By Marin Leggat Roper, Assistant Professor of Dance, Brigham Young University. Originally presented at the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications monthly lectures series: Faith and Works, on Thursday March 7, 2019. Reprinted with permission and edited by author.
08/06/2020 ~ A Special Excerpt for the BYU Department of Dance’s Blog, A Time To Dance
What does the moving body teach us about Yielding?
Helaman 3:35 – 35 ~ Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
from the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ
The scriptures teach us to yield our heart. Yielding is also an important concept in dance training. The physiological principle is that, in our attempts to dance LARGE, jump HIGH, reach FAR in our dancing, we first have to YIELD, meaning literally releasing the binding in our muscles, the grip or hold. Dancers who don’t yield won’t be able to get the spring, lift, height, fullness (“ballon” in ballet). A really important part of dance training, then, is not only training for the BIG moments, but training for the Yield BEFORE the BIG moments (hence, all the plie work dancers do).
A yield doesn’t just collapse, however. In dance, a “yield” is always followed by a “push” out into space. In dance, this is called, “Yield to Push phrasing.” And, wow, we practice that a LOT. The body yields to prime the neuromuscular system to receive the push back from the earth and channel that line of energy through our body in the most functional way, in order to fulfill our intent in space.
Just as yielding primes the body to receive energy necessary for propulsion, yielding our hearts primes our spirit to receive – to receive what? – spiritual promptings, personal revelation, the promptings of the Holy Spirit that will also propel us towards action or change of some kind.
How do we Yield our hearts? I suggest we start right here, with our hand on our sternum. I’m aware of physical sensations I feel when I’m NOT yielding, physically or spiritually. I feel a grip, and tightening or binding: in my thoughts, in my heart, even in my muscles. When I identify these physical sensations, it usually means there is resistance happening somewhere in my life.
So, I breathe. I pause, I release, and I listen deeply. I receive.
Take a minute or two to keep your hand on your sternum, breath, soften and yield and be open to receive. Sense any physical felt sensations in the body. No need to describe, to conceptualize or wrap words around anything. Be aware of felt physical sensation, and any urging towards action…
“Faith and Works” lecture, March 8, 2019
Marin Leggat Roper
Madsen Recital Hall, BYU
atimetodance.news.blog 