(3) Common Misconceptions About Dance Lessons
March 19, 2013Are You Getting Enough Sleep to Stay Healthy?
May 14, 20135,000 years—that’s how long archaeologists estimate that people have been dancing. Dancing has been an important part of human civilization since the beginning, and it shows no signs of slowing down. So, why do we keep dancing?
Double Your Pleasure
Our bodies crave dancing. That’s because music and movement stimulate pleasure and reward centers in the brain, explains John Krakauer, a neurologist at Columbia University (read “Why Do We Like to Dance?”). When you listen to music, you get pleasure. And when you move (or watch someone move) you also get pleasure. Combine music and movement—a.k.a. DANCING—and you get twice the pleasure! No wonder dancing has been around for so long.
Dancing figures are depicted in Egyptian tomb paintings from around 3300 B.C. The first dances were ritualistic or ceremonial in nature. Archaeologists theorize that early dancing was used to relate myths and stories to the next generation. As time passed—and spoken/written language emerged—people found new reasons to dance. Although some of the reasons for dancing have changed over the years, many remain the same:
- Communication—telling of stories and myths
- Prayer—asking for help/offering thanks (for good weather, crops, health, fortune)
- Ceremonies—rituals, rites of passage, burials
- Celebrations—weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, holidays
- Socialization—interacting with peers; attracting a mate (Some things never change, even after 5,000 years!)
- Entertainment—both for the dancers themselves and their audience
- Exercise—a fantastic way to stay healthy
Whatever the reason, give in to your craving and dance—it’s a natural part of being human. Even so, most of us can benefit from lessons. Make an appointment today at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC.
Links:
Scientific American, Sept. 26, 2008
