Dance development

A renowned Greek writer of their 1st century A.D wrote that the dance “represents thought it movements a feeling, a passion, or an emotion’. These could not be a better definition of dance. When men experience a great joy or a deep grief they sometimes feel the need to express these sentiments. They do it not only with words but through the movements of their bodies. It is said, for example, ‘to dance for joy’. The early people danced with primitive and awkward body movements. If these primitive and awkward body movements’ natural impulses are allowed to follow they could result at times in an awkward and ugly exhibition, unpleasant to watch. Since man first learnt to express himself in this way he continued to experiment with it. Dancing thus gradually developed over many centuries into a formal and organized series of movements. It is usually accompanied by music specially written for it, rather than by primitive shouting.