Barbara Mettler 1980 4.

To build community within an

ethnic group or social interaction
- Is an activity which can take many Alejandro and Santos-Gana 2002
forms and fill many different
needs. It can be recreation, - Dance can be seen among all the
entertainment, education , people and civilizations of the
therapy, and religion. world.
- In its purest and most basic form. - Dance thrived at different periods
- Dance is art, the art of body of history and mostly were a result
movement. of intellectual exchange and
contact.
Agnes de Mille 1963
The origins of dance are rooted in the
- Before man can do anything, he prehistoric past. Various artistic,
must draw breath, and he must religious, and social forces started out the
move. incorporation and development of dance.
- Movement is the source and
condition of life. Dance has been major form of religious
- To dance is to be out of yourself. ritual and social expression within
- Larger, more beautiful, more primitive cultures.
powerful.
- This is power, it is glory on earth - Way of expressing
and it is yours for the taking. - Reinforcing tribal unity and
strength.
Myers 2005
Kraus And Gaufman 1981
- The human being has innate
yearning for regular rhythmic - Man danced originally to
movement. Whether this is in form supplicate the gods on all
of athletics, activities of daily important occasion of life.
living, or dance, the human body is - During prehistoric time have not
the primary instrument for each. yet fully recorded.
- Dance uses the body as an - It was only during pre-Christian
instrument of expression in time era that the real knowledge of
and space. dance came about within the great
- Differs from athletics or daily Mediterranean and Middle
activities it focuses primarily on an Eastern Civilization.
aesthetic or even entertaining - Dance became full blown and was
experience. richly recorded in ancient Egypt.
- Reflected in their wall paintings,
Mainly 4 Reasons of Dancing – Myers reliefs, and in the literary record
2005 in hieroglyphs.
1. To please Gods
2. To please others
3. To please themselves or self-
expression
The Ancient Greeks Specific Benefits of Dance
1. Physical
- Thought highly of dance. 2. Mental/Emotional
- Dance thought as an aid to 3. Social
military education among the 4. Cultural
boys in Athens and Sparta.
- Dance commonly used in Physical
education. 1. Develops cardiovascular and
muscular endurance.
Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates 2. Improves coordination, balance,
- Strongly supported this art as an flexibility, and body composition.
integration of the body and soul. 3. Lowers risks of cardiovascular
diseases.
Plato 4. Lowers body mass index
- Immensely gave importance to 5. Lowers resting heart rate
dance in education as stated in his 6. Improves lipid metabolism
elucidation on the Laws. 7. Enables joint mobility
8. Helps joint and maintain bone
Two Kinds of Dance and Music Plato density, thus help prevent
Highlighted osteoporosis.
9. Helps recover coordination and
1. The Noble – fine and honorable neuromuscular skills after injury.
2. The Ignoble – Imitating what is
mean or ugly. Mental/Emotional
1. Helps keeps the brain sharp.
Ancient Rome game less importance to 2. Decreases incidence of dementia
dancing. and Alzheimer’s disease.
3. Decreases depressive symptoms.
The development of the Catholic Church 4. Increases self-esteem and
in Europe following the fall of Rome improves body image.
transformed the history of dance. 5. Aids in releasing emotional and
physical tension.
Church – The sole custodian of learning
and education as well as the source of Social
morals. 1. Give sense of togetherness within a
group.
A vast dance movement occurred 2. Encouraged positive social
throughout the courts of Europe in the 15th interaction and interpersonal
and 16th centuries. During these times, relationship in a group.
new court dances performed by the 3. Contributes to the individual’s
notability came about as well as the rise potential for self-actualization in a
of the art of ballet in Italy and France. society.

Cultural
1. Promotes cultural values