Text: Learning about Dance Nora Ambrosio

 Dance is recognized as one of the oldest art forms.  Dance allows you to express yourself and for you, as well as others, to experience something.  “Dance is an art form that is displayed through the human body using the medium of movement.” Nora Ambrosio  “Dance has the power to communicate and evoke responses.” Nora Ambrosio

 Dance was used as a means of communication – before language!  The body was used to express thoughts and feelings  Ritual Dance - was used to worship and appease the gods  Thought they held magical and spiritual powers  Dance rituals were done for Birth, Marriage, Death, fertility, Children, Food  First recordings of dance and movement: Rock Paintings / Cave drawings found in area now known as Europe  Wall paintings depicted a harvest dance

Yanomamo People of South America Shabano: A temporary dwelling used by the Yanomamo people. Each family has their own section. The Yanomamo people are considered primitive today. They are located in the northern part of South America. They can be found in parts of Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana and Colombia. They incorporate many dancing rituals into their lives.

Primitive Weapons – examples of things the Yanomamo still use

 “Two at a time, the …dancers entered, pranced around the village periphery, wildly showing off their decorations and weapons and then returning to the group. Each dancer had unique decorations and a unique dance step, something personal that he could exhibit. He would burst into the village screaming a memorized phrase, wheel and spin, stop in his tracks, dance in place, throw his weapons down, pick them up again, aim them at the line of [people] with a wild expression on his face, prance ahead a few steps, repeat his performance and continue on around the village in this manner, while the [people] cheered wildly.” This dance was done before a hunt. The men in the tribe do this song and dance ritual to ensure success in capturing and killing animals for food and in anticipation of a feast.

 Aesthetic elements were consciously sought. ◦ Aesthetic means: Appreciating beauty; sensitive to or appreciative of art or beauty.  Developments and advancements in writing, agriculture, and government helped to shape the dance aesthetic  Movement choices were made in order to represent certain themes: ◦ Certain types of movements showed different emotions/feelings/morals, etc.

 The Greek period (5 th century B.C.) – Ancient Greek’s priority was the quest for art and beauty  Many Greek dances developed out of religious rituals.  Dances combined movement, music, & poetry, and were often participatory.  Dance was often found in the popular Greek Theater Greek Dance Link Raleigh Greek Festival!Greek Dance Link Raleigh Greek Festival!

India made many different types of dance – many of them religious dances. Bharata Natyam developed as a temple dance. It required skill, grace and stamina. Bharata Natyam is still practiced today. Bharata Natyam Link

 Dance in China can be traced back to the 8 th century (the 700s)  Dance was part of many theatrical performances.  Dance Dramas were performed with many of the lead characters portrayed as the gods and heroes found in Chinese myths.

Chinese Dance Chinese Ribbon Dance - UNC Asian Student Association!

 In most of Europe, the church saw dance as a pagan activity. Pagan Dance A pagan is someone who followed a religion other than the world’s main religions (which was usually Christianity) Pagan Dance  Dance was banned unless it glorified the church. Medieval Dance Medieval Dance 2 Medieval Dance Medieval Dance 2  The Black Plague killed as much as half the population of Europe and led to a preoccupation with death and dying, superstitions, and witchcraft. The Dance of Death (Danse Macabre) emerged at this time. The Danse Macabre consists of the dead or personified Deathsummoning representatives from all walks of life to dance along to the grave, typically with a pope, emperor, king, child, and labourer. They were produced to remind people of the fragility of their lives and how vain were the glories of earthly life.personified Deathgravepopeemperorking  In the Islamic lands, dance was part of both rituals and daily life. A popular style we know in the West came from this part of the world….Belly Dancing.

Belly Dancing Danse Macabre Dance of Death

 A renewed interest in the arts developed; Renaissance means “re-birth”  Dance became less of a group activity and more about the individual artist and artform  Folk dancing was popular with the working class as a way to have fun and get away from their work.  Court Ballet flourished – royals learned to dance so they could perform with the King. If they didn’t, they lost their ranking in the kingdom!  Ballet developed as a professional art form

Ballet Comique de la Reyne Minuet Saraband Minuet Link Saraband Link

 In 7 th grade dance you will study dance in from 1450 to the present: ◦ Ballet (500 years of history!) ◦ Modern Dance (120 years of history!) ◦ Jazz (100 years of history!)  Plus: Tap and Musical Theatre!

1. Do you see any similarities between the rituals of primitive societies and rituals that we have in today’s society? 2. How might one’s moral, religious and ethical values influence their thoughts and opinions on art? Discuss specific examples in relation to this question. 3. Talk about your experience with dance. For example, did you take dance lessons? Was dancing a big part of your childhood, such as at family gatherings? How does dancing fit into your life now? Questions are from Learning about Dance, Nora Ambrosio