The Encyclopedia Britannica defines dance as 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. There are many different styles of dance, all being different in style and elements. Dance was first introduced as a ritual to the gods, and has branched off within different cultures, shaping around the culture as a form of representation. The first documented style of dance is Ballet, which originated in Europe during the Renaissance. The word ballet is French in origin, taken from the Italian composition “Balletto”; the purpose of ballet was to entertain the guests that attended royal weddings. …show more content…
This dance was developed by the Polynesians, and originated in the southern Pacific islands. Polynesian dancing incorporates styles from different islands including Tahitian, Tongan, Samoan, Fijian, New Zealand and Hawaiian. Though each island is a different style of Polynesian dancing, they are similar in many aspects. One of the most popular forms of Polynesian dance is Hawaiian hula dancing. Hawaiian Hula dancing is a smooth flowing dance that acts as a representation of the movement of nature on the islands of Hawaii. Historically, the hula was an ancient traditional dance accompanied by a chant sung by the men of the tribe. As men chanted, women would dance for the volcano Goddess Pele, who was presented with gifts during the ritual. Polynesian dances are still preformed, but the modern Polynesian dances are performed in many different countries other than the original islands. In the 20th century, Polynesian dancing became more popular in other countries after it expanded to French Polynesia. To this day, Polynesian dancing is still used for spiritual and religious purposes, as well as