Episode 09 - Astrology for Dancers

Episode Summary:

In episode nine of the Spiritual Dance Podcast, Carla shares her methods for integrating astrology into her dance and movement practices. She provides an overview of the 4 main areas that determine the unique energy of each of the zodiac signs and how we can perceive that energy while watching a body in motion. Carla also shares her four-step method for embodying celestial archetypes.

Episode Transcript:

Welcome to the Spiritual Dance Podcast. A virtual space for creative souls discovering how to move in sync with the rhythm of spirit. I’m your host Carla White Crowe, also known as The Dancing Oracle. In this podcast, I share openly about my journey of weaving together my two primary passions - spirituality and dance. My intention is to encourage and inspire spiritual seekers in pursuit of a more embodied form of spirituality as well as provide insight and tools for those seeking to expand their creative edges in service to the world of spirit. 

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Spiritual Dance Podcast. In this episode, I’m going to share some more in-depth information about how dancers can incorporate astrology into their craft. My previous episode titled “Cosmic Choreography” was somewhat of an introduction to this idea. But after recording that, I felt like I had barely scratched the surface on the ways that astrology and dance can overlap. So in this episode, I’m breaking down some of the larger astrological concepts and sharing ideas for how those things can be incorporated into dance both as a craft and a creative process. 

Astrology is an incredibly detailed and nuanced area of study. Interacting with Astrology is often thought of as a passive practice, one where students are learning information to broaden their understanding of themselves and the world they inhabit. But it is also a tool for self-empowerment. We can utilize astrological wisdom to create change in our lives and to step confidently into the driver’s seat on our individual journeys.

At its core, Astrology is a language - one that speaks to the movement and positions of varying celestial bodies and how those things impact us on a personal and collective level here on earth. I happen to really love the vast well of information and perspectives it can offer us and have benefited greatly by incorporating astrological ideas and concepts into my dance and movement practices.

Dance is so much more than learning technique and performing choreography. It too is a language of movement and positions which can provide increased insight into our internal and external experiences. Dance is a vehicle for understanding our physical bodies and how the movement we engage in can impact our lives as well as the people, places, and things we encounter. When we begin to understand all of the layers that make up the shapes and motions we can create with our bodies we have an opportunity to cultivate an enhanced artistic experience and find deeper clarity in the ways we communicate with movement. 

Let’s take a look at the four ways astrology can provide a framework for learning and working with kinetic energy… 

1.) The Four Elements

The first way is through the 4 elements. The elements are a form of energy that can be seen in various movement qualities and tendencies. We can look at things like shapes, levels, and areas of the body being activated to identify which element is being expressed by the dancer. I spoke about the elements in depth back in episode six, in the episode titled “Elemental Dance Magick” - I’m not gonna go into too much detail here. But to recap…

• Earth energy moves slow, steady, regimented, and in a structured manner expressing concise shapes and clear boundaries. This movement is often expressed on or near the floor.
• Water energy moves gracefully, intuitively, and in a fluid, cyclical manner - expressing emotion and exhibiting a sensitivity to the inner workings of the soul as well as the unseen realm. There is often a focus on the hips and circular shapes that are kept close to the body.
• Fire energy moves quickly in a bold and confident manner displaying power, strength, and determination to express will. This movement longs to assert boundaries and take up space.
• Air energy travels freely creating detailed and expressive gestures that communicate information or tell a story. There’s often an emphasis of the arms and hands and a full exploration of space especially near or above the head. 

 2.) Polarity 

Polarity is the second area we can work with. Polarity is the charge (+/-) that determines the manner in which the dancer is experiencing or directing energy.

A YIN polarity is connected to Earth and Water signs and represents our need for security. A YANG Polarity is connected to Fire and Air signs and represents our need for freedom. 

• The Yin (-) signs are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces. They display a receptive flow of energy that is lunar (or feminine) in nature. A dancer moving with this energy would have an internal focus, movements would tend to flow inward, and shapes and sequences would be expressed close to their body. They are motivated by what they are experiencing on the inside of themselves. Yin movement descends and contracts and is often done on or near the floor with little to no travel throughout space. 
• The Yang (+) signs are Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius. They display an outward flow of energy that is solar (or masculine) in nature. A dancer moving with this energy would have an external focus, movements would tend to be shared with someone or something else, and their motivation would come from interacting with the world around them. Shapes and sequences would be expansive and travel throughout space.

So how can you work with this concept? Well, if I had an abundance of Yin energy in my natal chart, I might want to get in the habit of embodying the qualities of the Yang signs regularly to help cultivate balance in my life and vice versa.

You can also look at polarity as expressed through the houses and signs. The 12 zodiac signs are split in half into the categories of Yin and Yang creating six pairs of signs that deal with oppositional themes and topics. The Aries-Libra axis deals with topics of how you relate to yourself (Aries) and how you relate to others (Libra). The Cancer-Capricorn axis deals with issues of home/family - your private self (Cancer) and your contribution to society or your public self (Capricorn). Not one sign is better than the other. We need both ends of those spectrums to cultivate harmony in our lives. 

