Dance
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A dancing maenad. This is a Greek statuette from the 3rd century BC. It was made in Taranto
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Dance (from
French danser, perhaps from
Frankish) is an
art form that generally refers to
movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music,
(1) 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. In
sports,
gymnastics,
figure skating and
synchronized swimming are
dance disciplines while
martial arts kata are often compared to dances.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. Dance can be
participatory,
social or
performed for an
audience. It can also be
ceremonial, (:Category:Competitive dance|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.Dancing has evolved many styles.
Breakdancing and
Krumping are related to the
hip hop culture. African dance is interpretive. Ballet, Ballroom, Waltz, and Tango are classical styles of dance while
Square and the
Electric Slide are forms of
step dances.
Choreography is the art of creating dances, and the person who does this is called a choreographer.
Origins and history of dance
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Pietro Longhi, "La lezione di danza" (The Dancing Lesson), ca 1741, Venezia, Gallerie dell'Accademia.
Dance does not leave behind clearly identifiable physical artifacts such as
stone tools, hunting implements or
cave paintings. 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 the 9,000 year old
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka paintings in
India and
Egyptian tomb paintings depicting dancing figures from circa 3300 BC.One of the earliest structured uses of dances may have been in the performance and in the telling of myths. It was also sometimes used to show feelings for one of the opposite gender. It is also linked to the origin of "love making." Before the production of written languages, dance was one of the methods of passing these stories down from generation to generation.
(2)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 many cultures from the Brazilian
rainforest to the
Kalahari Desert.
(3)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.
Dance classification and genres
Dance categories by number of interacting dancers are mainly
Solo dance,
Partner dance and
Group dance. Dance is performed for various purposes like
Ceremonial dance,
Erotic dance,
Performance dance,
Social dance etc.
Dancing and music
{{seealso|:Category:Music genres}}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 and
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.Ballroom dancing is a sport as well as an art form. It incorporates many fitness components using an artistic state of mind.
Dance studies and techniques
{{See also|Dance theory|Choreography|Dance moves}}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 research and
practice as research. A large range of dance courses are available including:
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.
Dance competitions
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An amateur dancesport competition at MIT.
A
dance competition is an organized event in which contestants perform dances before a judge or judges for awards and, in some cases, monetary prizes. There are several major types of dance competitions, distinguished primarily by the style or styles of dances performed. Major types of dance competitions include:
- Competitive dance, in which a variety of theater dance styles—such as acro, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and tap—are permitted.
- Open competitions, which permit a wide variety of dance styles. A popular example of this is the TV program So You Think You Can Dance.
- Dancesport, which is focused exclusively on ballroom and latin dance. A popular example of this is the TV program Dancing with the Stars.
- Single-style competitions, such as highland dance, dance team, and Irish dance, which only permit a single dance style.
Dance occupations
There are different careers connected with dancing: Dancer, dance teacher, dance sport coach,
dance therapist and
choreographer.
- Dancer
Dance training differs depending on the dance form. There are university programs and schools associated with professional dance companies for specialised training in classical dance (e.g. Ballet) and modern dance. There are also smaller, privately owned
dance studios where students may train in a variety of dance forms including competitive dance forms (e.g. Latin dance, ballroom dance, etc.) as well as ethnic/traditional dance forms. Professional dancers are usually employed on contract or for particular performances/productions. The professional life of a dancer is generally one of constantly changing work situations, strong competition pressure and low pay. 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.{{see also|Health risks of professional dance}}
- 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
Choreographers are generally university trained and are typically employed for particular projects or, more rarely may work on contract as the resident choreographer for a specific dance company. A choreographic work is protected intellectual property. Dancers may undertake their own choreography.
Dance by ethnicity or region
Dance in South Asia
India
During the first millennium
BCE in India, many texts were composed which attempted to codify aspects of daily life. In the matter of dance,
Bharata Muni's
Natyashastra (literally
"the text of dramaturgy") is the one of the earlier texts. Though the main theme of
Natyashastra deals with drama, dance is also widely featured, and indeed the two concepts have ever since been linked in Indian culture. The text elaborates various hand-gestures or
mudras and classifies movements of the various limbs of the body, gait, and so on. The
Natyashastra categorised dance into four groups and into four regional varieties, naming the groups: secular, ritual, abstract, and, interpretive. However, concepts of regional geography has altered 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.
(4)From these beginnings rose the various classical styles which are recognised today. Therefore, all
Indian classical dances are to varying degrees rooted in the
Natyashastra and therefore share common features: for example, the mudras, some body positions, and the inclusion of dramatic or expressive acting or
abhinaya. The Indian classical music tradition provides the accompaniment for the dance, and as percussion is such an integral part of the tradition, the dancers of nearly all the styles wear bells around their ankles to counterpoint and complement the percussion.
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 social issues. Its music is coordinated by a musical instrument called the 'Dhol'. Bhangra is not just music but a dance, a celebration of the harvest where people beat the dhol (drum), sing Boliyaan (lyrics) and dance.
Dances of Sri Lanka
The
devil dances of Sri Lanka 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.
(5)In Europe and North America
Concert (or performance) dance
Ballet
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.
20th century concert dance
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
Marie Steiner-von Sivers, 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.
The influence of African American dance
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.
See also
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Dancers in a city square
Lists
Related topics
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
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[ britannica]
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[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.]
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[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.]
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[Dance: The Living Spirit of Indian Arts, by Prof. P. C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet.]
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["The yakun natima - devil dance ritual of Sri Lanka" at WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka]
External links
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