Dancing, according to the dictionary definition is to move rhythmically usually to music, using prescribed or improvised steps and gestures. There is no real evidence as to when dancing started, we just know that it did. Dancing has been used in ceremonies, story telling, a way to show off sexuality and exercise. Dancing can also break the language barriers that surround us, mostly our own. We can feel the energy that dance brings and most all of us are attracted to at least one form of dance.
When you think of dancing for ceremonial rites you may think of the Native Americans. However, many other places and cultures have these ceremonial dances as well. To name just a few we have the Island people(Tongan, Samoan, Hawaiian, Jamaicans, etc), Asians, and Africans. We have seen them done on T.V. and perhaps at a Cultural Fair or in a Parade. We look at them as entertainment, but for those involved in these rituals, they mean much more. It is not just a dance but something they hold as a symbol of who they are and what they stand for. These dances were and are ways to prepare them for marriage, birth of a child, death, expressing prayer, thanksgiving, initiation and war(which is most commonly shown in movies). We watch with wonder and then tend to forget what we are watching is a belief, a commitment and a sacred symbol.
Think of a time you watched someone tell a story with dance. When I think of stories, I reflect on some friends of mine who are Hawaiian. Watching the hula is a most beautiful form of storytelling. There is a story for all aspects of their lives. They however, are only among a small group of people who share their stories through dance. I bet you can find a young child in a store or maybe even yourself in your home, who given some music could tell the story of what you are feeling at that moment. Storytelling through dance is an everyday occurrence, you need only look around you to find it. If you happen to go into a dance studio, you can watch as all ages, sizes, sexes and nationalities of people express stories of what they are hearing and feeling, through their bodies.
Our favorite way, as a people, to show off our sexuality is through dance, and it has been since the beginning of time. We love to dance! Kids and teens go to dances, and adults go to night clubs for just this reason. We may not intentionally think of it this way, but when we are in the dance floor we try to move in ways to impress the opposite sex. There are classes popping up all the time that that sexualize dance such as pole dancing, the lambada, the samba, and many others I am sure I am not aware of. While dancing has been sexualized even more in recent years through shows and movies, it is nothing new. We like to be close to each other, and we love watching the way the body moves.
The word exercise may not bring up visions of dance at first, but when you think about it, dance is a strong component to many forms of exercise. There are dance moves in aerobics, jazzercise(popular in the 80’s), and exercise videos of all kinds. We learned square dancing in P.E. when I was a kid and today kids even dance while jumping rope. Doctors will recommend dance to patients when they can’t find they are successful with other forms of exercise, and sometimes they will suggest it for those who are depressed. Dance, as well all exercise, releases endorphins that help us feel happier, and more satisfied in our lives. The added benefit of dance is that it is almost always done in groups. I hear people say that they can’t dance, well maybe they can’t, but I know they can exercise!
With so many forms of dance and so many reasons to do it, your excuses are gone. So put on some music, turn it up loud, and dance. You will feel better, you will break down your own language barrier, and just maybe you can bring your family and friends in on it with you.