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 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 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.