Dance Vs Dance to

Question

I read this sentence on a website(Vocabular.com):
This solo of Elysian grace is now being danced by David Hallberg, the first person to have danced it since Mr. Dowell himself, and surely the finest stylistic heir Mr. Dowell has ever had. I usually see people dancing to a song, so what is the difference between 'have danced it' and 'dancing to' a song?

Thanks.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

fatimah0786I read this sentence on a website(Vocabular.com):This solo of Elysian grace is now being danced by David Hallberg, the first person to have danced it since Mr. Dowell himself, and surely the finest stylistic heir Mr. Dowell has ever had. I usually see people dancing to a song, so what is the difference between 'have danced it' and 'dancing to' a song?Thanks.

It sounds like ballet terminology. It's like an actor plays a part or plays a role. The dancer dances [a role in a ballet / a dance in a ballet / a solo / in a pas de deux (duet)]. These are dances which are choreographed to have exactly the same sequence of steps and the same movements of the body every time they are danced, so they look the same to audiences whenever and wherever they are performed. This is not just a matter of improvised dance movements in time to a song.

CJ

Fatimah0786 · Answer

Thanks for answering.
Do we 'dance on a song' or 'dance a thought', (I read this in Clive's introduction:The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced ), either is correct?

CalifJim · Answer

fatimah0786 'dance on a song' or 'dance a thought',

We don't dance on a song, no. We might 'dance a thought' very metaphorically, but that's not everyday English; it's more like poetry.

CJ

Fatimah0786 · Answer

It was a typo, I meant dance to a song.

CalifJim · Answer

fatimah0786I meant dance to a song.

Well, you can do that.

CJ

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