dance / dancing

Question

Which is correct? The performances started with a dance / dancing.

Philip · Accepted Answer

A dance is the better choice here. If it were a different situation, and everyone were participating, you could use the other form.

Anonymous · Answer

Here are some more examples of (I hope) correct usage.

I think I got these explanations correct, other than the fact that I made heavy use of run-on sentences to describe those situations indicated by each usage example. Feel free to make corrections if you find any, though.

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- "The performance started with dancing and finished with a speech."

The above should be used to specify a single performance in the beginning of which one or multiple people performed either one or multiple specific acts of dance and which ended with a single specific speech given by one or multiple people.

- "The performance started with a dance."

The above should be used to specify a single performance in the beginning of which one or multiple people were engaged in a single, specific act of dance.

- "The performance started with dance."

The above should be used to specify a single performance in the beginning of which one or multiple people performed either one or multiple specific acts of dance.

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If you wish to specify and describe more than one single performance (ie. multiple performances,) you might prefer using the word "Each." Consider the following:

- "Each performance started with dancing and ended with a song. "

The above should be used to indicate specific (multiple) performances in which each performance began with multiple people engaged in what could be specified as either one or multiple specific acts of what is commonly referred to as an "act of dance" or "the art of dance," and in which each of these specific performances ended with a single specific song that was performed by either one or multiple people. Except in the case that each of the specific performances contained only a single dance enacted by a couple.

- "Each performance started with dance and ended with song."

The above should be used to indicate specific (multiple) performances in which each performance began with either one or multiple people engaged in what could be specified as either one or multiple specific acts of dance and in which each of these specific performances ended with either one or multiple people engaged in an act of singing either one or multiple songs.

- "Each of the performances started with dance and ended with song."

The above is a worser way of indicating specific (multiple) performances in which each began with either one or multiple people engaged in what could be specified as either one or more specific acts of dance and in which each of these specific performances ended with either one or multiple people engaged in an act of singing either one or multiple songs.

- "Each performance started with a dance and ended with a song."

The above should be used to indicate specific (multiple) performances in which each performance began with either one or multiple people engaged in one specific act of dance and in which each of these specific performances ended with either one or multiple people engaged in an act of singing one single song.

Anonymous · Answer

I agree with Philip's answer ! If you just watching the performance, you may use 'a dance'. But if you join the performance, you'd better use 'dancing'. (Desimaliati)

dance / dancing

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