history of dance
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Dance is the oldest of the arts. With its structured movements and emotional actions, dance represents human spirituality and sexuality. From the beginning of time, man has been dancing; however, dance has not always been for entertainment and pleasure. The earliest forms of dance were to celebrate victory in battle, to pray for an abundant harvest, and to thank the gods for sending them fertile seasons for their crops. It wasn't until the 12th century that the form of dance we know of today emerged. It was featured in the courts of Europe to commemorate special occasions and events of the nobility. Then, men began dancing with other men, followed by dancing with women. Dance became popular with the rich and the poor, and people found that they did not need a reason to dance except merely for pleasure. There are three major forms of dance today: ballet, jazz, and tap. I have taken classes in these three for almost 17 years now, and I have realized that there have been many changes in the technique and style of dance that have led us to the current forms we know of today...