My Journey: From Martial Arts to Dance – A Discovery of Self and Art

It’s been nine years now, and every step I take in this journey feels like a new discovery. Although it began long ago, it still feels fresh, like I’ve only just started. What started as a hobby, a way to unwind, has evolved into something much deeper as I grew older. I spent my days swimming, skating, playing football, practicing Taekwon-Do three times a week, and dancing once a year. Crafting, drawing, and writing poetry always fascinated me, inspiring me in ways I couldn’t resist.

As Taekwon-Do became a central focus in my life, I felt compelled to honor it. I painted the ‘Tenets of Taekwon-Do’ in Korean characters on white cloth, an homage to the discipline that shaped me.

My teacher’s encouragement and support played a crucial role in keeping me motivated. With that backing, my journey into the world of arts truly began, and I’ve never looked back since.

The Martial Artist's Influence on Dance

Practicing Taekwon-Do has helped me understand the art in a deeper, more nuanced way. Over time, I realized martial arts is about more than just combat; it’s fluid acrobatic play, strategic feints, and an extensive array of sweeps and kicks. Martial arts also teach the importance of conditioning the body to withstand an attack, absorbing a punch without showing pain.

This discipline also instilled in me the importance of honing reflexes into precise, calculated responses, rather than random reactions. The seamless blend of offense and defense is what creates the beautiful fluidity in martial arts that almost resembles choreography.

This sense of movement became second nature to me, and when I joined Nritarutya for contemporary dance, the dynamics felt familiar. My martial arts training had prepared me for it in ways I didn’t expect. My first performance with the team was a piece called ‘Kaliyug’, a high-energy theme that felt as intense as martial arts but expressed through music. I loved every second of it. Today, I continue to dance with the team, bringing the same energy and passion.

Martial Arts, Dance, and Spirituality

Through martial arts, I learned the value of patience, discipline, and timing. These lessons weren’t just about combat, but life itself—how to interact with people, how to manage time, and how to stay calm under pressure. Over time, my intuition sharpened, leading me to explore other art forms with the same curiosity.

When I applied martial principles to dance, I began to see movement differently. Dance became a spiritual practice, much like performing a ‘Tul’ (pattern) in martial arts. Immersing myself in music often made me lose track of time and space; the dance became everything in that moment.

The Synergy Between Dance and Martial Arts

Both dance and martial arts have given me a deeper understanding of life, other art forms, and even my fellow performers. They’ve taught me how to channel energy, how to move through space with intention, and most importantly, how to be responsible for my body and my craft.

Dance lets me dream, while martial arts keep me grounded in the present. Together, they’ve allowed me to explore more than I ever imagined. There’s something transformative about mastering an art form and performing it on stage. In those moments, you become one with the dance, and through that, you develop a profound respect for life itself.

I always dreamed of being on stage, and through a strange alignment of intuition and discipline, it has come true. This journey from martial arts to dance has been a unique blend of physical mastery, spiritual awakening, and artistic discovery. And though there are moments of confusion, it’s in these moments that I find the most growth. Life, like both dance and martial arts, is a balance of movement and stillness, of dreams and reality.