What, in your opinion, is the point/purpose of dance?

Question

Please answer from either the point of view of you yourself going out dancing, and/or from the point of view of being an audience member watching a dance performance.

This isn't for a homework assignment or something - I'm 32 and I just find it strange that while I appreciate music, painting, sculpture, and literature as both the "do-er" and the "viewer", dance has never really done much for me.

Answer 1

Purpose:

exercise

for fun

sometimes to praise God

drama

Answer 2

Dance is an art form, as in acting or singing, three dimensional, two dimensional, etc...

Some people don't understand the purpose of painting or sculpture art, as some don't understand the dance art form.  

As an art form it can evoke emotions to other, inspirations, excitement, maybe help to understand humanity through it.  Dancers are a living paint, as the stage as the their canvas. Dance are not just movements, they are about line, forms, lyrical, melodic, space - just like paintings. Van Gogh's Starry Nights, you can see emotion, movements, rhythms, forms, lack of space... one might be inspired by it, as one might get inspired by dance. One might not understand it, as one might not in dance. Not everyone will understand modern dance, as not everyone will understand or even like Pollacks' works. Some dance are there to evoke thoughts and emotions, just like the random splashes of Pollacks', it is not there to intellectualized it; but to see the boldness, and let people think for themselves what they think or feel it is all about. (You might even say a monkey can do the same thing with that kind of painting, but then again, when you see monkey just dancing and enjoying themselves, you can some how feel some joy from it, also.

A lot of people like/love the statue David - they like the form, lines, smoothness, majestic - as some would like Swan Lake for its form, lines, smoothness, majestic...

For the dancers, like painters, it's a way to express themselves. I guess others have to be there or do it to really understand  it.

Dance like 2 or 3 dimensional arts, sometimes you have to read or do research about it to have a better understanding of it.

How many understand or appreciate Marcel Duchamp's BICYCLE WHEEL? Not comparing Dadaist to any dance but just a matter of how one learn to understand such art - is just about the same as one learn about dance art.

Answer 3

in my opiniom, the purpose of dance is to express yourself. to express your feelings toward any situation.

for example: i dance contemparary (not sure if i spelt it right)

by dancing contemparay i show my feelings toward my emotions, by jumping spinning, reaching out, falling and gliding across the floor, i am bassically shouting out my feelings towards life

Answer 4

complete or total development from all characteristics and abilities of it's bearer....z....

Answer 5

i feel its hard to explain. ppl dance for different reasons weather its dancing to dance or to express your emotions or let out anger. it could be a hobby, job or something to just do. i for one like it. its really cool to watch and sometimes ppl can make a point out of there dancing.

im not sure if thats the kind of answer ur looking for so, sorry.

Answer 6

just like any other form of art, dance can be an expression of the artist.

and just like any other art form, it can also be created just for the sake of being created.

some people dance for stress relief and some for exercise as well, dancers are fortunate enough to get that physical benefit out of it ;)

as far as being an observer rather than a performer goes, there are some works of art that i do enjoy and some that i don't, art is very subjective that way.  there can be a dance piece that one person completely enjoys, but at the same time, the person next to them might be scratching their head in confusion.  

one time i went to a string concert with a friend and was truly moved by it.  there is a tremendous difference in hearing the music played live as opposed to hearing it off of a cd.  and not just the art of the violins, but the art of the lighting as well added to my reaction, it was amazing.  at the same time, my friend next to me was falling asleep.

live music is completely and utterly asthetically pleasing to me, to others it may be just another thing to block out.

because art is so subjective, it doesn't make anyone wrong or right about how it makes each particular individual feel, that's just the way the piece makes them feel.

some people may be moved by a painting, whereas its rare for me to be moved by a painting.  i may love certain paintings or certain sculptures, but not to the point where it makes my heart feel light and my eyes brim with tears like dance, or music, or books, or poems can make me do.

i think what every artist at least hopes to achieve is some kind of reaction, some sort of interpretation, out of their audience, even if it isn't what the artist was trying to convey, something that just let's the artist know that the audience at least paused to consider.

Answer 7

I dance and in my opion it's somthing you love to do to express your opion and let your creativite fourish it also gives me a confidence boost

Answer 8

I suppose I love dance because as a child and teenager it was a form of self expression for me...I took dance class all those years...it was something I could do without speaking because I had trouble expressing myself with words...it is such a release to dance...and I love to watch GOOD dancing...I admire it and think it is beautiful...I love all forms of artistic expression...I also can paint...again wordless...

Answer 9

I dance because I love to do so...I love to grow and become a better dancer every time i step into the studio.

Of course it is a form of expression as well...and I love to let emotions run through me when i dance.

But dancing is not just an outlet of expression however...I see it as another form of art. I love the fact that a choreographer can have a vision of expression and mold the dancers to what they see in their heads. If the dancers are right and the choreography is well done...then it is like the best feeling to be apart of it and hopefully to view it.

Maybe when you watch a dance performance next time...don't think so much about the movements they are taking but just focus on what you feel...if that is nothing then look at the expressions in the dancers faces and the energy they put off...the joy they seem to feel.

Hope i helped some :)

Answer 10

I'm a lyrical, ballet, modern, and tap dancer. I dance to express my feelings.. if I'm happy i usually dance to loud and fast music..

Sad- i dance to slowww and sad music. If im mad i dance to loud



fast music. Idk its just how i express my feelings =] hahaha but dancing is beautifull i see how it doesn't do anything for you. Dancers who love dance dance with passion. =]

Answer 11

For me, I love to dance (unprofessionally) because I can move my body in all sorts of ways.. and in a way its my body responding to the music. I feel energized by the notes... the instruments... the passion of the words... or simply just bouyed by the beat.

As for watching, I went to see 'Riverdance' a couple of months ago and was floored. I love how they can move so quickly in such succinct formations... and seeing the creative ways they work out dance routines. Dancing is a visual, auditory, physical pleasure that stimulates the senses and allows us to sometimes just be plain silly :)

Answer 12

dance is about the expression of yourself thru your body u can show alot of personality thru dance

dance battles are all about ur attitude

were as a technical performance can show of alot of you precision and neatness as a person thru ur style of dance

so next time you watch a dance try to think of how there movements help u connect with the person and if u cant well then they're just a bad dancer lol

Answer 13

It's a way of letting your body express what  words can't, for me...

when you dance you feel free, you feel happy, you feel yourself...

Your body needs dancing now and then, you need dancing now and then...

I don't like watching other people dancing though... Only when I like smh in the way they dance!

Answer 14

I'm with you on this one.  

Near as I can tell, the main purpose of dancing is to procreate the species.  

Fertility dances go back to prehistoric times.  Likewise, tribal rain dances, war dances, and the like,were done to gain some sort of material benefit for the dancers.  If you think about it, that goal hasn't changed much since then.

Answer 15

For me dancing is all about expressing yourself and showing you emotions through song and rythmn.

Answer 16

Dance is... It's an art form perhaps... It all depends how you look at it. I think people are attracted to it because it is exercise, it's art, and it's a hobby. With other types of art you aren't actually performing it. You make it. With dance YOU are the art... YOU are the masterpiece. I don't think that there is really any point/purpose of dance. It's just something that us humans do to entertain ourselves. It's like asking someone why we paint... I don't think there is a really purpose, it just... is.

Answer 17

dance is where you let loose and feel the music. you take it in with a big breath and when you breathe out you dance. when you dance you tell a story to your audience. its all of your emotions bottled into this movement. its just as expressive and HARD as music painting sculpture or literature.