Before humankind could talk, tell stories, or build collective endeavours, it was 'rhythmic movement in time' that gave the first spark to the human instinct to collaborate. Dance supported a massive switch in human orientation which set the stage for our extraordinary evolutionary journey.

Dance made settlement and survival, belonging and language, ultimately possible. In dance, shared movement, energy exchanges, spontaneous patterns, and communal spaces are forged. Thus, fears and concerns are overcome; social bonds, common purpose, and collective identity evolve.

Dance has transformational power. What ignited our ancestors can inspire us today. That is the central proposition of this book.

In the Western World we lost our dance in the second half of the last millennium. We must revive dance in our lives. This book is the invitation.

The author is Julia Franks, a psychotherapist who has danced with a million people. In her 20s she ran raves in London for a decade. In the 1990s she led 'Spirit in the House', exploring the ecstatic rave experience, without the chemical comedown. Now she is a conscious dance leader in London, and at events and festivals everywhere.

What is conscious dance? It is the opposite of 'self-conscious' dance. Dancing with freedom, as if no-one is watching. Leading conscious dance propelled Julia into a serious enquiry: how and why is dancing good for us today? She reviews evidence of dance as health, wellness, medicine, exercise, befriending, bonding, and spiritual expression.

This book observes how dance is now being employed to tackle social and health challenges from isolation and depression, to Parkinson's, dementia, addiction, obesity, and stress. Julia invites us to 'get dancing' and gives us options for how to do it. The voices of dancers form a chorus alongside the story, providing rich texture.

This book will awaken your curiosity to the rhythm of your own dancing body, and the magic evoked by dancing together.