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International
Dance Day
By NAOMI FAIK-SIMET
International Dance Day is an annual event celebrated by dance
organizations, dance companies, dance schools, dance professionals
as well as amateurs and individuals. Dance Day has been
established in view of attracting attention to the art of dance,
every year on the 29th of April.
The International Dance Council (Conseil International de la Danse
- CID) is the official umbrella organization for all forms of
dance in all countries of the world. It is a non-governmental
non-profit organization founded in 1973 within the UNESCO
headquarters in Paris, where it is based. It is a worldwide forum
bringing together international, national and local organizations
as well as individuals. It represents the interests of the dance
world at large and consults accordingly governments and
international agencies.
This year's Dance Day is dedicated to the children. The
International Dance Council (CID) UNESCO, together with UNICEF,
the United Nations Children's Fund, fights for measures to give
children the best start in life, because proper education forms
the strongest foundation for a person's future. Caring for
children is the cornerstone of human progress. The primary goal of
this year's dance day is to overcome the obstacles that poverty,
violence, disease and discrimination place in a child's path. This
is advanced through the cause of humanity. Dance is a basic
component of personal and societal development. The CID recommends
quality basic education in dance for all children with an emphasis
on gender equality and eliminating disparities of all kinds. No
child should be left without the opportunity to learn and to
practice dance. Access to the art constitutes a right for every
person and children in particular. This right should be protected,
in order to help meet their basic needs and reach their full
potential. The International Dance Council upholds dance
instruction by qualified teachers at all levels of formal
education, because dance constitutes a strong foundation for a
person's well being.
In PNG today dances are performed by various cultural and
contemporary dance groups for many different occasions. Dance in
the traditional PNG context served very important functions. They
were part of very important events and institutions of society.
There were some dances which were for mere entertainment but a
larger number were associated with these important social and
political activities.
Some dances were associated with sacred rituals and others with
sacred institutions such as secret/sacred masks. Such dances are
governed by a belief system and follows cultural protocols that
protects the use of these dances while other dances are exposed to
exploitation. Some dances are adapted and modified to suit modern
expectations and setting. In whatever situations, dance serves as
an important tool that manifests a deep structure of a society and
communicates this deep structure through the actual dance
performance or just by observation.
This year's International Dance Day is aimed at promoting the art
of dance as an important human and cultural expression amongst
children and young people. Institutions and especially school
children around the world will celebrate this day and at the same
time, value the art of dance as a living tradition that
encapsulates the integral part of a nation's culture, society and
history.
Dance Researcher, Institute of Papua New
Guinea Studies.
 
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