Consulting many sites over the last three days, I discovered there is no precise way to document the history or evolution of dance. It's all speculation at best because it isn't like finding ancient tools or pottery and piecing together what is found.
It is unlikely that any human society (at any rate until the invention of puritanism) has denied itself the excitement and pleasure of dancing. Like cave painting, the first purpose of dance was probably ritual - appeasing a nature spirit or accompanying a rite of passage. But losing oneself in rhythmic movement with other people was an easy form of intoxication. Pleasure can never have been far away.
Rhythm, indispensable in dancing, is also a basic element of music. It is natural to beat out the rhythm of the dance with sticks. It is natural to accompany the movement of the dance with rhythmic chanting. Dance and music most likely began as partners in the service of ritual.
In most ancient civilizations, dancing before the god was an important element in temple ritual. In Egypt the priests and priestesses, accompanied by harps and pipes, performed stately movements which mimed significant events in the story of a god, or imitated cosmic patterns such as the rhythm of night and day.
At Egyptian funerals, women danced to express the grief of the mourners. Greek shrines were inaugurated with dancing by the temple virgins. And Hindu temple priestesses used formalized hand movements with each precise gesture being of subtle significance.
Dance as ecstasy has a double-edged flavor to it. Any sufficiently uninhabited society knows that frantic dancing, in a mood heightened by pounding rhythm and flowing alcohol, will set the pulse racing and induce a mood of frenzied exhilaration.
Ancient Greek villagers, after harvesting the grapes, celebrated the occasion with a drunken orgy in honor of the god of wine. Short of unfortunate extremes such as random acts of murder, all social dances promise the same desirable mood of release and excitement.
The evolution of dance as being entertainment and display has survived to this day. Scantily clad girls, accompanied by seated musicians, cavorted enticingly on the walls of Egyptian tombs. It was believed they would delight the male occupant during his residence in the next world. But dancing girls are for this world too. From princely banquets to back-street strip clubs, they require no explanation.
The closely related theme of display underlies the story of public dance. From the courts of European spectacles, this kind eventually lead to ballet.
And as history goes, this has lead to whatever kinds of dance we now see in all its myriad glory. It still does not, however, explain dance's origin. I believe it to be so very simple.
We think as humans that we are superior to other animal species on this planet. With our ability to reason and the gift of language, we separate ourselves quite nicely from them. We Oo and Ah about the ways animals mimic our gestures, for example, the apes. Some have even learned sign language. We have even incorporated the word 'aped' into our language. And birds are the greatest imitators of language we can find.
But here is my question - Who mimicked who? I therefore submit my 'proof' that we most assuredly mimicked them when it comes to dance. Enjoy yourself as you browse my 'evidence.' And ask yourself this... Now really, haven't you actually seen a person in some of these poses as they danced? Case closed. Have fun! I sure did.
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