Dance is an art form , consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography , by its repertoire of movements or by its historical period or place of origin.
Dance is typically performed with musical accompaniment , and sometimes with the dancer simultaneously using a musical instrument themselves. There are two different types of dance: theatrical and participatory dance. Both types of dance may have special functions, whether social, ceremonial , competitive , erotic , martial , sacred or liturgical.
Dance is not solely restricted to performance, as dance is used as a form of exercise and occasionally training for other sports and activities. Dance performances and dancing competitions are found across the world exhibiting various different styles and standards. Theatrical dance, also called performance or concert dance , is intended primarily as a spectacle, usually a performance upon a stage by virtuoso dancers. It often tells a story , perhaps using mime , costume and scenery , or it may interpret the musical accompaniment , which is often specially composed and performed in a theatre setting but it is not a requirement.
Examples are Western ballet and modern dance , Classical Indian dance such as Bharatanatyam , and Chinese and Japanese song and dance dramas, such as the dragon dance. Most classical forms are centred upon dance alone, but performance dance may also appear in opera and other forms of musical theatre. Participatory dance, whether it be a folk dance , a social dance , a group dance such as a line , circle , chain or square dance , or a partner dance , such as in Western ballroom dancing , is undertaken primarily for a common purpose, such as social interaction or exercise , or building flexibility of participants rather than to serve any benefit to onlookers.
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Such dance seldom has any narrative. A group dance and a corps de ballet , a social partner dance and a pas de deux , differ profoundly. Even a solo dance or interpretive dance may be undertaken solely for the satisfaction of the dancer. Participatory dancers often all employ the same movements and steps but, for example, in the rave culture of electronic dance music , vast crowds may engage in free dance , uncoordinated with those around them.
