Origins and Classification of Dance

Study Notes

Origins of Dance

Dance is among the oldest forms of human expression, rooted in prehistoric times.
Early dances served practical purposes: appeasing nature, honoring deities, and celebrating events like births, harvests, and marriages.
Cultural variations exist in dance, yet all utilize human body movement.

Classification of Dances

Dances are categorized into three main types based on intent:
- Social dancing aims to please the dancers personally.
- Spiritual, religious, or ceremonial dances are performed to honor the gods.
- Theatrical dancing focuses on pleasing an audience.
Many dances may fit into multiple categories at once.

Dance in Asian Cultures

Asian dance often has religious ties and may be contemplative.
Indian dance features elaborate movements, addressing a range of body parts often overlooked in Western styles.
Japanese forms like Noh and Kabuki incorporate dance with other performing arts.
Traditional Chinese theatre merges dance with acting, singing, juggling, and acrobatics.

Dance in Ancient Greece

Dance was perceived as divine, integral to religion, education, and theatre.
Philosophers like Plato conceptualized the universe's order through choreographic imagery.
Dance was linked to the Muses, particularly Terpsichore, and gods such as Apollo and Dionysus.
Greek dance intertwined with poetry and music, allowing rhythmic body movements to interpret poems.
Originated mostly in Crete, Greek dances included vigorous male performances, religious circle dances, and those linked to mystic cults.
The dithyramb, a simultaneous song-and-dance performance, influenced the development of tragedy and comedy.
Notable dances include the pyrrhic, gymnopaedia, and hyporchema.

Dance in Greek Theatre

Greek tragedies featured a combination of speech, song, chanting, and choreography.
Emmelia dance provided enhanced theatrical action through stately movements and expressive gestures.
Comedy showcased lively, often risqué dance forms such as the kordax.
Dance was also a component of entertainment at social gatherings called symposiums.

Dance in the Roman Empire

Expansion of the Roman Empire distanced dance from other art forms like poetry.
Pantomime, where a solo performer represented all characters in a story, gained popularity.
Some forms of entertainment involved aggressive elements, leading to condemnation by early Christian moralists.

Dance in the Middle Ages

Dance held significance for both nobility and commoners during the Middle Ages.
Public celebrations organized by guilds featured various dance types, including processional and social dances.
Medieval dance included both vocal and instrumental styles, such as ductia, stantipes, estampie, round, and carol.
The moresca emerged in the 12th century as a lively dance form, achieving widespread popularity across Europe for centuries.

Description

Explore the rich history of dance as one of the oldest forms of human expression. From early practices aimed at appeasing nature and honoring deities to celebrations of life's milestones, discover how dance varies across cultures. This quiz will also delve into the classification of dances based on their characteristics.