Dance is a form of expression, a social interaction, an exercise and sometimes even a spiritual journey. All over the world, in almost all cultures, dance is an integral part of life. There are many styles and genres of dance. They can be broadly classified as interpretative, classical, street, participatory, social, ceremonial, competitive and so on. The African dance is said to be interpretative, while square dance, break dance, and electric slide are street dances.
It is not possible to put a definite date on when dance came to be a part of human culture. But there is some archaeological evidence (from ancient Indian paintings and also from Egyptian tomb paintings) that from earliest times, dance has been performed at ceremonies, rituals, celebrations and entertainment.
Long before the invention of the written language, dance was used to tell stories. In cultures from the Brazilian rainforest and the Kalahari desert, dance was used as a form of healing.
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In the early 20th century, there was an explosion of modern dance. From the 1960s onwards the trend was towards simplicity, beauty of the untrained body and unsophisticated movement. Elaborate costumes were rejected, as were the stories. But these changes did not work well and before long all this was back. The 1980s saw the emergence of contemporary dance alongside classical dance.