art that the very old, the young, and the very young, the very fat, fat, and the slim, etc. can participate in. The physically challenge are not also left out in the art of dance. Dance in its simplicity, yet noble, can be done anywhere in the room, outside, the stage, balcony or anywhere that can accommodate the dancer. It can be performed as solo dance or duo, trio or in group, etc. It can be performed with music or rhythm from external stimulus, such as music, sounds, songs or internal stimulus-joy, happiness, sadness etc. Dance can occur spontaneously to express whatever emotion it is intended to convey. Dance is affordable by everyone; you can be your own musician through voicing or through clapping, drumming of any kind.
As we celebrate this year’s world’s dance day, the dance scholars and practitioners of Nigeria (ADSPON) invite all and sundry to take advantage of the benefits dance can offer in these trying times. Dance has always been there in the service of humanity, with unquantifiable evidences of its service to humanity. I enjoin you to explore the dance arts and be healed of physical, emotional, psychological and medical diseases. Let us avail ourselves the opportunities that dance offers us to lighten our moods in this depressive era of uncertainties, shocks, hardship and so on.
Let us put on our dancing shoes to dance away sorrows, pains and gloom. Let us create good moods around us as we dance today and forever. Dancers are winners, dancers are healthy people. Put on your dancing shoes as we take the stage – “Excuse me dance, please”! “Dance on”!
*Prof. Asabe Iyeh is President, Association of Dance Scholars and Practitioners of Nigeria.
