Dance has played a significant role in the social structure of all human civilizations throughout history. Dance reveals something about a person’s identity, feelings, and thinking. Although dance is a form of human expression using physical movements, it cannot be reduced to just movements.
That is because a graceful dance, costumes, colourful props, slow & fast movements can all symbolize a culture’s traditions and heritage. Cultural dances, for instance, can be used to convey stories through their movements and dance sequences.
Every dance will have a story that corresponds to the ideas, topics, and themes that the culture wants to communicate. The cultural dances will be different from other types of dances because a cultural dance cannot be created without a story. The dance will need a backstory to help other cultures understand it.
The movements, music and story gets passed on, preserving the culture. At times, current trends and different cultures may influence the authenticity of the dance, but it is always important to remember and teach other about the culture and origins of what they are dancing.
Other reasons why dance helps in the preservation of culture include:
It Educates Us About Language
There is no dance without music. And music is one of the earliest forms of communication that children receive in life. Mothers play and sing for their unborn children. And a majority of parents and guardians sing and dance to/with their kids from an early age because music is an integral aspect of language development.
If you studied another language, you likely picked up several phrases or crucial vocabulary from songs as well. Music and dances are also exciting forms of repetition that are very conducive to memory and play a critical role in developing our identity.
We Celebrate Through Dance and Music
Dance and music plays a significant role in almost all occasions in our life. We dance and play music at wedding ceremonies, birthdays, or when we attain our goals. Some people even play joyful dances in their minds when the music starts to play. In different countries, some celebrations revolve around dances and music that are a part of festivals for various holidays.
There Are dances and Songs for Everyone
Every community has unique dances to represent its history, culture, and beliefs. The melodies of unique instruments, rhythms, dance movements, and music genres can also help us form a unique cultural identity. It is incredible how just participating in various dances such as Salsa, Ballet, Tango, or Samba can suddenly help us understand and learn about various cultures.
Norwich Latin Dance 