Opposition can create an opportunity for harmony. Say, for example, you have an abundance of energy in a particular sign or house in your natal chart, or perhaps there’s a transit activating a specific placement or sector of your chart. The concentration of a particular energy can be incredibly beneficial to help you accomplish or work through something. But sometimes we can feel stuck or overwhelmed by that energy. In that case, you could choose to empower yourself to get back on track by looking to the opposing sign or house for clues on how to rebalance your energy. 

For example, my Sagittarius ascendant gives me an abundance of fiery and expansive energy and I often view life in terms of big-picture visions and ideas. But I need the detailed and meticulous energy of Gemini to communicate those ideas well and speak them into existence. This is why the majority of my movement practice is connected to the element of AIR, it helps me to clarify my ideas and extract actionable items I can use to work mindfully towards my dreams.

But I also have a Libra stellium, giving me an overabundance of air energy which often manifests as me being too stuck in my head to take action. And because it’s in my 11th house of friends and large groups/associations, I tend to give too much energy to other people or groups I’m a part of, neglecting my own creative projects and passions. So I have been working (especially this year) on connecting to the energy of Aries (which is the sign of my 5th house - the house opposite my 11th house) to fuel the things I want to birth into this world. Aries is a fire sign, so I try to incorporate movement that is bold and expansive, and if possible, dance with or in front of a flame. I also feel super motivated when I dance with my red scarf or ribbons because the color activates my will and desire, motivating me to take action.

Another way we could work with polarity is by looking at the shadow side of a particular sign or planet. Taurus is a sign of love and beauty, but has a tendency to be stubborn and overindulge. Saturn can be a harsh teacher, making us repeat the lesson until we get it right. But when we apply that level of determination and integrity to our craft, we build a solid foundation that serves us well for years to come.

As a choreographer - opposition is a valuable tool that creates visual intrigue. You could create some really cool pieces inspired by the different polarities in the zodiac. For example, the Taurus-Scorpio axis reveals how our inner shadows can influence our values and where or how we invest our material resources. The Virgo-Pisces axis could tell a story of creating form and order from chaos by establishing boundaries and routines. I’m not hating on Pisces, we all have Pisces somewhere in our chart - but without the grounded energy of Virgo, it’s easy to get swept out to sea. As a Virgo sun and north node with my south node in Pisces - this particular lesson is one I’ve been working on my whole life. And I think those concepts could be visually intriguing when expressed through movement.

 3.) Modality

The third area is modality. The modalities help us to understand the type of energy being expressed. Each of the 12 zodiac signs can be broken down into three categories of movement. Those 3 categories are Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. 

• The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. They INITIATE movement - they are generators of energy who go after what’s important to them. Cardinal movement is an expression of presence - an energetic statement that says “SEE me, FEEL me”
• The fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. They SUSTAIN movement - they preserve or finish what has already begun. Fixed movement involves repetition and allowing a theme to come full circle, bringing forth a conclusion. This is often seen in performances that tell a story.
• The mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. These signs CHANGE movement - distributing energy in the realm of their polarity. This movement is curious and explorative. We may go on a journey with a dancer as they explore an idea, feeling, or a realm. This type of movement can inspire us to ponder a new perspective or explore a new direction, but there’s typically not a destination or a concrete point being made. 

Working with the modalities is kind of like working with the elements. What are you looking to accomplish? Do you want to make a statement? Then you can tap into the cardinal signs to share your point of view. Do you need to find an innovative solution? Then dance with the mutable signs to explore all the possibilities available to you. 

4.) Orientation 

The last area is orientation. The orientation of a sign points to the stage of energy so we can understand the dancer’s motivation and how they are approaching the world in which they find themselves in. The three astrological orientations are: personal, interpersonal, and transpersonal. 

• The first four signs of the zodiac are of a personal nature. Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer energies move in a manner that expresses something about themselves. I view Jazz and Tap dance as styles that display a personal orientation because of their assertive qualities.
• The next four signs are interpersonal. Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio express a longing to form a connection with someone or something that they’ve encountered along their journey. Ballet and Contemporary are two styles that I feel are very interpersonal in nature, especially when there is a focus on partnering. 
• The last four signs are transpersonal. Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces are concerned with the bigger picture, exploring concepts and philosophies that have a deeper meaning and impact the collective as a whole. Modern dance feels very transpersonal to me as do many cultural and spiritual dance forms.  

Also, please note that the style designations I made above are not black and white - you would want to take in several other perspectives before classifying any type of dance or movement style. Take hip-hop for example, it would be easy to classify that as a personal expression of energy. However, a hip-hop dance battle would be better classified as interpersonal because of the energetic exchange happening. I’ve also witnessed some powerful hip-hop productions sharing the cultural history or tackling issues of injustice which would be a transpersonal expression of energy. The point is not to classify a particular genre correctly, but rather to get yourself thinking about different ways of perceiving dance and movement styles.

