Dance: An Opening

I chose André Derain’s La danse to open my blog because this painting represents the universal force that binds us together and mirrors my passion for movement.

Marking a pivotal moment in the early 1900s Fauvism, this painting broke away from simply reproducing reality and allowed color to express a deeper truth — the truth of emotion. Fauvism shattered naturalism and sought instead to convey a vital, almost cosmic energy.
Here, the canvas is no longer a depiction of the world, but a field of vibrating color, a sensitive pulse.

The feeling of freedom which radiates from this work is very apparent to me, in both its composition and its expressive power. Colors lend a primitive strength to the bodies, and the bond between human beings and nature feels unmistakable here, almost organic.

I discovered the power of movement through years of practicing ballet. It became my refuge, a way to navigate the currents of my emotions. Dancing allowed me to breathe differently, to give shape to what I could not yet put into words. This painting inspires the same sensation—the feeling of being carried by something far greater than oneself, and the quiet surrender to a universal rhythm.

In a world where we drift a little more each day away from our imagination and from nature, this work feels like a vibrant call to return to what is essential.

How can we truly exist and inhabit the world if we don’t embrace the colours of our lives? And how can we live without staying connected to the vital force which aligns us to nature — and to ourselves?