Art of Dance

It is thought that dance has existed as part of the human experience as part of its culture since humans have been able to communicate, with the dances being used in rituals, storytelling, and as entertainment. However, the emergence of dance as a distinct form of art is often thought to be part of the theater movement in ancient Greece. In the plays of this time period, dance and music were often part of the overall performance as another way to transmit the story being told. In time, dance has developed into different genres, such as ballet, interpretive dance, and competitions like ballroom dancing.

Ballet is considered to be one of the most pure forms of dance as art. It is usually set to music and features trained dancers to deliver a narrative to an audience. Like theater, the ballet is most commonly performed in a real time setting to a live audience. The history of ballet goes back to the 15th century in Italy where it was used to tell the story of fencing duels. While the popularity of ballet declined in many parts of western Europe, the tradition continued and remained a vital form of the fine arts in Italy, Russia, and several other countries.

Ballet is still popular in modern times, but many trained dancers are opting to perform in interpretive dance pieces rather than ballet. Similar to the relationship between conceptual art and painting, interpretive dance strives to communicate an emotional feeling or situation rather than retelling a narrative with a normal plot line. In most major cities across the world, there is an active interpretive dance community that puts on performances on a regular basis. Many of the new productions include multimedia, such as a film backdrop or the use of mirrors to heighten the experience of the audience.