The Story of Dance

Why Do We Dance?

Have you ever heard a song you love and felt your feet start to tap or your body start to sway? That feeling is the beginning of dance. Dance is moving your body in time with a rhythm, a beat or a piece of music.

People dance for all sorts of reasons. We dance because we are happy, to celebrate a special day, to tell a story, or just for the fun of it. Dance is one of the oldest things humans do, and it happens in every country on Earth. In this book we will discover how dance began, the many kinds of dance around the world, and why moving to music makes us feel so good.

Chapter 1: The Very First Dancers

Dance is so old that no one knows exactly when it began. It is older than writing, older than cities, perhaps as old as music itself. We have clues, though. On the walls of caves and rocks, ancient people painted pictures of figures with their arms raised and legs leaping — figures that look as if they are dancing.

Long ago, people may have danced around a fire at night, stamping and clapping. They danced to celebrate a good hunt, to welcome the rain, or to mark important moments like births and weddings. Without books or televisions, dancing together was a way to share feelings and stories. From the very beginning, dance has helped people feel part of a group.

Chapter 2: Dancing Together

One special thing about dance is that people often do it together. When a whole village or family dances the same steps at the same time, it brings everyone closer. You feel the same beat, move the same way, and become one happy group.

All around the world, communities have their own special dances passed down from grandparents to grandchildren. These are called folk dances. Some are danced in a big circle, holding hands. Some have dancers stamping their feet or waving colourful ribbons and scarves. Each one is tied to the music, clothes and customs of the people who dance it. When people gather for a festival or a celebration, dance is almost always part of the fun.

Chapter 3: Dance That Tells a Story

Dance can do something wonderful: it can tell a whole story without a single spoken word. By using movements, faces and gestures, a dancer can show that they are sad, brave, frightened or in love.

One famous storytelling dance is ballet. Ballet began in royal courts in Europe hundreds of years ago and grew into a graceful art. Ballet dancers train for years to move smoothly and lightly, and some even rise onto the very tips of their toes, looking as if they could float. A ballet can tell a long fairy tale — of swans, princes and magic — using only dance and music. Music and dance work hand in hand here, as you can read in The Story of Music.

In many other countries, dancers also tell stories. In parts of Asia, dancers use careful hand shapes and eye movements where every gesture has a meaning, like a secret language of the body.

Chapter 4: So Many Kinds of Dance

There are more kinds of dance than you could ever count, and new ones are invented all the time. Here are just a few:

• Ballet — graceful and light, often telling a story.
• Folk dance — traditional dances passed down in a community.
• Tap dance — dancers wear special shoes that make a clicking beat on the floor.
• Ballroom dance — partners dance together in elegant steps, like the waltz.
• Street dance — lively dances such as breakdancing, born in cities.

Each style has its own special steps, music and feeling. Some are calm and flowing, like a gentle river. Others are fast and full of energy, with spins, jumps and tricks. Whatever your mood, there is a kind of dance to match it.

Chapter 5: Dance Today

Today, dance is everywhere. You see it in music videos, films and stage shows. Talented dancers perform in great theatres, and crowds of people dance together at parties and festivals. Some people dance as their job, while millions more dance just for joy.

Dance is also wonderful for your body and mind. It keeps you fit and strong, helps your balance, and makes your brain remember steps and patterns. Best of all, dancing makes most people feel happy. When you move to music with others, it is hard not to smile.

So you do not need to be on a stage to be a dancer. Whenever you nod your head to a beat, spin around the kitchen, or jump along to your favourite song, you are joining the oldest celebration on Earth. Dance belongs to everyone — including you.

Words to Remember

• Dance: moving your body in time with rhythm or music.
• Rhythm: a regular beat or pattern in music that you can move to.
• Folk dance: a traditional dance passed down in a community.
• Ballet: a graceful style of dance that often tells a story.
• Gesture: a movement of the hands or body that shows a meaning.