May 13, 2016
Dance is an integral part of human culture and is both an art form and a method of communication in cultures around the world. Dance has been called the ‘universal language’ and can be found in virtually every corner of the globe. From Samba dancing in Brazil and the traditional dances of India, to good old English Folk dancing – there are so many different kinds of dance that are a great expression of our cultures.
Dance has been around for thousands of years and it has even been proposed that before the invention of written languages, dance was an important way of communicating and was a way of passing down stories from generation to generation. Archaeological evidence for early dance includes a 9000-year-old painting in India at the Rock shelters of Bhimbetka and Egyptian Tomb paintings depicting dancing figures dated 3300 BC. In fact, references to dance can be found in very early-recorded history. Greek Dance (‘Horos’) is referred to in the works of Plato and Aristotle.
This year One Day has really been embracing World Culture through dance. We have been in schools all over the country focusing on different dance styles, including Australian Aboriginal, Bollywood, African and Spanish Flamenco. All of these workshops have helped to educate children about the culture and history of the countries where these dances originated.
With the Olympics in Brazil this year, we have been in lots of schools exploring and learning about South American culture whilst having fun and creating an energetic Brazilian dance – Samba de Gafieira, Zouk and Forro, and Samba!
2017 is also the UK Indian Year of Culture! So watch this space as we have some amazing Indian Dance packages coming your way soon!
Dance can be emotional, expressive, and is an excellent way of storytelling. It’s creative, entertaining and at times inspirational. The world is a diverse place and there is so much we can learn about different cultures through dance!
Gary and the One Day Team.