Even though the exact origins of dance have been lost to time, humanity's celebrations, relationships, hopes, and even fears have been immortalized in this highly kinesthetic art form. Unlike paint, marble, or clay though, dance is one of the few artistic forms that creates its expression from living individuals.
Dance not only conveys our human experiences, but it also serves as a sound foundation for building meaningful relationships with our fellow dancers; as a result, social dancing in Marlboro, New Jersey is revitalizing America's passion for this timeless craft.
Social dancing has always played a significant role in our country's history, often mirroring the prevalent politics and fads from unique eras. For instance, consider the minuet's popularity in 18th century America. Originally performed in France, the minuet represented refinement and ceremony; hence, it was frequently performed to signal the opening of a political gathering. In this dance, the most prestigious couple would sashay about the room in a symmetrical order, subtly reminding the other couples of the hierarchy inherent in any social situation, whether it be a ballroom or a country. The minuet's success during the Revolutionary Era makes perfect sense. First of all, the dance was imported from France, the very country that was experiencing similar revolutionary pains to our own country. Such a sense of brotherhood was then bolstered even more by the fact that our new country was seeking to find a new order, a balance that would create a harmony that could be mimicked in the streets.
Once America's foundation was in place, the new citizens felt the desire to express their fresh freedoms. This passion exhibited itself through the popularity of the country dance that encouraged everyone, not just the most distinguished couple, to participate. In the country dance, partners would face one another and move down a line while performing a series of repetitive motions with each other. Each couple would even take a turn leading, directing the actions of all the other couples. The freedoms inherent in the newborn democracy encouraged American dancers to shake off some of the formality offered by such dances as the minuet for the individuality and equality discussed during the 19th century.
It is obvious that dance is a very sincere and honest reflection of the human experience. While the popular dance styles are indicative of the time periods that celebrated them most, the common denominator to all of dance is the interpersonal skills that the art matures in its participants. People have crafted dances to expose their societal expectations, but they have also danced to find commonalities with other individuals. By working together to create the harmony of any dance, dancers must learn to rely upon one another in an unparalleled fashion. Through dance, the dancer is better able to identify the self, the whole, and the order that must be established between the two.
If you yearn to participate in the social dances of our modern world, please contact us today. It is likely that you will find that what is old is surprisingly new once again.