“I’m Not a Dancer, I’m a Mover”

Over the past few years, the term mover has gained popularity amongst the musical theatre crowd that can act and sing… but maybe aren’t the best dancers. “Mover” is a term for someone who is comfortable in their body, moving around onstage… but can vary a lot beyond that. A “mover” can be someone with strong physical comedy skills or someone who is pretty good at dancing, but maybe can’t do a pirouette or even just a person who is emotive and has a lot of energy.

Essentially, “mover” is a term that was created to box ourselves in, to tell people on our resumes: “I’m not awkward, I’m just not an amazing dancer”… whatever that means.

The musical theatre canon is vast, and as such, commands a vast array of skills. While there are certainly Broadway shows that need a large cast of highly skilled chorus dancers, that definitely isn’t the case for all musicals… not even for all Broadway shows! The skills and abilities that certain shows call for can’t delineate how good of a dancer someone is.

For example, the most recent US tour of Love Never Dies had a bit where a character was required to jump from his knees to his feet… that is really hard! If you can’t do that are you a bad dancer? No. Everyone is capable of doing different things with their bodies.

Dance is a beautiful, freeing art form. Everyone has the right to take part in the art of dance, everybody deserves to have their body feel liberated and overjoyed… it just looks different on everyone. If a person can move, they can dance; if they can act and sing, they can be in musicals. Sure, some people are more graceful or flexible than others… but is there a specific cut-off when a “dancer” becomes a “mover”?

Where is the line? If the difference between a “dancer” and “mover” is a triple versus double pirouette, or the ability to do a cartwheel… what if the dancer injures themself and can no longer meet the requirements to consider themselves a dancer? Is that “dancer” then relegated to the title of a “mover”?

I often hear people call themselves “movers” with a slight blush on their faces as if they’re apologizing for their bodies. Dance classes and dance calls are incredibly vulnerable environments— a person walks into movements that feel normal in another person’s body (the choreography), wearing tight, revealing clothing, moving in ways that their body might not naturally move. If a person can’t bend a certain way for a stretch in a class, or do a certain move in a dance call, there is nothing wrong with that person… it is just their body’s physical limitations.

Unfortunately, some people have been conditioned to think that something is wrong with them. There are many supportive, wonderful schools to learn dance and brilliant choreographers who make their dance calls and rehearsal rooms, healthy, happy, and safe spaces. But, there are also unsafe environments for learning dance, where people become very self-conscious of the bodies they live in and become obsessed with the idea of physical imperfection.

While a lot of the behind-the-scenes drama on Dance Moms is staged, the toxicity in the classroom environment does exist and can make lasting impacts on people in the way they view themselves— as a dancer, and just as a human.  Some of these people might be amazing dancers, can learn choreography at the drop of a hat, never miss a beat… but because their body isn’t built for a certain twist, or the choreography doesn’t look the same on them as it does on everybody else, they think that they can’t consider themselves a dancer. But, bodies are different, they can’t all do the same thing, and there’s nothing “wrong” with any of them.

That being said, if you’re physically able to work towards the flexibility or strength for certain physical tricks and choreography, you can condition yourself to work towards that goal… and that’s awesome! But, as you are, you are enough. Dancers don’t look a certain way, and they’re not limited to certain types of choreography.

Yes, there’s a difference between a drunk person going on the dance floor at a club and a professional ballet dancer… but, if you feel you’re a dancer, identify as a dancer! You’ve taken four years of dance classes?  You’ve been Dance Captain on your last three shows? You’re amazing at modern dance, but have no idea what you’re doing when it comes to tap, ballet, or jazz? Awesome, dancer you are! Don’t let any credentials or petty expectations hold you back from that.

If you identify as a “mover”, that’s beautiful, too… but don’t use it as an apology. For many actors, “mover” is a good way to express strength in physicality, especially for people who don’t perform in musicals. But, whatever you identify as, wear it loud and proud. You are a performer, someone who bears acts of bravery.

You put your heart and soul on stage and don’t care who sees. So, “movers” of the world… let’s not just move the world, let’s shake it!