I just finished watching Rize by Director David LaChapelle. This movie was full of vibrant kinetic action with many parallel's to meditative movement. I highly recommend it to anyone who uses dance movement as a spiritual practice. Critics of the film are wary of the videographing which focuses much on the dance moves, and are critical of the lack of personal stories. I personally was fascinated by the moves, and while the personal stories were slim there were a number of important messages about personal development and societal change. I found much more about the individuals by watching the extra features.
Early in the film, the dancer known as Dragon states, "You get Krumped. Channel that anger, anything negative that has happened in your life, you can channel it into your dance, and release it in a positive way, because you're releasing in art. The art of dance." My teacher Gabrielle Roth has long taught to put the emotions in motion, and they will be released by this form of creating art.
It was interesting to note that while dancers competed using the two forms, "Krumping", and "Clowing", that they had great respect for each other's art. During competitions, I noticed that the competitor was held in a semi-circle by the rest of the dancers. I interpreted this holding as a form of witnessing, and communal energy building.
One dancer makes the connection that the "Krumper" dance moves are like thier ancestors ritual moves. In one scene, the dancer Daisy becomes unconcious from her ecstatic dance. Bradford Keeney writes about this same experience in his studies of the Bushman in the Kalahari desert. Daisy explains later in the extra features, "I caught the holy spirit. That was the first time I really let go. You gotta just let go. I felt free. I don't know. I can't even explain it. It's like praise dancing. Like when you praise dance at church. You just dance freely."
In terms of societal change, this story is another fine example of the ability of us humans to rise above our circumstances, and effect change in our lives against difficult odds and circumstances.
As Dragon's mother notes, dance is connection with spirit.
