Love To Dance – Dance To Love

I love seeing people dance. My mum, grandparents and great grandparents were dancing teachers and the house I grew up in was adjacent to my grandfather’s ballroom dancing school, so having literally grown up surrounded by dancers, I guess it is part of my heritage.

But this article isn’t about my family history, it’s about how that creative spark in one person has the capacity to change the world.

My grandad was passionate about dancing, I remember the sparkle in his eyes when he was dancing and how even with his big feet and heavy build he appeared to be as light as a ballerina when he danced. As his dancing partner, I would feel like the queen of the dance floor. He was tremendously skilled at leading people so steps I had not yet learned just came naturally under his guidance. He also used to love ad-libbing by adding a few extra moves of his own between the more formal steps.

In my late teens and early twenties, I found my own rhythm in the nightclubs of Manchester where I grew up. As well as going with friends, I would often go alone just to lose myself on the dance floor. As a parent, I spent many years enjoying the experience of seeing my son lose himself to the beat of his favourite music and seeing that same sparkle as my Grandad’s in his eyes was delightful.

So today, when my husband casually showed me video of a group of Nuns dancing in formation it caught my attention and, as often happens, one thing led to another and before I knew it I was deep into researching a social media trend that has groups of people all over the world joining in the Jerusalema Dance Challenge.

The 2019 South African song, Jerusalema was born in a beat created by musician and producer Master KG and developed in collaboration with gospel singer Nomcebo Zikode with the intention that it would have a strong spiritual message. Whether it was intentional or not I do not know, but because the city of Jerusalem is significant to several religious faiths it is easy to see how the lyrics to this song could touch the hearts of so many people across the globe.

Lyrics to Jerusalema

Jerusalema ikhaya lami (Jerusalem is my home)
Ngilondoloze, uhambe nami (Save me, and walk with me)
Zungangishiyi lana (Do not leave me here) (Repeat)

Ndawo yami, ayikho lana (My place, is not here)
Mbuso wami, awukho lana (My kingdom, is not here)
Ngilondoloze, uhambe nami (Preserve me, and go with me) (Repeat)

Ngilondoloze (Save me)
Ngilondoloze (Preserve me)
Ngilondoloze (Guard me)
Zungangishiyi lana (Do not leave me here) (Repeat)

Ndawo yami, ayikho lana (My place, is not here)
Mbuso wami, awukho lana (My kingdom, is not here)
Ngilondoloze, uhambe nami (Save me, and walk with me) (Repeat)

Jerusalema ikhaya lami (Jerusalem is my home)
Ngilondoloze, uhambe nami (Preserve me, and go with me)
Zungangishiyi lana (Do not leave me here) (Repeat)

Ngilondoloze (Save me)
Ngilondoloze (Preserve me)
Ngilondoloze (Guard me)
Zungangishiyi lana (Do not leave me here) (Repeat)