What Is Dance?

Amy Wong
What is dance? Why do we dance? Dancing has gone on for thousands and thousands
found as fair back as 5300 year old Egypt. Although dance might not have been very difficult
throughout all eras of life, it has evolved and lead the society through the years. This essay will
discuss my own definition of dance, dance as a cultural and historical manifestation, and the of
dance in the 21st century and how it affects the society we live in.
The dictionary definition of dance states that you “move rhythmically to music, typically
following a set sequence of steps.” However, I believe that dance is so much more than just what
the dictionary definition states that it is. Music is a way to express your emotions such as love
and joy, exercise and a sport, a way to have fun and relieve stress, and an art. One of the most
important and valued parts in a wedding are the dances. They show the love between the newly
husband and wife as well as the parents’ love toward their children. Teenagers look forward to
prom to get that one special dance with their date. My boyfriend shows me his love for me by
slow dancing with me at random times of the day. Dancing helps us and many people connect.
Dancing also expresses the joy in people’s lives. One of the classic jokes we see in movies is
people getting embarrassed due to someone seeing them dance from excitement. Athletes dance
from joy when they score points and you can’t tell me that you don’t feel like moving your body
after having a major achievement. Dancing is also exercise as well as a sport. Cheerleaders and
drill teams strive on preparing for their competitions at national, international, and world levels.
Dancing is very tiring known by anyone who does it and takes a great amount of energy. Many
gyms offer classes such as Zumba due to it’s fat burning abilities. You always see the jokes
about mothers dancing in front of their televisions to a dancing class to lose weight. Dancing is
fun and no matter who you are, you can’t deny that at some point in your life, you had fun
dancing. Enormous amounts of people dance just for the fun by going to night clubs on the
weekends, sweet sixteens, weddings, quinceneras, and many more. As children we always
moved our bodies to the music we heard. Dance is also an art as much as it is anything else. If
you were to go to a contemporary dance recital or ballet, you would notice how intricate,
creative, and structured the movements from the dancers are.
Dance has been a big part of culture and history for many years. Historians have traced
dance back to nine-thousand-year-old paintings in Indian caves. Egyptian priest also used dance
for storytelling rituals for religion as well as entertainment. Dance thrived in all areas of the
world such as Africa, different parts of Europe, Asia, and the America’s. Africans had many
tribal dances to sounds of the drums. Even in slave trades, Africans made music and dance a big
part of their lives to get through the hard labor and slave life. It was a way for them to escape
mentally the lives they were living. Dance was very popular among the wealthy in Europe during
the medieval time such as the waltz which was very beloved by Queen Victoria. Most musicians
made their living playing for dances by the court. Ballet than made its up bringing during the
Renaissance. Dance was immensely important to the wife of King Henry II. Operas and Ballets
were being created in places such as France, England, and Russia. Very famous Ballets still
beloved today were created such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty. Dance
continued to thrive in places such Spain, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, and many more. It was used
for celebration, gatherings, joining of families and kingdoms. Even animals use dancing as a way
of calling for mates. More years pass and dance becomes a big part of the Americas and Cuba in
places such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, New York, New Orleans, Mexico, etc. Music and Dance are
ways to connect with people from all around the world without the need to know the same
language. Dance has always been a constant substance of culture throughout all of history for
many different reasons.
In the 21st century, dance in our society is very diverse and has shaped the way we live.
Dance has created a sense of expression through our society. It brings so much light to our
society by giving people an outlet. Dance also a big part of media and entertainment. We see
dance everywhere from movies, commercials, television shows, plays, etc. Dancing is still used
by everyone as a way to relieve stress and have fun especially with a stress educed society as
today’s era. A child from a East Oakland school stated “Dance has made me change my life and
experience what life is about through dancing.” It is a big part of life for people of all ages. If
there were no dancing in the 21st century, there would be very little sense of expression,
entertainment would be very different, and life would be much less colorful. You don’t realize
how much dance shapes our society until you imaging a world with out it. Dance brings joy to
everyone surrounded by it.
I believe that dance is so much more than just what the dictionary definition states that it
is. Music is a way to express your emotions such as love and joy, exercise and a sport, a way to
have fun and relieve stress, and an art. Dance has been a big part of culture and history for many
years. In the 21st century, dance in our society is very diverse and has shaped the way we live. It
has spread all over the world and will continue to grow and become more diverse. It has been
and always will be a big part of life for all.

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Amy Wong

creative, and structured the movements from the dancers are.

many different reasons.

everyone surrounded by it.

and always will be a big part of life for all.

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