The History of Western Dance

From soaring ballet leaps to the simple swaying at a high school prom, dance is the wedding of movement to music. It is a means of recreation, and of communication for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply taking delight in the movement itself. This engaging narrative, with biographical profiles, discusses Western dance as an art form, a folk tradition, and an entertainment spectacle. It examines the wide ranging dance types, including ancient rituals, Christian dance ecstasies, court and folk dances, ballet, social dances, the waltz, ballroom, tap, modern dance, break, and hip-hop dancing.