Beside the ritual of weeping, the most important ritual in the life of primitive people is dancing. The basic characteristics of dancing are as follows:
1. Means of enjoyment
Dancing is a means of enjoyment. It is frequently a rejoicing. It is a natural expression of pleasure. In it not only the mind but also body takes part in the natural expression of pleasure.
2. Rhythmical activity
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Dance is Rhythmic. It enables a number of persons to join in the same actions and perform them as one body. The dancer is in a condition in which all the bodily and mental activities are harmoniously directed to one end.
3. Activity of the total body
The dance involves the activity of as many muscles of the body as possible. It brings into play the whole muscular system.
4. Social solidarity
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As every adult able bodied man must take part in dance, it is a means to maintain social solidarity. It gives the pleasure of self surrender. In the words of Radcliffe Brown, “In this way the dance produces a condition in which the unity, harmony and concord of the community are at a maximum, and in which they are intensely felt by every member.”
Thus dancing is a means of uniting individuals into a harmonious whole. It makes them actually and intensely experience their relation to that unity of which they are the members.
5. Stimulation of self regard
Dance stimulated self regarding sentiment by giving an opportunity to the individual for exhibiting his skill in dance. It affects the sentiment of the dancer towards his fellows. According to Radcliffe Brown the conscious motive of dance is personal vanity.
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6. Gratification of personal vanity
Thus dance offers an opportunity for the gratification of personal vanity. This is particularly clear from the various types of adornment, of the body of the dancer.
7. Increase of personal value
Thus dance increases personal value i of the person. He realises that his personal value depend upon the harmony between himself and his fellows.
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Types of Dances Just as weeping are observed on different occasions similarly dancing is a ceremonial observed on different occasions.
1. Dance before setting out to a fight
Among Andaman Islanders there is a custom always to have a dance before setting out to a fight. This dance performs two functions. In the first place it arouses a sense of group unity in the mind of every individual. Secondly, it intensifies the collective anger against the hostile group. Thirdly, it produces a state of excitement and elation which is important in fighting.
2. Group dances at dance meetings
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A normal feature in the social life of the Andamans is the dance meetings. These are regularly held on different occasions. In these meetings two or more local groups meet each other for a few days. For the greater part of the year these groups use to live separately. Dance meetings renew social solidarity, which was weakened by long separation.
To quote Radcliffe Brown. “The function of the dance meetings was therefore to bring the two groups into contact and renew the social relations between them and in that way to maintain the solidarity between them.”
3. Ordinary dance
This is the dance of individuals on different occasions. It satisfies vanity of the dancer. It arouses social sentiment. It stimulates self-regard. It increases personal value of the dancer.
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Functions of Dances
The characteristics of dance mentioned earlier express its functions. Thus it is a means of enjoyments. It is a play and exercise. It increases social solidarity. It stimulates self regard. It gratifies personal vanity. It increases personal value. To quote Radcliffe Brown, “Thus it appears that not only the ordinary dance, but also the war-dance, and the dance-meetings owe their place in the life of the Andaman Islanders to the fact that dancing is a means of uniting individual into a harmonious whole and at the same time making them actually and intensely experience their relation to that unity of which they are the members.”