If dancing is poetry in motion as is often claimed, then one Hungarian high school’s students have elevated the art form to almost Shakespearean levels.
Aristotle, a pre-Socratic philosopher, claimed that dance’s rhythmic motions “reflect men’s characteristics as well as what they do and suffer.” In a way, this means that observing people move rhythmically to sound or music can evoke emotions in people by conjuring up memories, feelings, and even physical sensations.
This is accomplished by using the fundamentals of dance, which call for the use of unusual physical movements to convey and express emotion.
“Dancing means letting yourself go. bigger, prettier, and more powerful. Agnes de Mille, an American dancer and choreographer, once remarked, “This is power, it is glory on earth, and it is yours for the taking. Dancers frequently say that performance allows them to escape from reality and gives them a sense of being in another universe. Additionally, the audience may occasionally feel the same way.
Their attention can be captured by a dancer’s supple and rhythmic movements, and they may be able to identify with or relate to the feelings the dancer is attempting to convey. Sometimes all it takes to elicit an emotional response from an audience is the visually appealing spectacle of watching dancers move in time with one another.
In Budapest, Hungary, a high school dance performance, this was the case. An incredible performance by a group of teenage pupils at the Sandor Weores School was captured on camera in December 2017 on the basketball court of the school.
The young women were dressed to the nines in full, floor-length white ball gowns, and the young men were dressed sharply in black tuxedos, as the audience could see even before the music began.
Only the girls advanced gently first as the chords of Jasmine Thompson’s song “Willow” started to play, presenting a sight of absolute elegance as their voluminous skirts billowed about them. They lined up and nearly filled the entire court, resembling a little sea of cotton balls moving in perfect harmony.
Similar to brides on their wedding day, the dolled-up females started doing their routine with elegance and grace. Their fathers watching from among the crowd were sure to shed a tear when they heard this. Before ultimately sitting down on the ground to await the arrival of the lads, the girls in line rocked and whirled back and forth.
The girls started to stand up one by one as the boys made their way down to the court’s end. Then “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran started playing, and each boy and girl partnered up to start an improbably beautiful and lovely dance.
The boys spun their partners around in unison while letting their dresses flutter around them as they performed their own endearing rendition of the Viennese waltz. The females moved nimbly over the floor, almost as if they were floating. The couples, holding hands, were a picture of gentleness, beauty, and youth. It wouldn’t be surprising if anyone’s emotions at this point in the dance were to get the better of them given the yearning strains of the melancholy tune.
The couples continue the waltz while splitting into five smaller circles and exchanging dancing partners in between. The lads’ dapper composure, evoking newlyweds treading the floor for their first dance, was an equal match for the charm of the girls.
The audience rose to their feet and applauded wildly as the song came to an end. They were in for a treat as the song looped, treating them to a few more wonderful moments, so they kept clapping. Before each couple went to form two lines of couples and the music stopped, the dancers formed a wide circle. Again, they received resounding applause in reward.
Viewers of the video, which has received over a million views, were also not blind to the dance’s beauty. Commenters were quick to compliment the teenagers, stating that the dance was not only stunning but also moving.
All schools ought to implement this! “I’m a teacher and this brought tears to my eyes; well done teenagers,” read one comment, while another said.
What a lovely tune to go with this enormous bunch of amazing young kids. I LOVED IT!!!,” a another user exclaimed.
“How charming. Bravo to your teachers and congratulations to each and every one of you. Another comment said, “They obviously cherish the career they have chosen for themselves.
“Honestly, it’s just so lovely and sophisticated.”
Hopefully, their performance will encourage other schools to follow suit, if only to add a little more wonder and beauty to the world for everyone to enjoy.
Watch the incredible video here:
