Types of Dance

There are many different types of dance found both nationally and abroad. In fact, dance genres throughout the world are as diverse as the people who live in it. Dancers (and dancers at heart) often enjoy studying and exploring the different styles of dance available to them. This may include the mainstream forms familiar to us, such as ballet, tap and jazz, or they may be more interested in absorbing information and technique examples from more remote styles such as the ethnic African Tribal Dance and the spiritual Liturgical Dance.

The Unspoken Rules of Dance

While the various types of dance vary greatly, many of them follow a few basic rules.

• Almost all dance is accompanied by some sort of music
• Most dance tells a story, be it simple or complex
• Dancers dance because they have an innate desire to express themselves in some way
• Dance is passed down through generations, whether it is through a formal dance studio or cultural family instruction.
• Dance speaks a language everyone can understand, which makes it appealing to many different types of people.

Finding Out More

The articles found on the LTK dance channel can help you learn more about virtually any type of dance in existence. However, if you truly are interested in learning about a certain style of dance, the best thing you can do is try to take classes where you can receive proper instruction. For example, an aspiring ballerina should never attempt to go en pointe until she has received proper authorization and lessons in technique from a dance teacher. Likewise, a ballroom dance enthusiast should never enter a competition without any formal training. Dancers work hard to achieve the things they do, and there are no short cuts.