FULL HISTORY OF DANCE
Dance – is a form of art that is made by purposefully recreating selected
sequences of human motion, which can be imbued with the values of aesthetic and
symbolism that are acknowledged by both performers and observers from within
the particular culture. The dance itself can be freeform or can have a predefined
choreography that may or may not align with traditions of origin or historical
period.
The dance can be performed to serve various functions (social, competitive,
ceremonial, martial, erotic…) but it also has two distinct forms – theatrical dance
in which dancers perform for an audience, and participatory social dance where
dancing in a group is encouraged to anyone. Participatory dances are most
commonly found at weddings, social gatherings, and festivals, and they can be
enjoyed with folk music both alone or in a group (pairs, lines, chains or other
forms).
Theatrical dance is known for having more elaborate choreography, planning,
costume, scenery and other elements that make the entire production feel more
professional. The performers of theatrical dance are usually professional “ virtuoso
dancers”, who practice their craft over the years, and are often tasked to interpret
the musical accompaniment with advanced dance moves or routines.
Origins and Early History
The dance has always been with us, even before the arrival of written language and
modern history, when our earliest cultures evolved utilizing oral and performance
methods to pass the stories from one generation to the next. Many historians
believe that social, celebratory and ritual dances are one of the essential factors of
the development of early human civilizations.
The earliest findings have pinpointed the origins of ancient dances in 9000-year-
old India or 5300-year-old Egypt, but the records more common infusion of dance
into a modern culture can be found from Ancient Greece, China, and India. All
these old dances evolved, eventually morphing into a wide variety of Roman and
European medieval dances, traditional Chinese dances, Hindi and other traditional
dances, respectively.
After the arrival of European Renaissance, the history of music and dance
exploded with the new additions to song and dance. Ease of travel and immigration
to the new world brought these dances into the mix with many native cultures of
the New World, forging countless new dance types that are still popular to this day.
From the earliest moments of known human history, dance accompanied ancient
rituals, spiritual gatherings and social events. As a conduit of trance, spiritual
force, pleasure, expression, performance and interaction, dance became infused
into our nature from the earliest moments of our existence - from the moment
when first African tribes covered themselves in war-paint to the to the spreading of
music and dance across all four corners of the world. Without a doubt, dancing
remains one of the most expressive forms of communications that we know.
The oldest proof of existence of dancing comes from the 9000 year old cave
paintings that were found in India, which depicts various scenes of hunting,
childbirth, religious rites, burials and most importantly, communal drinking and
dancing. Since dancing itself cannot leave clearly identifiable archeological
artifacts that can be found today, scientist looked for secondary clues, written
word, stone carvings, paintings and similar artifacts. Period when dancing became
widespread can be traced to the third millennia BC, when Egyptians started using
dance as integral parts of their religious ceremonies. Judging by the many tomb
paintings that survived the tooth of time, Egyptian priests used musical instruments
and dancers to mimic important events - stories of gods and cosmic patterns of
moving stars and sun.
This tradition continued in ancient Greece, where dance was used very regular and
openly to public (which eventually brought the birth of the famous Greek theatre in
6th century BC). Ancient paintings from 1st millennia clearly speak of many dance
rituals in Greek culture, most notably the one before start of each Olympian
Games, precursor to the modern Olympic Games. As centuries went on, many
other religions infused dance in the core of their rituals, such as Hindu dance
"Bharata Nhatyam" which is preformed even today.
Of course, not all dances in those ancient times were intended for religious
purposes. Ordinary people used dance for celebration, entertainment, seduction and
to induce the mood of frenzied exhilaration. Annual celebration in honor of Greek
god of wine Dionysus (and later Roman god Bacchus) included dancing and
drinking for several days. 1400BC year old Egyptian painting showed the group of
scantily dressed girls who danced for the wealthy male crowd, supported by the
several musicians. This kind of entertainment continued to be refined, until
medieval times and the start of the Renaissance when ballet became integral part of
the wealthy class.
European dances before the start of Renaissance were not widely documented, any
only few isolated fragments of their existence remain found today. The most basic
"chain shaped" dance practiced by commoners was most widespread across
Europe, but the arrival of Renaissance and new forms of music brought many other
styles in fashion. Renaissance dances from Spain, France and Italy were soon
surpassed by Baroque dances which became widely popular in French and English
courts. After the end of French Revolution, many new types of dances emerged
with focused on less restrictive woman clothing, and tendency for skipping and
jumping. These dances soon became even more energetic in 1844 with the
beginning of so called "international polka craze" which also brought us the first
appearance of famous waltz.
After the short period of time when great ballroom masters created wave of
complicated dances, the era of modern day 2 person dance started with the careers
of famous ballroom dances Vernon and Irene Castle. After those early years of
20th century many modern dances were invented (Foxtrot, One-Step, Tango,
Charleston, Swing, Postmodern, Hip-hop, breakdancing and more) and the
expansion of musical brought those dances into worldwide popularity.
