Although it’s not possible to say when dance became part a of human culture, we can say with high certainty that it has been an important part of ceremonies, rituals, celebrations and entertainment for almost as long as human beings have existed. It seems that dance is as old as man himself.

In the ancient times dance was primarily practiced as a part of rituals and various ceremonies. Social dance, where sociability and simply enjoying yourself is the primary focus, appeared in middle ages. Today, when we think of dance, we think of fun or sport.

The most common dance forms of the early Middle Ages were chain dances. One of the most documented is the carol or the ronde known from the 12th and 13th centuries.

During the renaissance, dance became the pastime and passion of the nobility. There were two categories of dances at that time. One that consisted of simple dances like branles, which included an unlimited number of participants dancing in circles, lines, or columns. The other category were complex dances for couples or more people and required a dancing master and years of practice to perfect.

The famous Waltz was first introduced by the Austrian court in the 17th century. The early Waltz was what we now call the Viennese Waltz and it is much faster that the normal waltz. When it first came to the United States in the mid-1800s, it was shown as a vigorous, demanding dance. Soon, it evolved into the slower version we know today.

When ballroom dancing became popular with the masses in the early 1900s, dancing really took off. Dances like foxtrot, swing, quickstep, jitterbug, jive, stroll and twist were immensely popular at the times. The Cuban and Latin American influence brought the Rumba, Samba, Mambo, Cha Cha, and other spicy Latin American dances.

Today, we see dance as a social phenomenon that is integral to all cultures. Whether we do it just for the fun of it or through traditions and rituals, dance is, and will always remain an important part of our lives.