Transcript Dance History

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Ancient & Lineage-Based Cultures
◦ European Cultures
 In ancient cultures, people recorded their history
through art.
 We know people danced in ancient cultures because
they left paintings on stone walls that depicted their
ceremonies.
◦ Ancient Greek Cultures
 Pottery is decorated with dancing images.
 Literature and poetry describing the ceremony and
dance that was important in their culture.
 Early evidence of dance:
 Is provided in Egyptian tombs and in stone carvings.
 Historians found evidence of elaborate funeral rituals
which included movement or dance.
 Evidence that large groups of dancers traveled with
Egyptian royalty. Along with musicians, they performed
on holy and worldly occasions.
Many styles and purposes
Drums are the primary instrument used in these societies
Always danced in lines, patterns and circles
Talented individuals can break from the group to demonstrate
their skills
 A variety of dance postures used
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 Example – The Yoruban dancers of Nigeria-Keeping the body at very
low levels that are close to the earth.
 Tribes celebrate and worship through dance and movement.
 Example – The Yoruban tribe which worships through dance as they
celebrate the river goddess Oshun/Osun.
 Women wear white and move with composure and decorum.
 The dancers believe that the spirit of Oshun will overtake one of
the chosen dancers who will then be consulted as a healer of
the village.
 Some other tribes that incorporate dance into their worship
include the Ashanti, the Congolese, the Dahomean and the Ibo.
 Examples of ceremonial or ritualistic dance.
 Hunting tribes of North America honoring totem
animals:
 The Ute Bear Dance occurs in the spring; it symbolizes a
beginning of new life and leaving troubles behind.
 The Eagle Dance it is believed that this animal can fly so
high it will take the prayers of the tribe to heaven.
 Agricultural tribes:
 Pueblo Tribes – celebrate by worshipping spirits who
they believe help them obtain food and water.
 Example – Pueblo blue corn dance in which dancers act
out the planting, growing and harvesting of corn.
 The Hopi Indians catch snakes which are held by
dancers who sing and dance for four days--Believes
that the snakes will take their prayers into the world
and to the spirits.
 Most dances in these cultural groups are performed
either by men or women, but not a mix of both. Most
dances are performed in a circle to represent that
everything before, during and after life is connected.
 Drums are the primary instrument used in Native
American dance.
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The Medieval Era – The “dark ages” or the “middle ages”
 Emphasized Christian influences and stressed the importance of
using the arts primarily for religious purposes.
 Theatre and dance were outlawed as immoral.
 Gregory the Great excluded dance and drama from the Catholics.
 From 1200-1500, dancing was denounced by many church
councils.
 The act of men and women dancing together was eliminated by
the church.
 Moving the body was considered sinful and prideful.
 Some churches began to accept dance as an activity.
 Dance developed in some—but not all—churches.
 When women and men were allowed to dance together, they
danced in processional style – side by side and never facing.
 May have danced in long lines touching only the fingertips.
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Some early dances from the Medieval Times:
1. The estampie is a musical form that had a dance
that accompanied it.
Some believed the dance involved fierce stomping,
while others believe it was made up of hopping
movements.
2. The farandole was an early line dance.
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A leader would initiate movement, and dancers
would sing while walking, running or skipping to
the music.
Moved in many directions around the floor..
3. The Tarantella is a legendary pagan dance (varied
stories relate to the origin)
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a. Performed by people who had been bitten by
tarantula spider, dancers believed that by dancing faster
the poison of the spider would be worked out of the
body. Other dancers joined, moving in groups and
forming a line or circle pattern.
Some believed that the “spider-bite cure” was invented
to avoid the church’s “no dancing” mandate.
Legend has it that many died from performing this
dance.
b. Another story behind this dance’s origin is that it
began in Taronto, Italy, and was performed by gypsy
troupes of that region.
Dance was usually only allowed when attached to
religion, and only then in situations strictly approved by
church officials. officials
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Between the years 1400-1600
Renaissance means “rebirth”—a rebirth of interest in
classical ideals in all of the arts occurred during this era.
Artists seized the chance to express new freedom of
thought.
In Europe, dance returned to the sanctuary.
In Spain, the Feast of Corpus Christi in Seville
demonstrated the return of drama and dance to Catholic
worship services.
The Catholic church struggled with the idea of a
processional dance performed by young boys who sang
and danced.
Los Seises - A subtle raising and lowering of the heels
while changing floor patterns.
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Court Dance
 Invented by rulers, kings and aristocracy for
stressing the importance of political gain and social
etiquette.
 Entertainment for the kings and emperors.
 The dances took on both secular and religious
meanings.
 Dance:
a. Important social tool
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King Louis XIV of France – insisted upon trained
dancers in his court and first-rate dancing.
b. Defined their strength
c. Display of power
d. Allowed a system of patronage (financial
support/investment)
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Supporters would pay artists to produce art.
The only downfall of this system was that it could
change very easily depending on politics or even
personal feelings.
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Court dancers
1. Wore elaborate costumes (music created
specifically for the dance).
2. Rehearsed frequently.
3. Participants were introduced and arranged based
on their importance or relation to the ruler.
4. In French court dance, those who danced
extremely well gained honor and advantage in
the court.
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Court dancing also occurred in China and Japan.
Were sacred rituals performed only for heads of state.
Since World War II—performed as theatrical events for
the general public in theatres or on palace grounds.
Chinese court dance changed into the Chinese Opera,
which was later introduced in Japan.
Bugaku is the oldest form of dance in Japan:
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A constant in Japanese dance and music for 1200 years.
Contains elements of an ancient Shinto ritual.
Performed by two, four, or eight men.
Allowed only in the Japanese Imperial Palace Theatre.
Dancers wore identical costumes and full, painted
masks.
Ballet grew from the early court dance traditions.
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