'Dance' (from
French ''danser'', perhaps from
Frankish) generally refers to
movement used as a form of
expression,
social interaction or presented in a
spiritual or
performance setting.
'Dance' is also used to describe methods of
non-verbal communication (see
body language) between humans or
animals (
bee dance,
patterns of behaviour such as a mating dance),
motion in inanimate objects (''the
leaves danced in the
wind''), and certain
musical forms or
genres.
Definitions of what constitutes dance are dependent on
social,
cultural,
aesthetic,
artistic and
moral constraints and range from functional movement (such as
Folk dance) to
virtuoso techniques such as
ballet. In
sports,
gymnastics,
figure skating and
synchronized swimming are ''dance'' disciplines while
Martial arts '
kata' are often compared to dances.
Dance can be directly
participatory,
social or
performed for an
audience. It can also be
ceremonial,
competitive or
erotic. Dance movements may be without significance in themselves, such as in
ballet or European
folk dance, or have a
gestural vocabulary/symbolic system as in many Asian dances. Dance can embody or express ideas,
emotions or tell a story.
Choreography is the art of creating dances, and the person who does this is called a choreographer.
Origins and history of dance
Main articles: History of dance
Dance does not leave behind clearly identifiable physical artifacts such as stone tools, hunting implements or
cave painting. It is not possible to say when dance became part of human culture. Dance has certainly been an important part of
ceremony,
rituals,
celebrations and
entertainment since before the birth of the earliest human
civilizations.
Archeology delivers traces of dance from
prehistoric times such as
Egyptian tomb paintings depicting dancing figures from circa
3300 BC and the
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka paintings in
India.
One of the earliest structured uses of dance may have been in the performance and telling of myths. Before the introduction of written languages, dance was one of the methods of passing these stories down from generation to generation.
[1]
Another early use of dance may have been as a precursor to
ecstatic trance states in healing rituals. Dance is still used for this purpose by cultures from the Brazilian
rainforest to the
Kalahari Desert.
[Guenther, Mathias Georg. 'The San Trance Dance: Ritual and Revitalization Among the Farm Bushmen of the Ghanzi District, Republic of Botswana.' Journal, South West Africa Scientific Society, v30, 1975-76.]
Sri Lankan dances goes back to the mythological times of
aboriginal yingyang twins and "
yakkas" (devils). According to a Sinhalese legend, Kandyan dances originate, 2500 years ago, from a magic ritual that broke the spell on a bewitched king. Many contemporary dance forms can be traced back to
historical,
traditional,
ceremonial, and
ethnic dances.
Dancing and music
Many early forms of music and dance were created and performed together. This paired development has continued through the ages with dance/music forms such as:
Jig,
Waltz,
Tango,
Disco,
Salsa,
Electronica and
Hip-Hop. Some
musical genres also have a parallel dance form such as
Baroque music and
Baroque dance whereas others developed separately:
Classical music,
Classical ballet.
Although dance is often accompanied by
music, it can also be presented independently or provide its own accompaniment (
tap dance). Dance presented with music may or may not be performed ''in time'' to the music depending on the style of dance. Dance performed without music is said to be ''danced to its own rhythm''.
Dance by ethnicity or region
Dance in South Asia
India
Dance in Indian canonical literature
In the first millennium BCE in
India many texts were composed which sought to state the rules of social management, private life, linguistic discipline, public finance, state policy, poetics, and dramatics. In the matter of dance,
Bharata Muni's ''
Natyashastra'' (literally ''"the art of dance"'') is the one of the earlier texts.
Though the main theme of ''
Natyashastra'' deals with drama, dance also finds mention. It elaborates various gestures of hands and classifies such gestures and movements as either graceful or vigorous, defining the ''lalita'' form of dance - ''lasya''; and the vigorous form '
tandava'.
Dance is classified under four categories and into four regional varieties. ''
Natyashastra'' names these categories as secular, ritual, abstract, and, interpretive. Regional geography has altered since
ancient India's time and so have regional varieties of Indian dances. Dances like ''"Odra Magadhi"'', which after decades long debate, has been traced to present day Mithila-
Orissa region's dance form of
Odissi, indicate influence of dances in cultural interactions between different regions.
