We Can All Sing: We have rhythm in our blood

Of course you can sing! You breathe. That takes rhythm.

Your heart, your respiratory system, your very existence has a regular beat.

A baby is placed in your arms: you wiggle, jiggle and giggle, and sway and rock, and hum and sing too!

Pay attention and see babies move their bodies to music even before they can walk. 

Listen to babbling. Before they can speak, babies start to sing little melodies. School children sing together all the time. We love to hear our children sing.

You walk: one-two, it becomes a march. The tempo might be irregular, poco accelerando and then poco ritardando, when you see something interesting ahead. Put some music on and you'll be walking in time to it. Jogging with music, running with music, you're dancing. You dance, you musical being, you.

You’re not a capital D Dancer, but you can dance. Don't even think about opera stars, pop stars, and people in costumes with stage makeup competing for prizes or earning a living performing! They are capital S singers, but you too can sing. You sing.

You speak. You speak and you don't stop speaking because you're not a Speaker who puts on a suit and stage makeup and charges hundreds of dollars for people to listen to them. You didn't stop arguing with people because your debate team didn't win. You didn't even join the debate club, did you? You enjoy debating about movies and music, what's the best, who's the best, right?

Don't stop singing. If you stopped, then start up again. Sing to your babies; sing to your parents; sing to your lovers. Do it in the kitchen, in the living room, anywhere. Just do it. Just sing. 

Put on some music. Start in the car by yourself, then sing while you’re cooking. Start by singing along with the la-la and na-na parts, or just sing the chorus. Hum (humming is good for you too), then ba-ba-ba the melody, and then locate the lyrics. Sing along with the stars, and maybe add some dance moves, even just some expressive gestures (especially if you’re in the car). It feels so good!

Sing like nobody's watching. Or, go out and sing along with the band. Maybe your friends will sing along too! Facilitate the singing of others. Let everyone sing. Sing and dance on the dance floor. Let them all watch; maybe they'll be braver because you were brave. 

Singing is good for your body and good for your soul and good for relationships, families, and communities; the whole world should sing.

Don't let people tell people they can't sing, please. 

As a choir conductor, I facilitate others' singing. It feels good.

We Can All Dance: We have rhythm in our blood

Of course you can dance! You breathe. That takes rhythm.

Your heart, your respiratory system, your very existence has a regular beat.

A baby is placed in your arms: you wiggle and giggle and sway and rock, and hum and sing too!

Pay attention and see babies move their bodies to music even before they can walk. 

You walk: one-two, it becomes a march. The tempo might be irregular, poco accelerando and then poco ritardando, when you see something interesting ahead. Put some music on and you'll be walking in time to it. Jogging with music, running with music, you're dancing. You dance.

Don't even think about ballerinas and people in costumes with stage makeup competing for prizes or earning a living performing! They are capital D Dancers, but you too can dance. You dance.

You speak. You speak and you don't stop speaking because you're not a Speaker who puts on a suit and stage makeup and charges hundreds of dollars for people to listen to them. You didn't stop arguing with people because your debate team didn't win. You didn't even join the debate club, did you? You enjoy debating about movies and music, what's the best, who's the best, right?

Don't stop dancing. If you stopped, then start up again. Do it in the kitchen, in the living room, anywhere. Just do it. Just dance. 

Put on some music. Turn off the lights so you feel less shy. (Would it help if you put on some makeup, some dance clothes?) Start by marching, skip around a little. Move your head, shoulders, arms, rock the baby, jiggle and wiggle. You can dance. Move what you have; move what you can. It feels so good!

Dance like nobody's watching. Or, go out and dance in front of the band. Let them all watch; maybe they'll be braver because you were brave. Facilitate the dancing of others. Let everyone dance. 

Dancing is good for your body and good for your soul and good for relationships, families, and communities; the whole world should dance.

Don't let people tell people they can't dance, please. 

Me dancing with a Minion at a Town event 2017