Dance

dancer in motion by ohka- cc-by-nd-nc

Dance generally refers to human movement used as a form of expression or presented in a social, spiritual or performance setting.

The term Dance is also used to describe methods of non-verbal communication between humans or animals (waggledance, mating dance), motion in inanimate objects (the leaves danced in the wind) and musical forms or genre. People who dance are called dancers and the act of dance is known as dancing. An event where dancing takes place may be called a dance. Choreography is the art of making dances.

Definitions of what constitutes dance are dependent on social, cultural, aesthetic artistic and moral constraints and range from functional movement (Folk dance) to codified, virtuoso techniques such as ballet. In sports, gymnastics, figure skating and synchronized swimming contain dance disciplines while Martial arts 'Kata' are often compared to dances.

see also: Dance (disambiguation)

Table of contents

1 History of dance

2 Dance and music

3 Categories of dance

History of dance

Throughout history, dance has been a part of ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment. It is traceable through Archeological evidence from prehistory to the first examples of written and pictorial documentation from 200 BC. Many contemporary dance forms can be traced back to historical, traditional, ceremonial and ethnic dances.

see also: History of dance

Dance and music

Although dance is often accompanied by music, it can also be presented alone (Postmodern dance) or provide its own accompaniment (tap dance). Dance presented with music may or may not be performed in time to the music depending on the style of dance. Dance performed without music is said to be danced to its own rhythm'.

Categories of dance

Dance can be divided into two main categories that each have several subcategories into which most dance styles can be placed. They are:

Concert dance / Performance dance
- 20th century concert dance
- Competitive dance

Social dance / Participation dance
- Ceremonial dance
- Traditional dance

These categories are not mutually exclusive and are context-dependent; a particular dance style may belong to several categories.

see also: List of dance style categories and List of dances

Dance studies

In the early 1920s dance studies (dance theory, history and practice) began to be considered as a serious academic discipline. Today dance studies are an integral part of many universities' arts and humanities programs. In the early 21st century the recognition of practical knowledge as equal and valid to academic knowledge lead to the emergence of practice-based research and practice as research.

Dance quotes

Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances. — Maya Angelou
I have no desire to prove anything by dancing. I have never used it as an outlet or a means of expressing myself. I just dance. I just put my feet in the air and move them around. — Fred Astaire
A dance is a measured pace, as a verse is a measured speech. — Francis Bacon
Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order. — Samuel Beckett
Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It's the rhythm of your life. Its the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and envy. — Jacques D'Amboise
To dance is to be out of yourself, larger, more powerful, more beautiful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking. — Agnes de Mille
There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good. — Edwin Denby
Dancing: The Highest Intelligence in the Freest Body. — Isadora Duncan
Dance is the hidden language of the soul. — Martha Graham
So you can't dance? Not at all? Not even one step? . . . How can you say that you've taken any trouble to live when you won't even dance? — Hermann Hesse
Dance for yourself, if someone understands good. If not then no matter, go right on doing what you love. — Louis Horst
We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. — Friedrich Nietzsche