Dance ism

DANCE

Brenda LiEmily Prieskorn

HISTORY Dance as entertainment started around 6000 B.C. in India, but

really picked up during the Renaissance era. In older civilizations, dances were mostly for spiritual purposes.

Danced at cultural ceremonies which still influence present-day dance

The Renaissance marked the shift towards entertainment for the aristocracy

Male and female partner dance became ideal in this time period Ethnic dances distinguished among different cultures Greece- Vocabulary for the theater laid the foundation for the

proscenium stage, which ballet first took form Rome- high society became the first audience for dance Ballet started around 1400s out of the Renaissance

Ballet Ballet is one of the oldest established types of dance Characterized by orderly, symmetrical movement, and is one of the

most widely recognized techniques Ballet originated in the courts of Italy during the Renaissance, but has

its roots in the dancing of the Middle Ages. This was characterized by religious themes, folk dancing, open-air dancing, and mock battles

Creation of ballet is credited to Domenico da Piacenza, history’s first choreographer. He really just took entertainment of the time and made it into something orderly

Early ballet is a name given to almost all forms of public entertainment, commonly performed on top of carriages and during interludes inserted into all forms of entertainment (weddings, plays, etc) of the time

At this point, there is a single, Italian school of ballet

Classical Ballet Classical ballet is the only type, consisting of dance that has a plot and tells a

story through movement and music. The storyline is the focus. In the 16th century, ballet moves to France courtesy of Cesare Negri. At first, the French merely mimic the Italian style, until the famous Ballet

comique de la Reine is produced and choreographed by Balthasar. This 10 ½ hour performance successfully blends Italian and French ideals and approaches into one performance and is the first truly French Court Ballet.

Court ballet, which is only really popular in France, restricts ballet to the Courts and models it to appeal to an upper-class audience. Court ballets tended to be extravagant and occasionally disorderly.

Court ballet goes through its own phases. Melodramatic court ballets become popular, and were dramatic performances to singing with a clear Italian influence. These give way to Ballets `a entrée, which are much simpler.

Louis XIV, an avid dancer, establishes the Academie Royale de Danse in 1661. Dancing becomes the exclusive work of professionals. We also see women beginning to enter the field.

Reform and Romantic Ballet The 18th century gives a new definition to ballerina, giving the position a

scandalous connotation. Ballet is rapidly spreading across Europe, aided by the reform efforts of

Jean-Georges Noverre. He is rejected in France initially but is accepted by Berlin. He reincorporates other art forms, particularly mime, into his work.

Notable dancers of the time include Marie Salle and Marie-Madeleine Guimard. Ballet is changing rapidly. New costumes and techniques are catching on.

In 1830 we see the rise of the 10-year movement of Romantic Ballet, the introducing of the satin slipper, and subsequently point.

Romantic Ballet is characterized by dramatic gesture, noiseless style, point work, and emotion-centered performances. The dancing becomes more expressive and the plots more extreme.

Notables of this movement are Marie Tanglioni and her performance in La Sylphide, Carlotta Grisi, Fanny Elssler, and the ballet Giselle. Creation of the romantic style is credited to Jean-Francois Coulon.

The Ballet Russes and Modern Ballet In the late 1800’s, after a return to classical ballet, the art in both France and

Italy is waning. The center for ballet is now Russia. 1885 marks the introduction of the famous tutu. The end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century mark major

changes in ballet. 1909 is the beginning of modern ballet, eclipsing classical. The only remaining classicalist school is the Ballet Russes, led by Diaghilev. A few rather key players in the introduction of modern ballet are Anna Pavlova and Vaslow Nijinsky.

Ballet is now developing simultaneously in France, Germany, England, the Soviet Union, and the United States. The English stick to a more classical style, while in the United States ballet gives way to contemporary with Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and Ruth St. Denis.

Soviet ballets develop rapidly and are very different from western ballets due to a different set of principles and values. They are used as political tools.

