Gratitude - Influences and Origins

Now that we have a fresh new FCBD®U website, we have space for blogs and MORE educational information!

It only felt right for our first article to be about Gratitude. Specifically the series of gestures we practice before each class.

I will never forget the first time I walked into my first FCBD®Style dance class. As soon as my teacher walked us through “puja” or “the prayer” as it was called back then, I knew I had found my home. I had been deeply studying Hinduism at the time, attending the local Hindu temple, and conducting pujas at home. So you can imagine my absolute joy to have walked into a dance class where my instructor was wearing a bindi, mangalsutra, and starting class with a puja.

The series of gestures is inspired by Indian Classical Dance. Before each practice or performance, they offer Namaskar, also known as Darshan, which is a series of gestures that honors and gives thanks to the elements we need as dancers. For instance, the earth, the audience, our gurus (teachers), our ancestors, the music, etc. Each branch of Indian Classical Dance has its own Namaskar. I’ve even seen them for Bollywood dance. Side note: Namaskar might be a familiar word for you. Especially if you’ve attended a yoga class and did Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) or have been greeted with ‘Namaste’. Below is a fun video explaining a little more about Namaste as a general greeting.

But how did Namaskar, make it into FCBD®Style?

For a while, Carolena, the creator of FCBD®Style, took Kathak dance classes. She remembers being in class with Antonia Minnecola and being transfixed by this concept of honoring the elements needed for dance. She didn’t have any intention of adding something like Kathak’s Namaskar to the FCBD® format. But one day, before beginning class, she asked her students to follow her and she guided them through the series of gestures that became known as The Prayer. The traditional versions of Namaskar in Indian Classical dance are much longer, usually to counts and move around the stage. Our version is quite simple in comparison. We do however have an Extended Puja which I’ll cover in an in-depth month-long course later this year.

Here are a few examples of traditional Namaskar:

Kathak Namaskar

Bharatanatyam Namaskar

Within the last ten years, terminology for this series of movements shifted from ‘The Prayer’ to ‘Puja’ to ‘Moving Meditation’, the ‘Gratitude Meditation’ and is now simply called ‘Gratitude’. As the dance style began to grow and reach countries, cultures, and people of various religious beliefs, the concept of beginning class with prayer did not feel inclusive. Gratitude, however; feels like something every dancer can connect with. How grateful and lucky are we to be able to dance? To feel the Earth beneath us, hear or feel the music, have teachers in our lives to guide us, etc.

Beginning class with Gratitude helps me feel more present, grounded, centered and connects me with my dance family around the world. Why do you love to offer Gratitude before dance class?

Want to learn the FCBD®Style Gratitude and the meaning behind each gesture?

Click the image below and take our free class on fcbdu.com