Atheism and dance

"Jewish Dance" Alexandr Onishenko, 1999 Judaism has a long tradition of Jewish dancing. For example, dancing is a major part of Jewish weddings.

Many religions and cultures have religious dances that people take part in. For example, Wikipedia, a wiki founded by an atheist and an agnostic, has an article entitled "List of Christian dance, electronic, and techno artists".[1] Wikipedia has no articles which focus on atheist dance.

In addition, dance is deeply a part of African life. According to the book African Dance, "Dance is the soul of Africa".[2] Africa has one of the lowest rates of atheism and nones in the world.[3] See also: Western atheism and race

Western World atheism has no tradition of dancing (See also: Atheism and culture).

Andrew Brown wrote in The Guardian in an article entitled You can't dance to atheism :

“  |  ...a religion is a philosophy that makes you dance. It pleased me because the book itself can be read as a history of how philosophy grew from dance...

There aren't any overwhelming and inspiring collective atheist rituals...

If I'm right, then liberal, individualistic atheism is impossible as an organising principle of society because any doctrine that actually works to hold society together is indistinguishable from a religion. It needs its rituals.[4]

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As far as nontheistic Buddism, an article entitled A Rare Day of Buddhist Dances declares:

“  |  As Buddhism grew and spread from India, its views and practices absorbed, rather than annihilated, the cultural heritage of its host countries, including traditions traditions of dance and movement. Most of the dances are therefore, very old, or at least have very old elements contained within them. Buddhism emphasizes meditation...[5] |  ”

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## Contents

* 1 Ron Prescott Reagan
* 2 Atheist Penn Jillette's poor dance performance on the show Dancing with the Stars
* 3 Fed Astaire on his religious faith
* 4 Atheism and disco music
* 5 See also
* 6 Notes

## Ron Prescott Reagan[edit]

The atheist Ronald Prescott Reagan was a talented dancer who joined the Joffrey ballet. Despite being talented in dance, he has not come up with a single atheist dance form.

See also: Atheist music

Ronald Prescott Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan, is an atheist.[6] He dropped out of Yale University to pursue being a ballet dancer.[7] He joined the Joffrey Ballet.

Time magazine noted: "It is widely known that Ron's parents have not managed to see a single ballet performance of their son, who is clearly very good, having been selected to the Joffrey second company, and is their son nonetheless. Ron talks of his parents with much affection. But these absences are strange and go back a ways." Ronald and Nancy Reagan went to see their son dance at the Lisner Auditorium on Monday, May 18, 1981. The elder Reagan commented in his White House diary that his son Ron's performance reminded him of Fred Astaire.[8]

Despite being a talented dancer, Ronald Prescott Reagan has not come up with a single atheist dance form.

## Atheist Penn Jillette's poor dance performance on the show Dancing with the Stars[edit]

The atheist Penn Jillette appeared on the television show Dancing with the Stars. At the time, Jillette was overweight (See also: Atheism and obesity). In his performance Jillette performed the dance move the "walrus slide". A video of an overweight Jillette doing a walrus slide can be seen HERE. One of the dancing judges said that Jillette, who performed the cha cha cha with his partner, was very heavy on his feet.[9]

## Fed Astaire on his religious faith[edit]

Fred Astaire wrote: "I find great comfort in that magnificent church in the midst of the hurly-burly of the city. I think of everything there–my life, my work, the hidden meaning of the good and bad things that have happened to me. I come out spiritually refreshed. It often helps me to go on.[10]

## Atheism and disco music[edit]

See: Atheism and disco music

## See also[edit]

* Atheism and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence
* Atheism and inspiration
* Argument from beauty
* Atheist art
* Atheism and architecture
* Atheist films
* Atheist poetry

## Notes[edit]

1. ↑ List of Christian dance, electronic, and techno artists - Wikipedia
2. ↑ Kariamu Welsh; Elizabeth A. Hanley; Jacques D'Amboise (1 January 2010). African Dance, page 7, Infobase Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60413-477-3
3. ↑ Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. "The Global Religious Landscape". Retrieved December 18, 2012.
4. ↑ You can't dance to atheism by Andrew Brown
5. ↑ A Rare Day of Buddhist Dances
6. ↑ "20 Questions: Ron Reagan", by Betsy Rothstein, The Hill, September 24, 2008.
7. ↑ "20 Questions: Ron Reagan", by Betsy Rothstein, The Hill, September 24, 2008.
8. ↑ White House Diary: May 18, 1981, reaganlibrary.com; accessed September 2, 2014.
9. ↑ Penn Jillette dancing the cha cha cha
10. ↑ The religion and political views of Fred Astaire