[2]
The roots of the present day
Kathak,
Bharatanatyam,
Odissi,
Mohini Attam and
Kuchipudi are found in ancient Indian civilization. Abstractness is now the feature of almost all classical Indian dance forms.
Classical Indian dance since 1947
During the reign of the last Mughals and Nawabs of Oudh dance fell down to the status of '
nautch', a sensuous dance of courtesans.
Later, linking dance with immoral trafficking and prostitution, British rule prohibited public performance of dance. Many disapproved it. In 1947, India won her freedom and for dance an ambience where it could regain its past glory. Classical forms and regional distinctions were re-discovered, ethnic specialties were honored.
Archaeology delivers traces of dance from prehistoric times such as Egyptian tomb paintings depicting dancing figures from circa 3300 BC and the Bhimbetka rock-shelter paintings in India.
Bhangra in the Punjab
The
Punjab area overlapping India and
Pakistan is the place of origin of
Bhangra. It is widely known both as a style of music and a dance. It is mostly related to ancient harvest celebrations, love, patriotism or current social issues. Its music is coordinated by a musical instrument called the 'Dhol'. Its beats is what gives the human body the vibes in the dance movements.
Bhangra isn't just music but a dance. It's actually the celebration of the harvest where people beat the dhol (drum), sing Boliyaan (lyrics) and dance!
Dances of Sri Lanka
The devil dances of Sri Lank] or "yakun natima" are a carefully crafted ritual with a history reaching far back into
Sri Lanka's pre-Buddhist past. It combines ancient "Ayurvedic" concepts of disease causation with psychological manipulation. The dance combines many aspects including Sinhalese cosmolgy, the dances also has an impact on the
classical dances of Sri Lanka.
[3]
In Europe and North America
Concert (or performance) dance
Ballet developed first in Italy and then in France from lavish court spectacles that combined music, drama, poetry, song, costumes and dance. Members of the court nobility took part as performers. During the reign of
Louis XIV, himself a dancer, dance became more codified. Professional dancers began to take the place of court amateurs, and ballet masters were licensed by the French government. The first ballet dance academy was the Académie Royale de Danse (Royal Dance Academy), opened in Paris in 1661. Shortly thereafter, the first institutionalized ballet troupe, associated with the Academy, was formed; this troupe began as an all-male ensemble but by 1681 opened to include women as well.
During the
18th century, ballets were still mainly performed alongside
opera or poetry, but the idea of dance performance as separate from sung or spoken word began to be experimented with.
Mime, instead, was used to tell the stories of these ballets. Female professional dancers began to take their place onstage, having previously been hampered by social norms; they performed in high-heeled shoes and long, full skirts. Later they wore short, stiff, yet fluffy, skirts called tutus.
During the Pre-Romantic era in ballet, the art form changed rapidly. Costume reforms were made, especially for women; these reforms were in part a result of the
French Revolution. Heeled street shoes were replaced by slippers, and corsets and heavy petticoats were discarded, and tights were invented. Simple
en pointe work was introduced by ballerinas such as Fanny Elssler and
Marie Taglioni, who heavily darned their slippers in order to be able to rise up briefly on their toes. The seven movements of dance (to bend, to rise, to stretch, to glide, to jump, to turn, and to dart) were codified in 1796.
The period of time between 1830 and 1870 is classified as the
Romantic era of ballet. A format developed for ballets crafted in this period: the first act was set in the real world and the second in a
supernatural or otherworldly setting. Most ballerinas portrayed creatures such as wilis, sylphs and nymphs wearing long white skirts, today called Romantic tutus. Ballets choreographed during this time period included
Giselle in 1841,
La Sylphide in 1832, and
Coppelia in 1870. The Romantic Era came to a close when ballet lost popularity in Western
Europe due to competition by music halls and a lack of strong male dancers and choreography.
