Step Off: A Brief History of Dance

Scientific study suggests that we humans possess an understanding of rhythm that is lacking in the rest of the animal kingdom. Musicality in animals is accidental at best. In man it is deliberate and conscious. Rhythm forms the backbone of music. The first instrument is the human voice. One can imagine primitive man aping the sounds of nature, of grunting patterns that developed into speech and then song. The beat of the drum and plucking of string was soon to follow. Woodwinds, too. Music is inherently, definitively human. Where there is music there is likely dance. Dance has evolved over time. Yet, many dances retain a primitive quality. Here I present a brief history of dance.

RITUAL DANCE

Early dance was performed ceremonially. Nomadic tribes were deeply superstitious. Sympathetic magic implies that like produces like. If one were to dance out a successful hunt, surely the next hunt would prove successful. Dances of ceremony exist today in the form of many African tribal dances, Native American dances such as the well known rain dance, and even the measured movements of a Daosist priest or Shinto priestess.

FOLK DANCE

As superstition recedes in favor of logic, dances are performed more as tradition than ceremony. Dance is an expression of cultural heritage. Dancing around the may pole, Irish step dancing, Russian folk dancing - these are expressions of cultural significance. Many of these dances remain unchanged over the years.

SOCIAL DANCING

As tradition falls to the way side, dance is viewed as a means to bring couples together. Social dancing is one of the most common forms of dance, spanning a great many styles. Square dancing, country line dancing, latin dancing, ballroom, the Lindy hop, disco - each is a means to bring together prospective young lovers. Even the waltz is a social dance, though for the upper class. Military men were expected to know several dances and perform them at social gatherings whereby they could meet an eligible young woman. On the other hand, some social dances can get quite risque. The French can-can for instance was usually performed by ladies wearing no underpants. Men were sure to glimpse a little somethin' somethin'.

EXPRESSIVE DANCE

At some point, one goes dancing not in order to meet someone, but simply to let off some steam. Here one dances for oneself. Contemporary dance and street dancing are a fair example. In contemporary dance, the dancer expresses the meaning and mood of the song, the body a conduit for the music. Dance is from the heart and extends throughout the entire body. Though it may lack rhythm in many cases, it can quite beautiful. Street dancing is just as much an expression of music, but more urban. Hip-hop, breakdancing, and crumping embody life on the hard streets. Movement reflects this lifestyle. Distinctions between different styles of hip-hop can be drawn simply from where one lives.

DANCE AS ART/ENTERTAINMENT

On the flip side, there are those who enjoy watching expressive dance. Certain people may go to a club just to watch great dancing. At its finest, dance is high art. Ballet is one form of dance that the general public regards as high art. Just about any dance can be considered art. It depends on how much value is placed on that particular dance. Contemporary dance is finding its place as art. Even if dance is not regarded as art, it may be viewed as entertainment. From vaudeville to Broadway to movies to music videos, dance is used to draw and captivate an audience.

So there you have it, a brief history of dance. Note that many styles overlap. Hip-hop can be regarded as social, expressive, and entertaining. The distinction rests in the intent. Are you dancing with someone, for someone, or for yourself?