Dance is an Art Form not a Mating Ritual

1912 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: History about dance essay

Dance: Is it a mating ritual or an art form?

The dictionary defines dance as "an artistic form of nonverbal communication" (dance). As Christians we have always heard that dancing is immoral; that dancing only led to one thing- sex. Although this is the general belief, many people find the art of ballet, such as The Nutcracker to be tasteful. Dancing embodies passion, grace and poise. Dancing is not just a mating ritual as we have been told; it is a story that is too good for words. Dancing is a way to communicate with anybody no matter what language they speak or how old they are. It is a way to cross barriers and touch souls.

Many people over time have argued as to what the true nature of dance is; some people think it is an expressing of culture, others say it is a spiritual medium and some cynics even believe dance is only a mating ritual. Contrary to what these people have argued, dancing has been used as a form of art for centuries, not just a mating ritual.

As an Adventist, the writing of Ellen White is viewed highly. In her book, Messages to Young People, she takes a very harsh view of dancing. Ellen White believes that no Christian should be caught dancing; that Jesus and dancing can not exist together. In Ellen Whites’ eyes, dancing is only used for “self-gratification” and will lead down the “path of dissipation” (135,136). She does not distinguish between the types of dancing which leads many Adventist to believe that she is referring to all types of dancing.

So where did this negative view of dancing start? It certainly did not begin with the Bible because there are 27 different mentions of the word dance listed. Throughout the Bible dancing is used to portray joy, sorrow, even a spiritual connection with God. In the Bible, David said “Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him” (New International Version, Psalms 149.3). The only negative connotation the Bible puts on dancing is when it is mixed with idolatry or intoxication. When Moses came down the mountain and found the people dancing around the golden calf, he had a problem with the idol not the dancing (Daniels 9).

The medieval period is when dancing began to develop a bad reputation. Dances such as the dance of the dead, the dance mania and flagellant dancing had surfaced.

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Different Dance Styles By Doris Humphrey And Maud Allen

    710 Words  | 2 Pages

    Analyzing each personal dancer I am detailing the differences of each artist dance styles first starting with, Maud Allen, dance style used impressionism emotions through her movement at the time of her performance telling the story based on her movements and own emotions (Aloff). Based on feelings within that depicted the way she moved within the performance and displayed to the audience watching. Maud Allen was famous for the dance of Salome a story told in biblical text about the beheading of john the Baptist a prophet, captured by Herod because he denounced the right to marry his wife’s name Herodias due to being his half-brothers

    Read More

  • Informative Speech On Irish Dancing

    957 Words  | 2 Pages

    A leader would sing while surrounded by a circle of. dancers who would sing back in reply (“The History”1). For century’s Irish dancing had been a peasant dance done in the villages to celebrate community gatherings and family events. Until the seventeenth century, when Queen Elizabeth I received a letter from Sir Henry Sydney describing the beautiful dance he saw (“The History”1). The Queen invited dancers to perform to her court. This created a new drive for people to start dancing, and in the early eighteenth century formed the Irish dancing we know

    Read More

  • Dancer's Athletic Side

    1189 Words  | 3 Pages

    Albert Einstein once said “Dancers are the athletes of God.” Dancers deserve to have the title of athlete, to start, take a look at the definition of an athlete “a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength.” While dancing requires great artistry, artistry is just one aspect of dance, because it clearly has an athletic side as well. Dancer’s athletic side is not seen by many because of the reality of what people see on stage, but is what is seen on stage all of it? The amount of passion and dedication dancers have leads to countless hours at the studio every week. With the many genres of dance to choose from, each involves athleticism one way or another. The many different options make it easier for a dancer to branch out and explore new ways of fulfilling their dreams. Dancers need to stop being underestimated by everyone, they need everyone to see them as athletes and artists.

    Read More

  • Overview of the Major Topics in Learning about Dance by Nora Ambrosio

    979 Words  | 2 Pages

    Learning about Dance: Dance as an Art Form and Entertainment provides visions into the many features of dance and inspires scholars to keep an open mind and think critically about the stimulating, bold, ever-changing and active world of dance. Learning about Dance is particularly useful for those who do not have a wide and diverse dance contextual, such as students in a preliminary level or survey dance course. This book consists of twelve chapters. Chapter one dance as an art form focuses on the basic structures of dance. Dance is displayed through the human body, it has the control to communicate and induce reactions. Dance can be found in many different places, it enables the participants and seekers to touch and knowledge the joy of movement. Dance is discovered as being one of the oldest art forms worldwide. Dance existed in early cultures was recognized in a sequence of rock paintings portrayed dance. Since this discovery of rock paintings, several other forms of art have been found that depict dance. People used rituals in order to worship the gods and believed that the rituals held magical and spiritual powers. During the ancient period civilizations sentient decisions began to be made with regard to dance. Other periods that had an impact on dance were the medieval period, the renaissance period, and the contemporary period. Chapter two the choreographer, the choreographer is a person who comes up with the movements created into a dance routine. The choreographer expresses themselves through choreography because this is their way of communicating with the audience. In order to be a choreographer you must have a passion for dance. Each choreographer has their own approaches and ways of making up a routine. Choreographers ...

