South African trance dancing existed way before the beaches of Goa

South African trance dancing, as we know it, may only be a 25-year old scene but the real trance dancers on the Southern tip of our continent existed way before that.

Photo of a huge Rock Painting — Looks to me like there was a bit of a party happening.

The concept of being in an altered state of trance benefits your health and well-being.”

That’s why when I saw this meme, it made me laugh, because it is true.

It began in Africa!

Many, many moons ago, the San Bushman tribes roamed Southern Africa and left behind rock art and traditions all centred on the “Power of Trance”.

I didn’t believe it at first, so my close friend Bruce (DJ) and I went to the local museum of natural history in Cape Town, to see for ourselves, that South African trance dancing has existed from as early as the beginning of human kind.

I was very surprised to see the rock art that had been painted 1000’s of years ago, now preserved in glass boxes for modern man to view, actually showing the concept of Trance Dancing.

In a nut shell the bushman believed that by dancing in repetitive steps, to the rhythm of a song, would elevate one’s being, and through trance dancing one would reach altered state of being, where one would die and be reborn.

Rock Engraving of altered state of beng through trance dancing.

Trance dancing would be part of healing rituals and praying for rain. I am fascinated by the expression of these bushman artists; some of the images show a man growing extra limbs. This was to express how one can almost grow an extra limb from dancing at a fast speed.

The other showed how one would move into an altered state from trancing and be elevated into different realms within oneself, it’s amazing how they expressed this through the rock art, which has stood the test of time.

South African Trance dancing, a natural progression

DJ Bruce and Myself cruising the museum

It’s very interesting to think that the reason Trance dancing comes so naturally to us, because it is a part of us and the power of trance existed in early man.

The concept of being in an altered state of trance benefits your health and well-being.

There is actual proof in a museum box that Trance is Powerful, it isn’t just a silly rave in the bush, and it is actually a method we as modern human beings use to get back to our roots.

I have always known that dancing is one of the most important forms of expression us humans have to stay connected in this crazy world. I’m sure those other forms of early man, such as the Incas or the Mayans, also have records of the concept of the healing expression of trance dancing. But seeing I’m from Africa, I will focus on the bushman.

The healing powers of trance is what we should all be focusing on, and let’s not forget that.

It is so important for us to find a moment to dance with freedom and love, forgetting about our problems and letting go of the ego!

What does it mean, to let go of the ego?

The ego of man, is the problem of this world, the idea that we are better than the guy next to us, and that in essence is the opposite for why we trance dance.

How did we get here?

Rock painting of trance dancing

Standing on the dance floor talking so much BS, not even paying attention to the music, since when did a bass drop or ‘Sunday-funday’ be the focus of today’s trance dancing?

If there is anything that early man can teach us, it is the power of trance!

What if we rather focus on connecting to the world’s energy through dancing, how fulfilled you would be on a Monday, instead of looking like a piece of road kill.

Perhaps we would be filled with powerful energy, and ready for the week’s work and adventure ahead.

I think we should take advice from our bushman friends, and let go of the ego and trance dance!

South African trance dancing would then be next level!!!

South African trance dancing existed way before the beaches of Goa