Dancing, one of mankind's oldest traditions, was an activity the human race had well before the written word. When dance originated is not known but it is believed to date back to the Paleolithic era, or the Stone Age. Prehistoric rock art depicting dancing has been discovered at sites in Africa, India, Australia, Italy, Turkey, Israel, Iran, and Egypt, among other locations. This ritual of dance was central to their lives and helped to band them together as a society. "Dance" as a neuroscientist put it is "the biotechnology of group formation".

Dancing transcends from the Prehistoric into the Historical period (beginning some 5000 years ago), with artwork of dancers found in Ancient Mesopotamian, Greek, Indian and Palestinian archaeological sites.

This book gives a detailed history of how far back dancing goes (prehistoric) and explains the many different occasions (and rituals) of dance.

If these ecstatic rituals and festivals were once so popular, why are they almost unheard of today. Why has "ectasy" been suppressed by modern day civilization? The rituals of joy are as important a quest for the human being as that of food, shelter, and security.

Barbara Ehrenreich goes into great detail explaining these issues and our quest for "pleasure". Wonderfully written, Dancing In The Streets is a thought provoking and informative read.