You are OK. As long as that pain doesn't continue any longer than 2-3 days, she's apples, you haven't done any damage. Usually (over the course of your average, lazy ass day) your intervertebral discs lose up to 20% of their water content, just because of the compressive load of our good friend gravity. Therefore, yes, you are literally shorter at night (most peoples hight varies by up to 1 cm over a day). So, if you add in 10 hours of high energy dancing, you've lost about another 1-2L of water. The body redistributes its water content to try to regulate your blood pressure for your brain, and your probably left with about 60% of your water content in the IV discs.
This in itself could cause pain, because the shortened vertebral column now has less space between vertebrae to transmit your spinal nerves, or between joint surfaces, possibly causing friction and irritation.
Temporary loss of IV disc water content differs from losing spinal fluid (CSF) which is carried within the cord itself, and is regulated fairly strictly in volume. I know no-one has seriously suggested that E drains your spinal fluid, but I thought I would set the record straight anyway, for those unsure.
Add to this the fact that you've been standing upright (unless you've had mitsis, which put U on your arse!) for the last 26 hours or so, and exercising for a good proportion of that, the muscles that keep your spine up straight get really tired and sore, as someone mentioned in a previous post.
The best way to recover from this pain is to stop doing what you've been doing. Give your spine a holiday from gravity for a few hours, let your spine muscles sleep for a bit, and alls cool.
Or just take more drugs! (not my professional opinion and wont be liable for permanent injury or death caused from it).
Best position for recovery of disc water content is lying flat on your back with your feet up on a chair. In this position, there is gentle traction on your spine, so it recovers water faster thru negative pressure in the discs.
Sum it all up;
Standing up an dancing for hours makes your spine a little shorter, muscles tired, and might hurt.
To fix this, do the opposite of standing up and dancing for hours - sleep, and drink water.
Hope this has been of some help, and not trying to put down anyone that has responded to this thread.
*Hugz for all*
Raider
P.S: Massage also fukn rocks!