So, what's this dance thing all about then? Why exactly do we 'dance'?

If you think about it too hard it does seem like a pretty silly thing to do really, but people all over the world dance, so it can't just be so that people can have a good laugh at you… or can it?!

Dancing is actually a very good way to keep fit, and some people find it a lot more fun than doing any kind of sport.

Dance is something we usually associate with music: normally music makes us feel like dancing (not always though!), but it is more than just moving your body about a bit in time to the music. It is actually an art, and can be a form of communication. Different cultures use different types of dance to express different things. It can be used just for fun, it can be an art (ballet, or jazz dance, for example) or as a ritual (in religions). Aboriginal dance makes animal shapes using the human body, Asian dance often uses mime. So there are different dance styles depending upon the culture you come from.

One thing's for sure: there's no way of knowing when humans first danced. It's part of our nature to move about freely. Did you know that many animals dance too? Some birds and insects use certain steps to try to find a mate! So it's not just humans who can't resist getting down on the dance floor then!