Collective Joy

Dear Madonna,

I was listening Tapestry a few weeks ago (that's the the quasi-religious program on CBC radio) and they were discussing the the phenomenon of "Collective Joy" - a kind of shared, spiritual peak experience that happens in groups. It was surpising how many of the examples involved dance - either spontaneous or otherwise.

It got me thinking.

Often after we've been to a dance event - and we've gorged ourselves on great dances with multiple partners over the course of two or three days - there's kind of a post mortem discussion around who was your best dance of the weekend. I've always found that a difficult question to answer. My own experience is best described as getting "in the zone" - where I simply can't have a bad dance. I guess I'm kind of flattering myself, comparing my dancing to the skills of elite athletes, but what if something else is going on?

As I connect with my partner, and the music, and the floor - am I not also connecting with the overall energy in the room? And if that energy is a postitive one - joyful and passionate - why wouldn't it manifest itself in my dancing?

It was an especially joyful night last night, dancing in the New Year and it seems apt that we'll be dancing to Gospel music today.

Hope your New Year is filled with Joy!

Julie