Music and Movement

One thing is always the result of another. This is true for music and movement. Music (sound) is heard because of the movement of objects that produce vibrations. In the same way, movement is the result of responding to the music/sounds that we hear.

I hear/feel sounds everywhere, every time. Even when I’m asleep, my ears never stop hearing sounds. Even if I try to cover my ears with my hands, I could hear the sound of blood rushing through my veins. (Which is like a drone by the way. The heart on the other hand is the like a drum beat.) For me, these sounds are organized in such a timely fashion that I consider it music. (Music such that music is the organization of sound and silence.) I believe that subconsciously, my body responds to that music. Sometimes, I wonder why all of a sudden I tap a certain rhythm. Then I would realize that I’m tapping the rhythm in response to the footsteps I hear.

Another example of music and movement is my heartbeat. Its purpose is not just to pump blood throughout the body but also to give us a steady rhythm. This pulse that we unconsciously hear contributes to movements such as walking, breathing, etc. The steady thumping is like a drumbeat that harmonizes our movements with the music of Mother Nature.

Okay, maybe I went too overboard and too cheesy with my statements about sound and movement. I might’ve just been thinking too much. Let’s try this again. Let's start off when I was a small child.

I used to dance to whichever music I hear. I remember one time, I was dancing to the music while walking down the stairs. Ofcourse my body wasn't well-coordinated enough that I fell down the stairs. That happened twice. That's the reason why I have this big bump on my forehead.

In elementary, during school celebrations, we always prepared productions that would include singing, dancing and acting. In high school, the most popular group projects were theatrical presentations. Never did I see a presentation without music. Yes, we always had background music. The idea to this is to add effect on the movements of the characters and to set the atmosphere.

Another instance is: whenever I play the piano, I move my fingers to strike the key and produce sound. Listening to the music is pleasing. But looking at the motion of my fingers, along with the simple body movements I do in reaction to the sounds I hear, adds to the beauty of the art. It’s almost like a theatrical performance too. The movement contributes to the music and vice versa.

Also, when I’m listening to people playing music, I sometimes tap/conduct to the beat of the music. When I feel like it, I sway my head to the phrases. Or, when I listen to rock or pop music, I freely bang my head or stomp my feet. I even pretend sometimes that I’m a rock singer and do some funky moves.

With all these situations and experiences I’ve written, I believe that there is a great correlation between music and movement. Without music, there is no movement. And without movement, there is no music.