Dance (Why People Dance)

Do you ever feel a wiggle in your toes when you hear a happy song. Or want to jump up and down when you're excited. That feeling is me. I'm the bounce in your step, the spin in your twirl, and the clap in your hands. Before you even know my name, you can feel me inside you, making you want to move and jiggle. It's a happy, warm feeling, like sunshine in your fingers and toes.

That’s right, I’m Dance. Hello. I am a very, very old friend to people all over the world. People have known me for a long, long time, even before there were big buildings or cars. Way back, people would draw pictures of me on the walls of their caves. In a warm place called Ancient Egypt, a super long time ago around 3000 BCE, people loved me. They would dance to tell fun stories and to be happy when the sun helped their plants grow big and strong. I helped them share their feelings without even talking. They would stomp their feet, sway their bodies, and spin in circles together. It was their way of saying 'hooray'.

Today, you can find me everywhere you go. I’m in the silly wiggles at a birthday party. I am in the pretty twirls of a ballerina in a sparkly costume. I am even in the happy jumps you do in your living room when your favorite song comes on. I help you show everyone if you're feeling happy or playful or strong. You don't need any special toys to find me, just your wonderful body. So next time you hear music, let your feet tap and your arms sway. Let's dance together and fill the world with happy wiggles.