Do you know these facts about dance?
First archeological proof of dance comes from the 9 thousand year old cave
paintings in India.
One of the earliest uses of structured dance was introduced in religious
ceremonies that told the stories of ancient myths and gods. Egyptian priests
used this kind of visual storytelling in their rituals.
Ancient Egyptians used dancing for both entertainment and religion.
Dance represented important parts of many Greek and Roman religious
ceremonies.
Ancient Greeks and Romans annually celebrated their wine
gods Dionysus and Bacchus with several days long festivities filled with
alcohol, song and dance.
History of European medieval dance is fragmented and limited, but is
believed that simple folk dances were widespread among common and
wealthy classes.
Modern dance history in Europe started with Renaissance, when many
new dances were invented. After that, periods of Baroque, post French
Revolution, Elizabethan era, World War 1, Prohibition, Ragtime and pre-
WW2 brought many new waves of dance styles.
Waltz, one of the most popular dances today came into popularity in mid-
19th century by the efforts of the famous composer Johann Strauss, but its
origins can be traced even to the distant 16th century.
At first, waltz was performed with arm's length between male and female
dances. The shocking transition to the close embrace happened only after
English Queen Victoria fell in love with the dance and forced this change.
Around 30 thousand people are employed in UK dance industry today,
maintaining around 200 dance companies.
Even people in wheelchairs can dance! Such dancing is very popular in
Europe where there are even competitions in Latin dances with special
wheelchair choreographies.
Professional dance is today regarded as one of the most demanding
physical abilities and sports. According to studies, 80% of all professional
dances have at least one major injury during their career and staggering 93%
of all dance teachers were forced into that position after career ending injury.
High amount of injuries in professional dancing is induced by high levels
of fatigue, little time for rest, inadequate healing techniques and high stress
levels. All those factors can produce burn out periods when dancers have
decreased strength, coordination, cognitive and immune functions.
Lion Dance is one of the most popular religious and ceremonious dances in
China and surrounding countries of Taiwan, Korea and Japan. This dance
can signify bringing of good fortune, ward of evil spirits and be an excellent
showcase in martial arts proficiency.
One of the most basic motives of dance is the expression and communication of
emotion. People—and even certain higher animals—often dance as a way of
releasing powerful feelings, such as sudden accesses of high spirits, joy,
impatience, or anger. These motive forces can be seen not only in the
spontaneous skipping, stamping, and jumping movements often performed in
moments of intense emotion, but also in the more formalized movements of
“set” dances, such as tribal war dances or festive folk dances. Here the dance
helps to generate emotions as well as release them.
DIFFERENT GENRE OF DANCING
Ballet
Ballet is known as the building block of all dance and is characterized by fluid and
precise movements done in “turned out” positions. This graceful, meticulous art
form is spoken in French and is considered the foundational style of all dance
technique. Even though there are different types of ballet (French, Vagonova, etc.),
it’s been relatively standardized worldwide.
Jazz
Jazz was once considered any style of dance that could be performed to Jazz
music. As dance has evolved with the times, this genre has changed greatly. Jazz
has been molded to fit hard hitting or upbeat music and is recognizable by the use
of technique with a ballet base.
Tap Dance
Tap is characterized by sharp, musical sounds created by the feet of a dancer
wearing shoes with metal plates attached to the heels and toes. Today it seems that
Tap dancers are coming out of the woodwork to show off their insane rhythmic
capabilities and bringing Tap into the 21st century.
Hip Hop/Street/Urban Dance
This dance genre was cultivated outside of dance studios alongside Hip Hop music
and culture. Hip Hop spread like wildfire as a result of it being the primary
choreographed style for music videos and other commercial appearances. The
entertainment aspect of Hip Hop has made it the most popular genre outside of the
dance world.
Waltz
This graceful and slow two person dance was first introduced in mid-19th century
and was greatly popularized by the music of the famous composer Johann Strauss.
Today this dance represents gold standard and the most famous dance of the
ballrooms around the world.
Line dance
is a choreographed dance with a repeated sequence of steps in which a group of
people dance in one or more lines or rows, all facing either each other or in the
same direction, and executing the steps at the same time. Unlike circle dancing,
line dancers are not in physical contact with each other. Line dancing involves
people standing in lines and performing dance movements together. It consists of
patterned foot movements that are usually performed to a number of counts per
sequence, and then the sequence is repeated. The dances are done one-wall, two-
wall, or four-wall.
Tango
Tango is a popular Romantic dance, partner dance, and social dance that originated
in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and
Uruguay. It was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries, where
natives mixed with slave and European immigrant populations.
