The Skill and History of Dance

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the social, artistic, and religious aspects of dance throughout history and how these forms of dance have been a part of human society since prehistoric times. The paper also looks at the health benefits derived from dancing and how dance has been used to tell stories, to record history, and as a form of therapy.

From the Paper:

"The skill of dance today is often thought to be reserved for the participants of higher arts such as ballet or for young participants in hip-hop and rave dances. However, dance is an integral part of the history and culture of all humans, and remains alive in many forms within people of all walks of life. "It is the wedding of movement to music. It spans culture from soaring ballet leaps to the simple swaying at the school prom," (Burke) and every kind of human movements, from walking to breathing, are elements that make up dancing. However, dance actually "goes beyond the functional purposes of the movements used in work or athletics in order to express emotions, moods, or ideas; tell a story; serve religious, political, economic, or social needs; or simply be an experience that is pleasurable, exciting, or aesthetically valuable." (Art) Dance is an important and beneficial art in which to participate and to support because of its rich cultural history and diversity, spiritual significance, and health benefits."

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