St. Petersburg became the center of ballet during the second half of the 19th century; the art form was supported by the patronage of the czars and the success of the
Imperial Ballet, its school (forerunner of the
Kirov Ballet) and the talent of
Marius Petipa. Hard or blocked pointe shoes were introduced during this period, as were short tutus (today known as classical tutus, these skirts take their name from this era, which was the Russian Classical). Many story ballets (
The Nutcracker,
Don Quixote,
Swan Lake,
The Sleeping Beauty,
Le Corsaire) were produced during this period. Although the coming of the
Russian Revolution boded ill for the art form, Nicholas Sergeyev, last régisseur of the Imperial Ballet, smuggled the
choreographic notation documenting the Imperial Ballet's repertory out of Russia and into the West. Hence many of the ballets survived, and are still performed today.
Fred Astaire, one the most influential dancers of the 20th century, dancing on the walls and ceiling in the film ''
Royal Wedding'' (1951)
The Russian impresario
Serge Diaghilev was instrumental in bringing ballet back to Western Europe and allowing for its evolution into a 20th century art form. Although not a dancer nor a choreographer, Diaghilev was an avid dance and music patron. He assembled a troupe of Russian composers, dancers, choreographers and designers; as the Diaghilev Ballet Russes, this troupe toured Europe and the United States. Diaghilev was one of the foremost influences upon ballet in the new century, and he helped to launch the careers of such artists as
Anna Pavlova,
Michel Fokine,
Vaslav Nijinsky, and
George Balanchine, among others. After Diaghilev's death, the company disbanded. Many of his dancers settled in Western Europe and the United States. Michel Fokine joined
American Ballet Theatre in 1940 as its resident choreographer; George Balanchine also came to America and founded the
New York City Ballet in 1934. It was Balanchine who developed what is now known as the "neo-classical" style of ballet.
At the beginning of the
20th century, there was an explosion of innovation in dance style characterized by an exploration of freer technique. Early pioneers of what became known as
modern dance include
Loie Fuller,
Isadora Duncan,
Mary Wigman and
Ruth St. Denis. The relationship of music to dance serves as the basis for
Eurhythmics, devised by
Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, which was influential to the development of Modern dance and modern ballet through artists such as
Marie Rambert.
Eurythmy, developed by
Rudolf Steiner and
Lori Maier-Smits, combines formal elements reminiscent of traditional dance with the new freer style, and introduced a complex new vocabulary to dance. In the
1920s, important founders of the new style such as
Martha Graham and
Doris Humphrey began their work. Since this time, a wide variety of dance styles have been developed; see
Modern dance.
Cartoon of a breakdancer displaying a basic
freeze, complete with stereotypical
boombox.
The United States
African American dances are those dances which have developed within African American communities in everyday spaces, rather than in dance studios, schools or companies and its derivatives,
Tap dance,
Disco,
Jazz dance,
Swing dance,
hip hop dance and
breakdance. Other dances, such as the
lindy hop with its relationship to
rock and roll music and
rock and roll dance have also had a global influence.
Competitive dance (Dancesport)
An amateur dancesport competition at
MIT.
denotes dance as a
sport activity. Initially this term was applied to
competitive ballroom dancing, in its
International Style.
The
International DanceSport Federation, or IDSF, is an international governing body for amateurs, while the
World Dance & DanceSport Council (WD&DSC) is an international governing body for dance professionals. Since
1997 the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially recognized dancesport as sport
[4], with IDSF becoming an
IOC Recognized International Sports Federation. The IDSF strongly pushes for the inclusion of dancesport as a medal sport in the
Olympic Games. However the decision of the IOC is negative so far
[5]. It is in force only until the 2012 Olympics and subject to reconsideration afterwards.
The TV programs
Dancing with the Stars and
So You Think You Can Dance are both popularising DanceSport internationally. The two shows are about contestants competing to win dance competitions, much like how singing is used on
American Idol.
Dance studies
In the early
1920s dance studies (dance
practice,
critical theory,
Musical analysis and
history) began to be considered an
academic discipline. Today these studies are an integral part of many
universities'
arts and
humanities programs. By the late
20th century the recognition of practical
knowledge as equal to academic knowledge lead to the emergence of ''practice-based research'' and ''practice as research''. A large range of dance courses are available including:
★ Professional practice: performance and technical skills
★ Practice-based research: choreography and performance
★
Ethnochoreology, encompassing the dance-related aspects of
Anthropology,
Cultural Studies,
Gender Studies,
Area studies,
Postcolonial theory,
Ethnography, etc.
