Dance in Art Form

What is Dance?

Dance is a form of art that involves rhythm, motion, and flexibility of the body. Dance can be performed to suggest and idea, to show spiritual performance, to express an emotion, to tell a story, and to connect with others. It created through social, cultural, artistic, and ethical matters, it can also be performed for a ceremony or competition.

What are some different types of dance styles?

Dancing has emerged in all kinds of forms. The types of dance that most Americans are familiar with are hip-hop, break dancing, ballet, country and western, tap dance, swing, line, square dance. Some other familiar dances are modern, praise dance, jazz, belly dance, ballroom, waltz, salsa, and flamenco. Many dance styles have also originated from other countries like South and Central America, where they have Latin dances, like bachata, meringue, tango, and samba. Ireland includes river dancing, céilí, step dance, set dancing, and polka. India's dance styles are bharatnatyam, kathak, and odissi. Africa has warrior dances, dances of love welcome, summoning, and rites of passage. Asia has lion and dragon dances in China, nihon buyo and kabuki dances in Japan, and sung mu in Korea.

What type of activity can be incorporated with dance?

Dancing involves choreography, some sort of routine, like most activities and sports. Cheer leading and synchronized swimming are two examples that involve choreography and can be considered dancing. Other activities that can be incorporated with dance are gymnastics, figure skating, martial arts, and acrobatic exercise.

Dance can be more than art.

So many emotions can be expressed through dance. Not many people look at dancing as a sport, form of communication, or anything of importance, but dancing is one of the most creative art forms that has ever existed in the United States. Dance is not only created through movement and rhythm, it is created through emotion, through passion, through desire, it is peaceful, it is graceful and can be a lifestyle. It is like another language only the words come from the motion of your body. Dance has its own flow, like waves from the ocean, a bird singing its own song, the leaves flying in the wind, and a heart beating like a drum. It drifts, it sways, it stirs, and it travels. It is what you feel inside, and what's inside of you is released the moment you start to move. Dance is like freedom that you can express through motion in more ways than one.