Τhe Presence of Dance in Female Deities of the Greek Antiquity

Abstract

Abstract According to philosophers and paedagogists, from antiquity until today, arts and dance in particular have played a determining role in shaping the human personality, as well as in helping people gain a positive perspective of their multi-aspect development in terms of knowledge, perception, creative ability, psychomotor actions, emotional and social elevation. This holistic and anthropocentric approach in antiquity set new ways for perceiving motion -particularly dance- through the dance education. The aim of this study is to provide a well-documented review of dance in religious events of the ancient Greek world, by collecting and processing data related to female deities connected to the most important dances and music in public feasts of Ancient Greece -feasts of both religious and war character. Dance, music and poetry; the three elements that managed to influence and configure the education of the Ancient Greeks, leading to one of the most fundamental elements of Greek aesthetics: “harmony”.