★
Dance therapy or Dance-Movement Therapy.
★ Dance and technology:
new media and performance
technologies.
★
Laban Movement Analysis and Somatic studies
A full range of
Academic degrees are available from
BA (Hons) to
PhD and other
postdoctoral fellowships, with many dance
scholars taking up their studies as ''mature students'' after a
professional dance career.
Dancing is evolved in so many different styles. Breakdancing and Crumping which is related to the hip hop culture. African dance which is interperative. Ballet, Ballroom, Waltz, and Tango are classical styles of dance. While square and the infamous electric slide are forms of step dances.
Dance occupations
There are different careers connected with dancing: Dancer, dance teacher, dance sport coach,
dance therapist and choreographer.
;Dancer
The training as the dancer differs depending upon the dance form with nationally recognized university studies for classical dance (e.g. Ballet) compared to the more sports like training in competition dance (e.g. Latin dance) and private training as the solo dancer (e.g. eastern dance).
Dancers are usually employed on contract or for a particular performance. Constantly changing work situations, strong competition pressure and only rarely high fees do not deter dancers. Professional dancers often need to supplement their income, either in dance related roles (e.g., dance teaching, dance sport coaches, yoga or
Pilates instruction) to achieve financial stability.
In the U.S. many professional dancers are members of unions such as the
American Guild of Musical Artists, the
Screen Actors Guild and
Actors' Equity Association. The unions help determine working conditions and minimum salaries for their members.
;Dance teachers
Dance teacher and operators of
dance schools rely on reputation and marketing. For dance forms without an association structure such as Salsa or Tango Argentino they may not have formal training. Most dance teachers are self employed.
;Dancesport coaches
Dancesport coaches are tournament dancers or former dancesports people, and may be recognised by a dance sport federation.
;Choreographer
Choreographer are generally university trained and are typically employed for particular projects or, more rarely may work for a specific company. A choreographic work is protected intellectual property. Dancers may undertake their own choreography.
See also
★
Dance in Australia
★
Dance in Canada
★
Dance in the United States
★
Backup dancer
Lists
★
List of basic dance topics
★
List of dance style categories
★
List of dance topics
★
List of dance wikibooks
★
List of choreographers
Related topics
★ ''
An American Ballroom Companion''
★
Ballroom dance
★
Dance theory
★
African American dance
★
Further reading
★ Adshead-Lansdale, J. (Ed) (1994) ''Dance History: An Introduction''. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-09030-X
★ Carter, A. (1998) ''The Routledge Dance Studies Reader''. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-16447-8
★ Cohen, S, J. (1992) ''Dance As a Theatre Art: Source Readings in Dance History from 1581 to the Present''. Princeton Book Co. ISBN 0-87127-173-7
★ Charman, S. Kraus, R, G. Chapman, S. and Dixon-Stowall, B. (1990) ''History of the Dance in Art and Education''. Pearson Education. ISBN 0-13-389362-6
★ Daly, A. (2002) ''Critical Gestures: Writings on Dance and Culture''. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 0-8195-6566-0
★ Dils, A. (2001) ''Moving History/Dancing Cultures: A Dance History Reader''. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 0-8195-6413-3
★ Miller, James, L. (1986) ''Measures of Wisdom: The Cosmic Dance in Classical and Christian Antiquity'', University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0802025536
References
1. Nathalie Comte. "Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World". Ed. Jonathan Dewald. Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. p94-108.
2. Dance: The Living Spirit of Indian Arts, by Prof. P. C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet.
3. "The yakun natima - devil dance ritual of Sri Lanka" at WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka
4. http://www.idsf.net/press97/idsfp172.htm
5. http://www.idsf.net/press00/idsf0026.htm
External links
★
Historic Illustrations of Dancing from 3300 B.C. to 1911 A.D. from
Project Gutenberg
★
United States National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame
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