    Read More

  • Dance As A Form Of Dance In Culture And Culture

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dance is a type of sport that usually involves movement of the body, often carried out to different types of music depending on the style. Dance is practiced in many cultures as a form of expression or social relations in a spiritual or performance setting, and is even used to express certain beliefs and ideas. Dance does not have traceable roots and it is not possible to say when exactly dance became a part of culture, but historical evidence shows that dance has been an important aspect of rituals, services, revels, and entertainment since the ancient developments. Since dance was discovered, it has become prevalent. Many different forms and styles of dance are used all around the world today including ballet, swing, hip-hop, and even the tango and salsa.

    Read More

  • La Fille Mal Gardee Dance Essay

    763 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every dance that is created by a choreographer has a meaning and or purpose behind it. The dance choreographed could be used to send a political, emotional, or a social message. Regardless of the message being sent, each dance created possesses a unique cultural and human significance. This essay will examine and analyze two dance works from history and give an insight into what each dance work provided to the society of its time.

    Read More

  • Dance Persuasive Speech

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although, dance requires some natural skill it also requires dedication. Natural ability and talent will only get dancers so far. Dancers must work hard and persevere. Dancers give years of their lives plus their sweat, tears and sometimes blood to have the honor and pleasure of performing on stage. Dance takes dedication, commitment and passion from the dancer. The only one who can stop you from reaching your dance goals is you! Practice, persistence and determination pay off. Dancers that dedicate themselves countless hours every day, week, and month to become more confident and have more toned dedication and skill. So clearly, there is a question in people's minds about whether dance is a sport or an art. The dance community consists of many different factions and styles. You can dance at a club for fun, as a hobby, as a serious passion, or you can dance as a career. To be able to dance well, one needs to have flexibility, strength, stamina, endurance, and a love for what they do. I can see why people think that dance is not a sport. I know we make it look easy, but as many people don’t know, it’s really quite difficult. When you really take a look and see how many things football and dance have in common, you will see that dance truly is a sport. Dancers work just as hard as any football player in the United States. To conclude my thoughts my favorite quote in the world, “If dance were any

    Read More

  • Medieval Meals

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the most notable dances people did during the medieval was known as The Carole Dance. The Carole Dance was the earliest saxon dance created and it was usually done in a circle, chain, or as a processional. There was a dance known as the egg dance and that was usually done around the time of Easter. The idea during the egg dance was to put eggs on the floor and dance around them while damaging as few eggs as possible. Another very famous dance that was done in the middle-ages was known as the jig.

    Read More

  • Salsa Sexual Desire

    1865 Words  | 4 Pages

    For centuries humans have changed the way they try to draw their potential mate toward them and I for one, love how dance has opened up a new platform for one to display their feelings towards their chosen mate. Furthermore, I want to dive into the understanding

    Read More

  • Irish Dancing Research Paper

    1594 Words  | 4 Pages

    An example of an extensive Norman dance was the “Carol”. This dance was performed in vanquished Irish towns and was the first anciently recorded dance in Ireland. The Carol dance included the following: one singer who was placed in the center of a circle of dancers, who then followed the singer and danced accordingly to the song. For the next few centuries, dancing inherently progressed. Three main Irish dances are mentioned in sixteenth century writing which are known to be the Irish Hey, the Rinnce Fada, which is more commonly known as the long dance, and the Trenchmore.

    Read More

  • Dancing Is Not a Crime

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    In our modern era dancing or even the act of dancing should not be seen as a sign of rebellion or defiance. Dance is a way to express one's emotions and way to relieve stress for many people taking that away is something that should be rectified sooner rather than later. I can respect or understand montairing drug or gang activity but by banning dance the authorities are making way for violent counteraction by it's own people. As Kevin Bacon says in Footloose as he tries to convince the town council, “A time to laugh and a time to weep. A time to mourn and there is a time to dance. And there was a time for this law, but not anymore. See, this is our time to dance”. (Footloose). Japan it's your time to dance.

    Read More

  • Sex And Social Dance Analysis

    728 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first social dance explored was ballroom dancing. Ballrooms were a place of courtship; therefore, these dances were always performed by a male, female couple. Traditional gender roles began the dance as the men always asked the women to dance. As the dance began, the bodies were transformed into vehicles to connect these opposite sex partners. However, societal rules applied to this dance because partners must be from within the appropriate class, the intentions proper, and the movements executed in a specific manner. The woman’s role was essentially to avoid a misstep of tripping on the man’s feet, since the male always led the dance.

    Read More

  • Evolution of Dance

    405 Words  | 1 Pages

    Dancing and music in general have evolved through time. People who danced in style in the sixties would not fit n the generation of the new millennium. As years have passed by, it seems the style of dancing is getting to be dirtier than ever. Parents do not approve of this lifestyle and this way of dance. It is inevitable that dance will change throughout our lives and so will its style. Dancing has changed in relation to music, behavior and time passed.

    Read More

  • Dance In Public School Curricular

    1497 Words  | 3 Pages

         The development in dance in education, during the 19th century in the United States, was linked to the sudden increase of elementary schools, secondary programs, colleges, as well as the establishment of private dance academies throughout the nation. Dance has always been thought of as being just a form of socializing and not as a form of art. Private academies introduced dance as an art form before public schools. The private academies felt that through dance children would benefit greater academically, and physically, than those children who did not have the luxury of taking dance. Enrollment increased in private academies, while throughout the United States the enrollment in public schools steadily decreased.

    Read More

  • Dance Essay: The Art Of Dance

    966 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dance is an ancient human practice, however the earliest record of human dance remains a mystery. By

    Read More

More about Dance is an Art Form not a Mating Ritual

Open Document