mimesis

So this -- mimesis -- is the other important, related concept to why we dance.  I've been ranting in all my classes about "mirror neurons" and how the discovery of them in humans has finally provided the biological basis for nonlinear thought.  As we dance the audience dances with us via mirror neurons.  So audience members are better at mimesis than others.  I think that those people who "get" dance are also more empathetic in general.  They have the ability to get into the skin of others.  This makes dance vitally important to culture.  We are teachers of empathy.