You do not have to be a  dance enthusiasts to notice that the online world as much as bookshops and online libraries are full of writings about dance and the benefits of dance. Dance is grabbing interest of audiences as diverse as you can think of (from fitness instructors, to aged-care workers, to school teachers, to spiritual seekers to neuro-scientists). If you have never danced other than at a friend’s wedding, you would still have heard someone passionately discussing how dance has changed their life. This interest might be new but dance, in its many forms, has always been a part of the fabric of social life.

We have always danced. Individuals, couples, communities, tribes – we have always danced. Famous French sociologist Emile Durkheim saw dance as a societal glue - a social practice that cultivates what he called “collective effervescence”, a feeling of dynamism, vitality and community experienced by engaging in dance. Durkheim observed how dance held cultures together by creating communal feelings that were difficult to cultivate otherwise, for example a feeling of uplifting togetherness or powerful unity.

Dance helps us grow individually and collectively. When we move the energy in our bodies, we create more clarity, calmness and self-awareness. When we move with others, we feel more connected to the people and the world around us. Relationships, compassion, and communities grow. Dance is a wellbeing practice.