Dancing Essay Research Paper DancingBy Ginger WilliamsDancing

Dancing Essay, Research Paper

Dancing

By: Ginger Williams

Dancing is an act of moving the body in rhythm, usually in time to music. People seem to express their feelings through rhythmic movement. In dancing, people organize the expressive movements of their bodies into rhythmic patterns.

Dancing is both an art and a form of recreation. As an art, dance may tell a story, set a mood, or express an emotion. A ballet dancer s movements, for example, can effectively describe the fluttering of a wounded swan.

Most people dance simply to have fun or to entertain others. But dancing provides many other purposes. For many people, dancing provides one of the most personal effective means of communication. A dancer can express such feelings without saying a word. Many elementary and high schools, colleges, and private studios offer classes in modern dance. These classes encourage students to express themselves through rhythmic movement. The field of dance therapy uses modern dance to treat physically handicapped and emotionally disturbed people.

There are two major kinds of dancing theatrical and social. Theatrical dancing is performed for the entertainment of spectators. Theatrical dance forms include ballet, modern dance, musical comedy dances, and tap dancing.

In social dancing, the participants dance for their own pleasure rather than for the entertainment of an audience. There are many types of social dances. Most of them have specific steps and rhythms, but many newer ones allow the dancers to compose their own movements as they dance.

Ballet began in the royal courts of Italy in the 1400 s. The special movements of ballet still include bows and other elegant manners that reflect its courtly origin.

Ballet dancers learn how to hold their bodies to achieve the ideal upright posture of ballet. Their bearing is open and direct as they perform their movements. Classical ballet technique is based on positions and movements in which the legs rotate outward from the hip joint. This rotation is known as the turnout. It enables the dancer to move freely in any direction.