Dance, the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and
within a given space, for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion,
releasing energy, or simply taking delight in the movement itself.
One of the most basic motives of dance is the expression and
communication of emotion. People and even certain animals often dance as
a way of releasing powerful feelings, such as sudden accesses of high
spirits, joy, impatience, or anger. These motive forces can be seen not
only in the spontaneous skipping, stamping, and jumping movements often
performed in moments of intense emotion, but also in the more formalized
movements of “set” dances, such as tribal war dances or festive folk
dances.