Putting it all Together

So let’s put this all together. To give you an example of how I would perceive a dance move using these four concepts, let’s imagine a dancer performing a leap. Here are the classifications I would make for that particular move:

• ELEMENT: a leap is a quick and powerful movement that expands your energy and displays determination, so I would put that in the category of the FIRE element.
• POLARITY: leaps also carry the body to another point in space, so energy is moving away from the body meaning it’s a YANG expression of energy.
• MODALITY: there are usually a few steps done before executing a leap, therefore the leap completes the action that has already begun making it a FIXED type of energy.
• ORIENTATION: I think that leaps could be seen as an INTERPERSONAL expression if you're trying to get to someone or something outside of yourself.
• ZODIAC STYLE: And lastly, based on all of those findings, I would say this is a great move to work with when you want to embody the energy of LEO.

So those four things I just discussed - element, polarity, modality, and orientation - are ways of looking at an astrology chart to discern the energy present or applying to a person, place, or situation. We can use that same lens for viewing and analyzing movement and we can also use that information to create movement that can support us on our spiritual journey. Additionally, if you are a choreographer, this practice can help you add more depth and meaning to the art you create.

Everything I’ve discussed thus far is just one way of combining astrology with your dance practices. 

Celestial Archetypes

Another method would be working with celestial archetypes. In astrology, we have planetary archetypes, zodiacal archetypes, and stellar archetypes (such as fixed stars). We can draw wisdom from these universal symbols and also embody them to attract the energy and themes they represent.

When we work with these archetypes in dance, there are four steps that I recommend for learning to move with them:

1. The first step is to embrace the purpose. Ask yourself “What is the role of this celestial body in my life?” 
2. The second step is to align with the energy. To do that we look at all the things we discussed earlier (element, polarity, modality, and orientation) in order to understand why and how the energy of a particular celestial archetype moves. 
3. The third step is to engage the body - this involves digging a little deeper into the information from step two to decide things like quality, tempo, levels, use of space, and specific body parts to emphasize as we begin to move our bodies.
4. Finally, in step four, we express the themes. This is where we narrow down our focus and translate the information we’ve gathered into a kinetic expression. We can also incorporate emotion and artistry to help share our ideas or tell a story.

So let me give you a few practical examples of how we would apply these steps. I’m not going to cover all the signs or planets here, but if you’re interested in this topic make sure you check out my book as I will definitely cover all of the planets and zodiac signs.

Let’s look at the planetary archetype of Jupiter:

Jupiter is a planet of luck, growth, and expansion. Its role is to broaden our horizons and connect us to something greater than ourselves. Jupiter’s energy is curious and adaptive - ruling over the mutable signs of Sagittarius and Pisces.

Jupiter is connected to our liver, which is said to be the place of the ethereal soul. It is the part of our body that our Qi (or life force) flows through. Therefore, you might emphasize movement that is initiated by the gut or centered in the lower torso - flowing forth from the connection to the divine within. And then, as far as expressing the themes, Jupiter is very optimistic and spiritual. I would interpret that as the dancer, having a focus outside of themselves perhaps towards the sky, and expressing a pleasant or hopeful disposition.

All of that information could be enough to create an entire piece - something you could work with privately for spiritual growth or perhaps something you could present on a stage to inspire others. 

Now let’s look at the zodiacal archetype of Virgo:

Virgo is a healer who is finely attuned to the details of both the natural and energetic realms. Her mantra is “I analyze” and her role is to help us find order and create a life that is sustainable so that we can become the best version of ourselves. Virgoan energy is mutable, yin/receptive, and interpersonal - she is the water of earth. She also rules the intestines which are responsible for processing our experiences and emotions. 

To embody this archetype I would focus on movement that is low to the ground (perhaps on the knees) - connected to the earth but freely flowing around and close to the body. I would also work with spirals in the mid to lower torso and allow my arms and hands to explore the space around me as a response to the movement in my torso. I would sculpt and shape imaginary earth and pull that into my body, exploring how it makes me feel. And I would approach my surroundings in a methodical manner but also with curiosity - mindful of all the possibilities at my fingertips.

So what I’ve just given you is an example of both a planetary and a zodiacal archetype and how we can express those specific types of energy in an embodied and artistic manner. Again, I go through all the planets and signs in my book on Dance Divination so be sure to check that out.  

I hope this episode has given you some new insight on how studying astrology through the lens of kinetic energy is an incredibly useful tool for both spiritual and technical growth. You can continue to develop these concepts through mindful observation of movement and dance. I would encourage you to watch dance, any dance - you can go on YouTube and search for dance, and then as you watch, try to observe the qualities I've talked about in this episode. You can even take note of them in your own movement and/or choreography. The more you look for astrological energy in that way, the faster you'll be able to detect it. Then you can utilize all that information for yourself by embodying the energy that will best support you as you reach for your goals or pursue the highest and most aligned expression of yourself.

That is everything I have for you this week friends. I will catch you in the next episode.

EPISODE 9 RESOURCES:

• BLOG ARTICLE on Elemental Dance Magick
• MY BOOK on Dance Divination 
• MY ONLINE COURSE on Dance Divination

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