10 Dazzling Dance Facts

Waltz into the Web's best dancing facts, including surprising history, little-known statistics, dance symbolism, and much more.

10 Dazzling Facts about Dancing

1.The leotard is named after its inventor, Jules Léotard, a French acrobat who performed the first flying trapeze act in 1859. He wore his tight-fitting ensemble to show his muscles.

2. "The Dancing Plagues" occurred sporadically throughout Western Europe from the 14th to the 17th centuries. For reasons unknown, people would dance until they collapsed from exhaustion or died.

3. The most popular ballet in the world is Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, which was first performed in 1892.

4. In many religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, dance is a part of worship, and dancing figures are often found in shrines and temples.

5. The Whirling Dervishes are famous for their unique whirling dances. Their whirling symbolizes the rotation of the universe in the presence of God.

6. The word "waltz" comes from waltzen, which is German for glide or turn. Initially, the dance was declared "shocking" and "sinful."

7. Dancers and choreographers rank first as the professions with the highest divorce rates. Bartenders and massage therapists round out the top three.

8. In ancient Greece, dance was seen as a gift from the gods. The main qualities of dance, such as order and rhythm, were also qualities of the gods.

9. Rapper Tupac Shakur was a ballet dancer. He was a member of the 127th Street Ensemble, a Harlem-based theater company.

10. People who dance tend to have a higher self-esteem and are more positive.

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