Umbrella Academy: The Joy of Dancing like an Idiot
The dance scene above is one of my favorite moments in The Umbrella Academy, a TV show about estranged adopted superhero siblings reunited by their father’s suspicious death. It comes after a fraught family discussion, ending with everyone dispersing to separate areas to cool off. When Luther plays “I Think We’re Alone Now,” he knows that his siblings will be reminded of happier times. They each start dancing in their own unique style, loosening up and losing themselves in the moment as the song progresses. The camera pans out to show them all dancing in separate rooms, alone but together.
I love this scene because it elicits feelings of joy and nostalgia- memories of goofily dancing alone in my bedroom or in a dorm room with friends while getting ready to go out for the night.
“But for many of us, there is no form of self-expression that makes us feel more vulnerable than dancing. It is full body vulnerability”
In Brene Brown’s 10 guideposts for wholehearted living, #10 is: “Cultivating Laughter, Song and Dance: Letting go of Being Cool and ‘Always in Control.’” For many people, dancing requires the willingness to be vulnerable. According to Brown, “vulnerability is the birthplace of connection and the path to the feeling of worthiness.” Ironically, we must let go of what we think will make others like us in order for them to actually like us.
Whenever people find out I’m a dancer, the first thing they say is “well remind me to never dance in front of you! You’d think I was a terrible dancer.” The truth is it brings me an immense amount of joy to see others dancing, no matter their skill level (even more so when they are bad because I know they had a taller fear hurdle to get over). Most of my favorite memories involve communal dancing- surrounded by all my loved ones dancing at my wedding, crammed into a small dorm room, post-Pride clubbing, go-go dancing above a crowded night club, or even impromptu dance parties with my puppy.
Dancing offers us a way to transcend our individuality and merge into a larger community. It’s a universal language found in every culture and across every time period. It requires letting go of inhibitions and embodying the moment. So in the pursuit of happiness, here is a playlist I started of songs I can’t help but dance along to when it comes on:
Eeee this Season 2 announcement is everything!