German ballet feels the influence of German Expressionism and incorporates its ideas into the style. This is pioneered by von Labon.

Ballet continues to develop today worldwide.

JAZZ Generally referred to as a mixture of European and

African dance styles Two phases- 1) from the 1920s to the 1960s. 2) 1960s to present Originally danced to jazz music typical of the 1920s Phase one- Prohibition era. Popular jazz steps like

the Charleston evolved Phase two- jazz music became harder to dance to,

so they blended traditional jazz with ballet and modern techniques

Jack Cole-father of jazz. Credited with developing ballet-based movements

GUS GIORDANO

Founded the Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company in Chicago

Organized the first Jazz Dance World Congress

Authored the Anthology of American Jazz Dance, the first book on jazz

His company toured Russia in1955

BOB FOSSE

Couldn’t conform to the rigidity of ballet

Style included turned-in knees, sideways shuffles, and hunched shoulders

Used characteristics props—bowler hats, canes, chairs

Had a successful career on Broadway as both a performer and a director

LYRICAL No real history; widely believe to have started in

the 70’s or 80’s Not a well defined movement yet Not started by a single person or group—no central

figure Fusion of ballet and jazz techniques Uses lyrical interpretation to express emotions Movements attempt to show the meaning of the

music through a different medium Characterized by fluidity and grace

MODERN/CONTEMPORARY Reaction to ballet—almost everything ballet isn’t Emotional and personal rather than structured and formal First gen. 1920’s in America. Rose out of a passion for

interpretive dance. Laid the groundwork for modern. The most serious gen.

Second gen. WWII reform. New ideas and less serious. Became more theatrical.

Modern gen. 1960’s to 70’s. Social upheaval. Completely different from first gen. More sophisticated but lacks the seriousness found in the first gen.

Focuses more on conveying emotions than technique, and the movements are more loose and flowing

Still organized but adds variations and personal stylizations on the dance movements

ISADORA DUNCAN Credited with being the

founder of modern dance Moved to Europe in her

teenage years where her talents were more widely recognized

Dance style characterized by free movements

Free-flowing costumes, bare feet, and loose hair

MARTHA GRAHAM

Enrolled in the Denishawn dance studio, started by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn

Became a teacher at the Eastman School of music and theater in 1925

Developed dramatic situations or characters to express a feeling

Founded the Martha Graham Dance Repertory Theater in 1930

HIP HOP True hip hop started in New York in the 1970s with the rising popularity of

block parties Started when DJs started to isolate percussion beats of popular songs,

because they were the easiest to dance to One of the most important contributors to the start of hip-hop: inexpensive and

easy to get equipment and DJs Hip hop music was learned between people, rather than in expensive classes Decline of disco, funk, and rock in the mid-to-late 70s also contributed Hip hop actually got some early influences from disco beats Stemmed mostly from break dance—became popular with the block parties Other forms of hip hop, like popping and locking became popular in the west Earliest break dancing movement was known as top-rocking Hip hop is characterized with the almost unlimited ability to freestyle and to

add personality to dance moves

LAURIE ANN GIBSON Trained at Alvin Ailey

Dance Company One of the major hip hop

choreographers Choreographs for current

movies Choreographed and

starred in the movie Honey with Jessica Alba

Worked with stars like Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, and Beyonce

MICHAEL JACKSON Joined the family band at the age

of five Amazing dancing/stage presence Music videos helped him break the

color barrier in media at the time Became the most popular

performer in America by 1983 Trademark dance move was the

moonwalk Was one of the Jackson 5’s best

singers, but he cared more about dancing

VIDEO CLIPS Ballet- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz2Gp7a38DM Jazz- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfigjLzsnTQ Lyrical hip hop- http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=y4xW_aDYtJk&feature=channel No Air (Contemp)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=m1o4FWr27_Q&feature=channel Paparazzi (Laurie Ann Gibson)-http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=JHu58cjTJtw Thriller-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un3-Hb9wF9s