Long ago, so long ago that no one knows when it was, people began to dance to express some of their feelings. They danced to show that they were happy about a big harvest. They danced to celebrate a victory in war. They danced as a way of praying to their gods.
Today there is dancing of many different kinds. Much of it is just for fun. But some kinds of dancing are true art. Most dancing is done to music. But there can be dancing without music.
Folk dancing is usually done in groups. The people of many countries have their own folk dances. The square dances so many people enjoy are folk dances. Most folk dances are lively and gay.
In social dancing two people dance together. Social dancing is sometimes called ballroom dancing. The waltz used to be the most popular of the ballroom dances. Some of the pleasantest music we hear was writ-ten for waltzing.
Some dancing is done on the stage for other people to watch. This dancing takes much skill and practice. Tap dancing is this kind of dancing. So is acrobatic dancing of all kinds.
Ballet is dancing to watch, too. A good ballet dancer must begin to learn dancing when he is very young. A ballet tells a story without any words to help.
Many operas and musical shows use dances to help tell their stories. The costumes of the dancers are often beautiful.
Dancing still has a part in some religions, especially in religions of the Far East. Priestesses in these religions may spend most of their lives in perfecting their dancing.
