subject: Interesting Guide To The Origins & Practise Of Dance [print this page] Dance has always been a crucial part of human civilisation and by now there is a wealth of different styles which developed in diverse parts of the world. Primarily an art form and means of enjoyment, dancing is also practised as a religious observance in certain cultures.
From seasoned professionals such as choreographer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood to the majority of people who simply love moving to music, the expressions of the body continue to evolve into different styles and genres.
The following guide series will give you a fascinating overview of the history of dance, so you can better appreciate its importance.
Origins of Dance
The history of dance does not lend itself to artefacts, so it is unclear as to exactly when it came into being in its own right. Nevertheless, archaeology finds have revealed evidence of dance depicted in prehistoric times such as the 9,000 year old Bhimbetka rock paintings in India and the 3,300 BC Egyptian tomb paintings.
In European culture, one of the earliest records of dancing is a 3rd - 2nd century BC Greek bronze statuette of a veiled and masked dancer that was uncovered in Alexandria, Egypt. Another prime example is Homers famous Iliad - the dance of the Furies was said to create utter terror among those who witnessed them.
The eminent Greek philosopher Aristotle further ranked dancing in the same category as poetry dancing or rhythm applied to gesture was seen as a system which expressed all the different passions that humanity is capable of.
Sociologists agree that dance has always been an important part of ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment since before the birth of the earliest human civilisations. It has also been suggested that one of the earliest structured uses of dance was to tell storeys and myths, which was a crucial part of humanities ability to understand the world and form a cultural identity.
Furthermore, dance has long been used as an expression of feelings between males and females, as well as to bring about ecstatic trance states during healing rituals such ceremonies are still practised by certain cultures, such as the people of the Brazilian rainforest and the Kalahari Desert.
Evolutionary musicology specialist Joseph Jordania has also put forward the theory that dance, along with rhythmic music and body painting, was part of natural selection at the early stage of human evolution - it put our ancestors into a battle trance, an altered state of consciousness, so that they would act together as a collective identity. This is used as a tool by the military even in contemporary times through marching and the sounding of horns or drumming.
Classification of Dance
Dance, or human movement, is either used as a form of expression or presented in a social, spiritual or performance setting.
It can be classed according to the number of interacting dancers solo, partner and group dance or it can be classed according to purpose:
Competitive
Erotic
Participation (group interaction)
Performance or Concert (created specifically for an audience)
Social dance (primarily partner interaction).
Following from these broad classifications, there is a wealth of different dance styles and genres that have evolved over time - these will be dealt with in separate guides.
Conclusion
From dance experts such as Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood to those of us who either enjoy moving about to music or simply watching a superb performance, the act of dancing gives people from all corners of the globe great pleasure as well as cultural identity.
