BRIEF HISTORY AND

NATURE OF DANCE
What is dance?
Dance differs from athletics or other daily activities because it
focuses primarily on “aesthetics or even entertaining
experience” (Myers, 2005). It provided variety of functions
throughout history due to its multidimensionality.
 • The origins of the dance are rooted in the prehistoric past.
Various artistic, religious, and social forces started out the
incorporation and development of dance.
• Dance has been a major form of religious ritual and social
expression within primitive cultures. People from the prehistoric
era performed ways they hoped would appease the forces of
nature or give them new powers of their own.
• Nevertheless, the dances during prehistoric time have not yet
been fully recorded. It was only during pre-Christian era that the
real knowledge of dance came about within the great
Mediterranean and Middle East civilizations. Dance became full
blown and was richly recorded in ancient Egypt.

BRIEF HISTORY AND NATURE

 • The ancient Greeks also thought highly of dance. For them, it
was closely linked with other kinds of experiences. It was not
just for religious and military training but also a form of
entertainment and display.
• Dance was also commonly used in education. Greek
philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates strongly
supported this art as an integration of the body and soul.
• The ancient Rome, on the other hand, gave less importance to
dancing. It stopped valuing such qualities in art as the nation
grew wealthy and powerful.

BRIEF HISTORY AND NATURE

 • The development of the Catholic Church in Europe following the
fall of Rome transformed the history of dance. The Christian
fathers approved the use of dance, provided that its form and
intent were holy and profound. Dances then became part of
worships and churches services.
• Although the Church had condemned dance as entertainment,
some singers, dancers, poets, actors, and musicians continued
to wander during the Dark and early Middle Ages. They
performed in village squares and this marked the beginning of
social dancing.

BRIEF HISTORY AND NATURE

Benefits of Dance
“Dance is fun! It lifts the spirit, strengthens the body
and stimulates the mind.”
-Wyne Sleep (1986)
SPECIFIC BENEFITS OF DANCE
• Physical
1. Develops cardiovascular endurance
2. Improves condition, balance, flexibility and body composition
3. Lower risk of cardiovascular diseases
4. Lower body mass index
• Mental/ Emotional
1. Helps keep the brain sharp
2. Decreases incidence dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases
3. Decrease depressive symptoms
4. Increases self-esteem and improves body image
5. Aids in releasing emotional and physical tension
SPECIFIC BENEFITS OF DANCE
• Social
1. Gives sense of togetherness within the group
2. Encourages positive social interaction and interpersonal
relationship in a group
3. Contributes to the individual’s potential for self-actualization in
society.
• Cultural
1. Promotes cultural values
2. Showcasing the different cultural dances
THE END