The art of dancing is something that has captivated humans for many centuries. Over time, it developed into a powerful tool for communication, storytelling, and cultural and emotional expression.
Dancing not only unites us as a community but also contributes to the individual well-being of every person. Besides the physical benefits like muscle strength and an increased fitness level overall, it also builds our self-consciousness and connects our body to our brain.
But where are the origins of this sport and communication form that transcends national borders and unites people all around the world to this day?

The first documentation we have of dancing dates back 9,000 years to an Indian cave painting that shows many different scenes of people in their daily lives. One of the paintings depicts a group of dancing people who are surrounded by others who are playing some kind of instrument. Of course, it is not confirmed or proven that India was the first country in which the people danced or invented it. Many traces of early dancing date back to China, Greece, and Italy, where societies were formed and different art forms were discovered. In many cultures, dancing was used as a tool to express their beliefs, worship their religious gods, and include it in spiritual ceremonies. To find further proof, scientists are searching for more artifacts from this time so they can understand the way people used to dance better and find out where dancing was “invented”.

Furthermore, in the third millennium BC, dancing spread further when, in old Egypt, people used to dance to present the happenings of important incidents and events. They captured their religious ceremonies on the walls of tombs through paintings, and from them, people today know that they were dancing to tell stories about their gods and the cosmic movements.

Moreover, dancing was also used in Greece, where civilizations were formed and dancing became more popular. The traditional culture of the Greeks included dancing, especially since there was always a dance ritual before every Olympian Games. Many other cultures involve the tradition of dancing in their rituals.

Other than that, dancing was not only used for religious reasons but also to express joy and emotions at different festivities.

Later, in the 1400s, dancing became more than just a free-time activity and a way to express beliefs and tell stories. People could be dancers as an occupation and earn money with it. Only very wealthy people and royals in Europe could hire dancers and watch their performances for entertainment reasons.

In the 1600s, in France and Russia, the first ballets and ballet companies were founded. Over time, dancing spread across the globe and became popular in every part of the world. Through that, the different cultures developed their own dance genres and unique styles to express their culture and stories. This is why, today, there are so many styles and substyles of Latin dances like salsa and rumba, hip-hop, jazz dance, modern dance, ballet, and many folk dances. Each dance has its own story and development over the years, and that is what makes them all unique in their own ways.

Sources:
https://salsakings.com/importance-of-dance-in-our-daily-life/#:~:text=Dancing%20is%20important%2C%20because%20physical,communicate%20well%20in%20a%20group.
http://www.dancefacts.net/dance-history/history-of-dance/
https://www.rookieroad.com/dance/history/#origins-of-dance