Since 1977-78, The USA National Dance Association (NDA) has selected one individual each year to receive an award as NDA Scholar and/or Artist and make a presentation at the association's annual meeting. The following essay was originally presented as the 1994 NDA Scholar's Lecture; a manuscript version has been published by that organization. The version published here includes a few additions that were part of the spoken lecture in 1994 but were not in the earlier publication. No attempt has been made, however, to bring it "up to date" in terms of references and more recent developments; rather it remains in the historical context in which it was created.