Text Box: Why learn early dance? Dancing combines physical, mental, kinaesthetic and social skills, and is both an enjoyable pastime and a great benefit to people of all ages. Dancing promotes an awareness of the body and how to move gracefully and efficiently. This is a lifelong asset, especially when combined with the habit of good posture acquired by learning and practicing dancing. For students of music, a knowledge of the relationship between music and movement gives a new and tangible dimension to concepts of rhythm, tempo, phrasing and musical structure. To performers of early music, a practical knowledge of historical dance is of particular relevance in achieving an appropriate performance. So much music of the past was written for or inspired by the prestigious court dances of eras past. For dancers and actors, a knowledge of early dance helps to place current dance traditions in context, and provides great assistance in achieving appropriate styles of dance, gesture, and movement for period stage productions. decorative symbol Navigation buttons