Martial Arts is Dance

I wrote this on April 25th, and just left it as a draft, because it was obviously so cranky.  But today I like it so hopefully you will too---

There is a weird puritanical machismo anti-theatrical fear of freedom status quo which tends to belittle dance in many of the worlds inferior societies.  Perhaps some readers will think me chauvinistic in my pro-dance views, but in my opinion any aspect of a society which suppresses movement expression is barbaric.  

A new study now suggests that dementia may be caused by not enough dancing, which could perhaps explain the link between the suppression of dance and lack of intelligence in a given society.  The study compares all sorts of mental and physical activities and clearly shows that among a wide range of physical activities none of them does anything for you except dance, which also out performed all other intellectual and mental activities in suppressing dementia. Read about it here.  And look at the data here: New England Journal of Medicine.

Throwdown MMA Cage Bed!So, as I have always said, the more dance you can put in your martial arts, the better.  I'm particularly saddened by simplified forms and styles of teaching which kill off the natural polyrhythms in Tai Chi, Xinyi, and Bagua.  

Meanwhile...if you want to pump up your martial arts lifestyle there is this great Laundry/Punching bag you can hit.  And sword book-ends.  If you are still wearing 20th Century shoes you must have been in a 9 year solo retreat because the whole shoe thing has like blown up in all sorts of cool ways.  Check out these puppies!

Oh, I must apologize.  I have a bit of angst today.  I am seriously considering getting this bed!