The evolution of the dance

Dancing is a gesture of the whole body ,which can align the body with the heart and soul.it is one of the most powerful forms of expression and a dynamic tool for a wakening and stirring the subtle forces and energies of life.Dance is a means of focusing and directing consciousness through physical behavior-an outer expression of the inner spirit.

Introduction

Dance, patterned and rhythmic bodily movements, usually performed to music, that serve as a form of communication or expression. Human beings express themselves naturally through movement. Dance is the transformation of ordinary functional and expressive movement into extraordinary movement for extraordinary purposes; even a common movement such as walking is performed in dance in a patterned way, perhaps in circles or to a special rhythm, and it occurs in a special context. Dance may involve a fixed vocabulary of movements that have no meaning in themselves, as in much of ballet and European folk dance, or pantomime and symbolic gestures may be used, as in many Asian dance forms. Peoples of different cultures dance differently and for varying purposes; their varied forms of dance can reveal much about their way of life.

Dance and the human culture

Dance can be art, ritual, or recreation. It 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.

Dance and the human body

The body can perform such actions as rotating, bending, stretching, jumping, and turning. By varying these physical actions and using different dynamics, human beings can devise an infinite number of body movements. Out of the range of movements that the body is capable of performing, every culture emphasizes certain features in its dance styles.

The ordinary potential of the body can be expanded in dance, usually through long periods of specialized training. In ballet, for example, the dancer exercises to rotate, or turn out, the legs at the hips, making it possible to lift the leg high in an arabesque. In India, some dancers learn to choreograph their eyeballs and eyebrows. Costuming can extend the body's capabilities. Toe or pointe shoes, stilts, and flying harnesses are a few of the artificial aids employed by dancers.

The primary elements of dance include (1) the use of space--floor patterns, the shapes of the moving body, and designs in space made by the limbs; (2) the use of time--tempo, the length of a dance, rhythmic variations, and the attitude toward filling time, from taking one's time to making quick stops and starts; (3) the use of the body's weight--overcoming gravity to execute light, graceful movements, surrendering to gravity with heavy or limp movements, or exerting the body's weight against gravity with strength; and (4) the use of energy flow--tense, restrained, or bound movements or freely flowing motion.

Dance and the human mind

Besides giving physical pleasure, dancing can have psychological effects. Feelings and ideas can be expressed and communicated; sharing rhythms and movements can make a group feel unified. In some societies, dancing often leads to trance or other altered states of consciousness. These states can be interpreted as signaling possession by spirits, or they may be sought as a means to emotional release. A state of trance may enable people to perform remarkable feats of strength, endurance, or danger, such as dancing through hot coals. In some societies shamans dance in trance in order to heal others physically or emotionally. The modern field of dance therapy developed as a means to help people express themselves and relate to others.

Kinds of dance

Two main kinds of dance exist: dances for participation, which do not need spectators; and dances for presentation, which are designed for an audience. Dances for participation include work dances, some forms of religious dance, and recreational dances such as folk dances and popular, or social, dances. To ensure that everyone in a community can take part in them, such dances often consist of repetitive step patterns that are easy to learn.

Presentational dances are often performed in royal courts, temples, or theaters; the dancers may be professionals, and the dance may be considered art. The movements tend to be relatively difficult and require specialized training.

Dance and society

The physical and psychological effects of dance enable it to serve many functions. It may be a form of worship, a means of honoring ancestors, a way of propitiating the gods, or a method to effect magic. Dancing is mentioned in the Bible, and until the Middle Ages it was often a part of worship services and religious celebrations. Although the Christian church later denounced dancing as immoral, it continued to be important in various Christian and non-Christian sects, among them the American Shakers and the Islamic whirling dervishes.

Dance often occurs at rites of passage, or ceremonies performed when an individual passes from one role to another. Thus, birth, initiation, graduation, marriage, succession to political office, and death may be marked by dancing. Dance may also be a part of courtship. In some societies dances may be the only events at which young people of different sexes can meet. In contemporary society, dances also provide important occasions for young people to socialize. Work too may be in the form of dance. Rhythmic movements may make the work go more quickly and efficiently, as in Japanese rice-planting dances. Dance is an art form in some cultures, and in the 20th century some dances that originated as elaborate religious rituals or court entertainments have been adapted to the theater.

History

It is not known when people began to dance; however, because expressive movement is so spontaneous, because dance is almost universal, and because it is so intimately interrelated with other aspects of a culture, it is possible that dance developed along with the evolution of our species. Many animals perform dancelike movements in situations similar to human courtship and play. These movement rituals, however, lack the conscious use of symbols that is present in human dance.

Prehistoric cave paintings from more than 20,000 years ago depict figures in animal costumes who seem to be dancing, possibly in hunting or fertility rituals, or perhaps merely for education or entertainment. Because all cultural groups are continually changing, no societies survive today who are like Paleolithic or Stone Age peoples or who dance as they may have danced. A few cultures that exist today, however, have had little or no direct contact with industrialized societies. At times their dances may look simple to an outsider, but often they are not. Usually they form part of complicated rituals that involve highly sophisticated religious or philosophical ideas. Furthermore, because most of the dances are for participation, they must be easy to learn. Such societies may also possess presentational dances. Among Australian aboriginals and African Khoi-san peoples, for example, skilled individuals