INTRODUCTION TO

DANCE
“Dance is an activity which can take
many forms and fill many different
needs. It can be recreation,
entertainment, therapy, and
religion.

- Barbara Mettler, 1980

WHAT IS DANCE?
Dance differs from athletics or other daily activities
because it focuses primarily on “an aesthetic or even
entertaining experience”. It provided variety of
functions throughout history due to its
multidimensionality. Although there have been
immense comparative differences in period and
culture, people still dance mainly for four reasons:
A. To please the gods
B. To please the others
C. To please themselves or self-
expressions
D. To build community within an
ethnic group or social interaction
BENEFITS OF DANCE
 “Dance is fun! It lifts the
spirit, strengthen the body,
and stimulates the mind.”

- Wayne Sleep (1986)

SPECIFIC BENEFITS OF
DANCE:
1. Physical
2. Mental/Emotional
3. Social
4. Cultural
 PHYSICAL
- Develops cardiovascular and muscular
endurance
- Improves coordination, balance flexibility, and
body composition
- Lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases
- Lower resting heart rate
- Improves lipid metabolism
- Enables joint mobility (hip motion and spine
flexibility)
- Helps improve and maintain bone density, thus
helps prevent osteoporosis
- Helps recover coordination and neuromuscular
skills after injury
 MENTAL/EMOTIONAL
- Helps keep the brain sharp
- Decreases incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- Decreases depressive symptoms
- Increase self-esteem and improves body image
- Aids in releasing emotional and physical tension
 SOCIAL
- Gives sense of togetherness within a group
- Encourage positive social interaction and
interpersonal relationship in a group
- Contributes to the individual’s potential for self-
actualization in society
CULTURAL
- Promotes cultural values