Dance, patterned and rhythmic body movements, usually performed to music or percussion, that serve as a form of communication or expression. Dance is the transformation of ordinary functional and expressive movement into extraordinary movement for extraordinary purposes. It often uses a fixed vocabulary of terms for movements or steps that have no meaning in themselves, as in much of ballet and European folk dance; it may contain symbolic movement, as in the animal representations of Aboriginal dancing; it may use mime gestures, as in Asian dance forms. Each culture tends to have its own distinctive styles of dance and reasons for dancing. As a result, dance can reveal much about a people and their way of life.

Kinds of Dance

Two main kinds of dance exist: dances for participation, which do not need spectators; and dances for presentation, which are designed for an audience. Dances for participation include work dances (see below), some forms of religious dance, and recreational dances such as folk dances and popular, or social, dances. Because these dances are for everyone in a community, they often consist of repetitive step patterns that are easy to learn.

Presentational dances are performed in any spaces where an audience can watch. In the past, dancers entertained royal rulers in their palaces; in many cultures they performed in temples as part of the religious ritual; in ancient Greece they were part of the dramas enacted in amphitheatres. Today, presentational dance is usually shown in conventional theatres, but it can also be seen in outdoor arenas, open-air public spaces, and even art galleries. The dancers may be professionals, and the dance is presented as art. The movements tend to be relatively difficult and require specialized training.
 

Wanna Dance with me?

"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance. Let's Dance!" ............More!

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Indian Classic Dance

Indian Dance, entire range of performance forms of the Indian subcontinent, which has one of the richest such traditions in the world. During the cultural revivalist period preceding...........