martial arts versus dance

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I, a martial artist, was having a conversation with a friend, a ballet instructor, when we began to discuss the similarities of our two hobbies.

Now, their history is intertwined at many points. one example is the Spartans, I believe, whom had a martial art called the Pyrrhic Dance. This was, essentially, a pep rally. It was a display of fighting skills that followed the pattern of a dance, in order to get the fans all charged up about the “home team” going and kicking “visitor” ass.

Capoeira and Capoeila are two martial arts birthed by slaves (one in Africa, one in Brazil – given the similarity of their names and forms I’m certain one came from the other, though I don’t know which) in the guise of a dance, for if the slave masters had caught them learning to fight they would’ve been killed.

Now I, in some ways a stereotypical guy, was quick to say that martial arts were more important because it was a product of survival instinct. One of the baser notions we have.

She, relentlessly questioning everything I say, pointed out that dance is conducive to reproduction, the other base notion we have.

At this point I had to agree that she was correct, and went on to note that martial arts started as a method for surival and have now been reduced to sport and recreation. Dance, on the other hand, tended to be more ritualistic and celebratory than social, until modern times when it’s very integral to finding a mate.

So that’s it. Just a mundane, pointless thing I had to share. I’m slightly bored and I’m running out of people to send emails to with the subject, “Wanna see how hairy I am?”

2

I’ve been in the martial arts for 6 years now, and I think it’s changed my brain. I can’t watch most dance without thinking “Ok, but why?” Most of it seems really pointless. Now sometimes, when it has an obvious plot or is extra-extra beautiful, I can dig dance. But Riverdance? Nope. Not my thing. :smiley:

Gimmie some big, muscled guy kicking the crap out of a bag. That’s the stuff. :slight_smile:

3

Oh, no! Are ballerinas going to come kick my ass now?

4

Little Bird, I just can’t reconcile the difference between your post and your sig. 'Tis hilarious. :slight_smile:

But, as for my prefs between martial arts and dance, I’ll agree with what Anal Scurvy said (you’ll never hear me say that IRL!), and note that there are, in general, a hell of a lot more hot girls dancing than taking martial arts. And they wear much tighter clothes, too.

5

Well, I would have never known about the easy bruising had it not been for the martial arts. I’d come to school the day after class with my arms covered in black and blue. I think the guidance councilers almost called DHS on my parents. :eep:

As far as more hot girls dancing, I guess you’ve never met me before. :smiley: