Dance
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For other uses, see Dance (disambiguation).
"dancer" redirects here. For other uses, see dancer (disambiguation).
"dancing" redirects here. For other uses, see dancing (disambiguation).Dance
Modern danceOriginating culture various Originating era Antiquity
Dance 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.Performing arts Major forms Dance · Music · Opera · Theatre · Circus Minor forms Magic · Puppetry Genres Drama · Tragedy · Comedy · Tragicomedy · Romance · Satire · Epic · Lyric
Dance may also be regarded as a form of nonverbal communication between humans, and is also performed by other animals (bee dance, patterns of behaviour such as a mating dance). Gymnastics, figure skating and synchronized swimming are sports that incorporate dance, while martial arts kata are often compared to dances. Motion in ordinarily inanimate objects may also be described as dances (the leaves danced in the wind).
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, 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.
Every dance, no matter what style, has something in common. It not
only involves flexibility and body movement, but also physics. If the
proper physics is not taken into consideration, injuries may occur.
Choreography is the art of creating dances. The person who creates (i.e., choreographs) a dance is known as the choreographer.
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Origins and history of dance
Main article: History of dance
Eighteenth century social dance. Translated caption: A cheerful dance awakens love and feeds hope with lively joy, (Florence, 1790).
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, 250 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 dance.
Dance classification and genres
Dancing
Partner dance.
Main articles: List of basic dance topics and List of dances
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
See also: 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 an art although it may incorporates many fitness components using an artistic state of mind.
Dance studies and techniques
See also: Dance theory, Choreography, and Dance moves
Saman Dance from Gayo people of Sumatra, Indonesia
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:- Professional practice: performance and technical skills
- Practice 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
Academic degrees are available from BA (Hons) to PhD and other postdoctoral fellowships, with some dance scholars taking up their studies as mature students after a professional dance career.
Dance competitions
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. Popular examples of this are TV programs Dancing with the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing.
- Single-style competitions, such as highland dance, dance team, and Irish dance, which only permit a single dance style.
Today, there are various dances and dance show competitions on Television and the Internet.
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 at the Tropicana Club, Havana, Cuba, in 2008
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
Main article: List of ethnic, regional, and folk dances sorted by origin
Dance in South Asia
India
Main article: Dance in India
South indian folk Dance like a horse known as Poi Kal Kudirai
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
Main article: Bhangra
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.It developed further with the Vaisakhi festival of the Sikhs.
Morris dancing in the grounds of Wells Cathedral, Wells, England
Dances of Sri Lanka
Main article: 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 cosmology, the dances
also has an impact on the classical dances of Sri Lanka.[5]
In Europe and North America
Concert (or performance) dance
Main article: Concert dance
Ballet
Harlequin and Columbine from the mime theater at Tivoli , Denmark.
Main article: 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.[2]
20th century concert dance
Main article: 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
Main article: 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 alsoDance portal
Main articles: Outline of dance and Index of dance articles
Dancers in a city square
Russian dancer in Alanya
Lists
Related topics - Professional practice: performance and technical skills