Thinking Body, Dancing Mind or the Opposite?

On August 20th I posted a picture from our latest show performance with my dance partner on facebook with a caption “Dancing mind, thinking body.” The intention wasn’t to call it with the title of the book “Thinking Body, Dancing Mind” by Chunglian Al Huang, a renowned sports psychologist and T’ai Chi master, but rather to state the feeling and the mood of the picture. Within minutes of posting, one of the well known and much loved coaches and adjudicators in our industry commented: “It is “Thinking Body, Dancing Mind” (the order is important! Because only if your body thinks for you, then your mind would be absolutely free to Dance!”
After reading the comment, I first found myself absolutely agreeing with him as well as the author of the book. But only seconds later I thought to myself: “Why? Yes, it rhymes better in that order and it definitely works but isn’t the opposite order possible?”
With that in mind I came to the studio ready to start teaching, as my first student, Peter Shaw Tran walked in with his mother. Peter is a non-verbal Autistic teenager with Dyspraxia who types to communicate. As we sat on the lobby bench to give him time to settle and get ready to dance, I decided to ask him what he thought about it. “Is the opposite also possible?”
Only after seconds of avoiding the keyboard held by his mom, Peter started typing with his right index finger without much interruption or pause, with a certain flow that a lot of times is very hard for him due to his dyspraxia. So here is his response:
“I think the mind and body are connected not only one way but for some dance naturally flows from the soul, others must think through each step. Also the body gives the mind information and feedback to process and think about and form concepts. The mind of course dances. Thoughts move and flow in steps, rhythms and themes. Both “are possible” When developing, a baby forms concepts through sensory-motor experience according to Piaget. But adults can become Paraplegic and their minds still dance.”

Hence all depends on individual ability and circumstance and there isn’t only one truth.