Erotic dance is a way for people to express themselves in a sexual way, without actually having sex. In our modern times, many dance styles have been considered forms of this style, as was evidenced in the wildly popular movie, "Dirty Dancing." The fact that people like to dance sexually might trace back to the animals, or it could just be generational expression. But no matter the reason, dancing erotically will always be popular with someone.

Erotic dancing can be traced back as far as the Egyptians, and possibly even farther. A lot of modern erotic dances such as belly dancing and hip hop ballet are based on ancient dances. The Egyptians used erotic dances in their spiritual rituals, specifically in fertility ceremonies.

According to the Egyptians, during these dances the priestesses would "become" whatever goddess they were dancing for, usually Het Heret, Sekhmet, Bast, Nuit, and Aset. Then when the priests or other men slept with them, they were basically sleeping with a goddess. In many cases, these erotic dances were accompanied by the massive consumption of alcohol.

Couples wishing to conceive would visit these temples while the dances were going on, in hopes of becoming more fertile during that time. Gradually, such practices in Europe and civilized nations stopped over the years, mainly due to the Christianization of the modern world, and other factors.

However, erotic dances were still done in private and in certain select underground places. Still, the erotic dance began to regain popularity by the end of the 1700 and 1800s, resurfacing as strip clubs. The first strip tease began in France. The lady stripping pretended to be bothered by a flea, and had to take her clothes off to find it.

Most of the modern dances of today have their roots in those ancient dances. Over time, people become used to a certain kind of dance, yet when looking back on what was once considered "dirty dancing," it can be amusing. At some point or other, most all ballroom dancing, classical ballet, waltzing, and the Salsa have all been considered dirty dances.

Of course, now most ballet school establishments offer these dances for instruction. Actually, what really constitutes dirty dances is up to the viewer. Erotic dance is a subject that people like to think about, and so many different movies have focused on dirty dances or sexual energy between partners. In general, a dancing person will always been seen as somewhat erotic because they are able to move their bodies with finesse.

Erotic dance has always been a popular form. A lot of people really enjoy watching someone dance in a graceful and skilled way. Almost everyone has wished to be as graceful on the dance floor as a ballet dancer, but for most people, those dancing skills are unattainable. But, the fact that it is unreachable for most people is one of the reasons why dirty dancing is so popular.