History of Dancing

Dancing in some form or other is one of man's earliest expressions of joy, worship, celebration and grief. Who knows when the first man danced to celebrate a successful hunt? Or as part of a mating ceremony…or at a burial? We do know that dancing is as old as recorded history, and that various peoples have developed ways and styles of dancing that are unique.

Dancing can be highly sophisticated…a form of high art…or as simple as a country jig. It can be enjoyed socially or privately. Dancing can be accompanied by a fiddle, or a full orchestra. Dancing is simply a part of nearly every known culture. It is a basic human response to emotion, to rhythm and to music.

Ballet is probably the most sophisticated art form of dancing. Ballet has evolved over years, however, from a very formal, classical form of dance to more modern and imaginative interpretations, while remaining nevertheless a fine art.

An example of a specifically cultural form of dancing is that of Native American groups, who employed dance rituals in most aspects of daily life. Native American dancing is done with drums establishing the beat and mood of the dance, and can be celebratory, religious or, in earlier times, preparation for war.

Several forms of dancing evolved in the production of theater musicals and later movies.
During the 1930's and '40s, tap dancing became popular, and several dancers became very famous during that era, including the famous child star, Shirley Temple, and Fred Astaire.

Ballroom dancing in some form has been a part of social life in most countries for many decades. Ballroom dancing today is very popular among many as a social activity. Often groups of dancers will study various types of ballroom dancing and then meet regularly to dance the evening away. Competition ballroom dancing is also widely practiced in the US and some European countries. Serious students of competition dancing spend large amounts of money on lessons, dancing apparel, and
traveling to large competitive events.

Styles of ballroom dancing have changed widely over centuries and in different countries.
The stately minuet was a court favorite several centuries ago. The elegant fox trot and waltz were popular during the 19th century and continue to be favorites today. In the 20th century, dance studios under the name of famous dancers Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray began to teach a wide variety of ballroom dancing including Latin dances such as the rhumba, tango, cha cha and salsa. For each dance there are several levels of dancing, each involving a number of specific steps, so the study of ballroom dancing can involve years of instruction. Dancing is fun, a healthy activity and an excellent social skill. If you haven't tried it, don't wait any longer to add dancing to your life.

Recommended Reading

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