Cheer Dance
Is an activity in which the participants (called "cheerleaders") cheer for their team
as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical
activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to entertain the audience, or
for competition. Competitive routines typically range anywhere from one to three
minutes, and contain components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting.
Irish Dance
Irish dance is certainly a distinctive form of dance. Some compare it to tap-
dancing, but it’s not really. It’s distinctive and artistic, requires athleticism and
flexibility, but many don’t fully understand the specifics of the dance form. There
are a whole lot of misconceptions and myths regarding Irish dance, and its
requirements.
Salsa
This Latin dance is today one of the most popular dances in Latin America, North
America, Europe and Australia. It's very sensual form, energetic movement and
innovative choreography that was influenced by Mambo, Changuyi and Rumba
made it very popular all around the world.
Modern Dance
The initial motif of the Modern dance genre was to break away from the mold of
Classical Ballet and focus on freedom of movement and expression. Modern
choreography is often created with the intention of telling a story or representing a
thought.
Lyrical Dance
Lyrical dance is a fusion of ballet and jazz dance techniques. Lyrical dance
challenges choreographers and dancers to use motion to interpret music and
express emotion. A lyrical dancer's movements attempt to show the meaning of the
music. Lyrical jazz is a very passionate and emotional dance style. It portrays
certain emotions such as love, and tells a story through every movement made.
Cultural Dance
Cultures around the world have practiced Folk dances unique to their people since
the emergence of dance in human life. These dated traditional dances are beautiful
to experience, it almost feels like time travel. The Cultural dance genre is the most
important of them all because they symbolize the importance of expression through
dance.
Interpretative Dance
Interpretive dance incorporates a wide variety of dance styles and techniques – the
most important element being that it typically depicts a story or emotion.
Interpretive dance comes out of a modern dance tradition that began in the early
1900s. This movement away from the traditional and constrictive ballet dancing
was invented by dancers such as Isadora Duncan and Loie Fuller among others.
Along with the movement away from ballet, there was also a movement towards
fitness and using dance in new ways. Using gymnastics and other exercises to
develop dance technique became more acceptable and popular.
MODERN STANDARD DISCIPLINE
There are a number of different types of dance that may look the same but are quite
different. These types of dances stem from different traditions and use different
music and slightly modified movements. In order to tell them apart, you need to
know the basics behind them. Here are five that need defining:
Ballroom
Ballroom dancing is what most people think of when they picture a traditional partner
dance. Ballroom dancing consists of the waltz, the foxtrot, the tango, the Viennese waltz,
and other similar partnered styles. Ballroom dancing is broken down into categories,
including International Standard, International Latin, and American Style.
Modern
Modern dance is a catchall phrase for all types of dancing that do not fall into the
ballroom, standard, international and dancesport categories. Modern dance considers
dance to be an art form, therefore it is interpreted in a number of different ways.
Standard
Standard dancing is another term for some of the same ballroom, or partner, dancing.
Dances that fall into the “standard” category are the waltz, the tango, the foxtrot, the
Viennese waltz and the quickstep. When these dances are done for a competition, they
become known as International Standard.
International
International dances are a catchall term for the competitive versions of ballroom dances.
There are two main categories: International Standard, which includes the tango and the
Viennese waltz; and International Latin, which includes the Rumba, the Paso Doble and
the Cha-Cha.
Dancesport
Dancesport is a competitive form of ballroom dancing. It is done in front of judges, in the
form of dance that is required of the competitors. This can be everything from the waltz
to the slow foxtrot. There are different categories for age and skill level.
LINKS:
https://www.danceconnectionrochester.com/dance/lyrical-dance?
fbclid=IwAR2TSVt07QHIAfWbXTieA5Z9Gw7pmA5xDSt6NUuLwKNXspn2Rxq6TUzUWg0
https://thisiswod.com/a-breakdown-of-dance-genres-for-dummies/?
fbclid=IwAR29vBXlXvDzXy2PZCrNfRFReCsva9pMXpbL2r_paOKmIgkNgbd5Rejxc5s
http://www.dancefacts.net/dance-types/types-of-dances//
https://arthurmurraystudios.com/what-is-interpretive-dance/?
fbclid=IwAR29vBXlXvDzXy2PZCrNfRFReCsva9pMXpbL2r_paOKmIgkNgbd5Rejxc5s
https://www.elitedancestudio.net/blogs/whats-the-difference-between-ballroom-modern-standard-
international-and-dancesport/?
fbclid=IwAR3ap_84IoCuWF2ZDpxb1ctbSamgcaioGzfYYhhGSjybrSLlbAyp85aS8Wk
https://www.worlddancesport.org/About/Dance_Styles/DanceSport_Disciplines?fbclid=IwAR2uG5icBJD-
xtkqyFTcqKj1jd6JqjsxyyzqcfNtDGaB7J8pyqVT1k6Shyc
