Response 4: Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication

JJ Janikis
DANC 163

With all the stress of academics and extracurricular at Middlebury it can be hard to remember the importance of finding a state of balance. In the Yoruba’s beliefs, a beautiful physical body is one that is balanced with internal beauty. In addition, the attention of symmetrical posture in dance provides an outlet of communication and religion. In the Yoruba culture of southwestern Nigeria both music and dance compliment the philosophy of iwon that “everything must be balanced and in moderation”. Similar to the eastern practices in Yoga, the Yoruba’s philosophy of balance in mind and body demonstrates a unique perspective in the aesthetics of African dance.

I think that many times people forget that “to be balanced”, means to have a relationship with both the positive and negative and good and evil. In my life at Middlebury I try to “balance” the difficulty of my courses with the positive energy of my extracurricular activities, like the theater. In the Yoruba’s philosophy one must find “complementary oppositions” in which one maintains “a continuous balance of powers”. For example, “opposite forces serve as complementary agents in creating a suitable balanced existence or environment rather than acting as destructive conflicting forces” (40). Therefore, over-commitment in activities that reinforce a negative personal environment creates an unbalanced emotional atmosphere. As in dancing, one must maintain balance in their bodies to personify the “complementary oppositions” of the music.

To the Yoruba, the ìwà l’ewà (presence is beauty) demonstrates their attention to the ideal “body beautiful” in posture and dance. Therefore, a balanced body is approachable and endearing. Within the context of dance, the expression of body language is able to communicate, “the body is the physical manifestation of the ‘person’”(31). In many ways the Yoruba dance is symbolic and very personal to the dancer and allows them to display their body in a way that is accepted by the society (33). In addition, the dancers have a strong relationship with the music in which, “any Yoruba dance event is actually a dialogue between the music and the body”(35). Therefore, this also establishes another definition of balance in Yoruba culture.
As in the practice of Yoga, a yogi finds the “union” of mind and body and of breath and stance. Many of these same principles are found within the Yoruba tradition. In my experiences with yoga, the emphasis of finding balance in each stance encourages full concentration and a unique conversation between the mind and body. While yoga is primarily stationary, the fluidity of the movements is like a dance choreographed to music of the individuals breath.

In our practices of dance in the classroom, I find it important to understand and the philosophy of the dances and music we are learning. We every new position we learn it is important to feel a balance in the body that communicates between the mind and the music of the dance.