Lesson 1: Dances from the Past - France became the forerunner in dance
- 1681 – Mila La Fontaine was hailed as the queen of dance; first
Dance
- damson (German) “to stretch” or “to drag”
- Oldest among all the arts
- Dancer’s body is the instrument
- Art of precise expression of one’s emotion
- Mirror of society because it responds to historical and religious
event
Prehistoric Period
- Involved everyday movements
- Served as an important means of communication and revolved
around life events (birth, puberty, courtship, marriage, and death)
- Incorporated dance in religious ceremonies
- Dances explain the supernatural and natural events happening in
each tribe (e.g. Shamans)
Ancient Civilization
Ancient Egypt
- Dance is the primary way of expressing their religious services and
teaching about myths
- Major dancers are the king, priests, and virgin dancers
- Irena Lexova classified ancient Egyptian dance as pure movement,
acrobatic dances, imitative dances...
Ancient Crete
- Cultural link between Egyptians and Greeks
- Dances intertwined religious ceremonies and fertility rites, myths,
and symbols
- Dance themes include military training, healing, religious rituals,
and entertainment
- According to Homer, Cretans had excellent army because they
used dance to perfect their training
- Sappho described circle dance as “they held hands around an
outside altar and purified what was at the center of formation.”
Ancient Greece
- Dances were extremely organized and structured
- 95, 140 movements
- Dancers are required to sing during performance
- Phorai and cheironomia – Greek terms that describe the carriage
of the body
- Schemata – form and shape of gestures
- Deixis – pure dance performed by a male portraying human
character, animal, or element
Rome
- Dances are performed for religious, social, and entertainment
purposes
- Highlighted burlesque, overly erotic, comic, and frightening
elements
- Slaves are usually the dance performers
- Salii – college of 24 dancing priests
- Pantomime and mimes were the famous performances
- Pantomime – performance by a solo dancer who doesn’t speak but
acts in a stylized form
Middle Ages
- Dance was associated with either church or society
- Dance themes included sacred dance and life-span events
12th Century
- Feudalism and knighthood prospered defining codes of decorum,
loyalty, bravery, love, and chivalry.
Late 16th and 17th Century
ballet in which women took part
- Ballet de la Nuit (1653) – Louis XIV portrayed the Sun King
- Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (1670) – Moliere’s comedy play
- Le Triomphe de L’Amour (1681) – created by Jean-Baptiste Lully
where first female dancers appeared
18th Century
- Establishment of Paris Opera
- Professional male dancers or danseurs nobles took the leading
roles
- Professional female dancers explored their techniques and skills by
enhancing their movements with beats, turns, and leg extension
19th Century
- Female dancers took the lead roles in ballet
- They appeared as nymphs and fairies
Ballroom Dances of the 19th Century
 Cotillion – forerunner of American square dance; performed at a ball
 Polonaise – opened a court ball; involved by partners dancing side by
side
 Quadrille – introduced by Lady Sarah Jersey in 1815; performed from
stately manner to accelerated one; country dance
 Waltz – derived from the German landler; performed by single couples in
close embrace
 Polka – originated in Poland; 5 figures; popular social dance
20th century – period of dance fever
 Ragtime – type of music known for its syncopated melodic line; Scott
Joplin created “Maple Leaf Rag”
 Castle Walk – by Vernon and Irene Castle; accompanied by “Castle
Rag”
 Tango – highly sensual and erotic dance performed by couple with close
body contact and direct eye contact; developed in Buenos Aires
 Foxtrot – animal dance; Arthur Carringford
 Charleston – can be performed solo, with partner, or group; looks like
normal walking
 Black Bottom – New Orleans; movements similar to the Charleston
 Lindy Hop – Harlem, NY; combination of many dances
 Rumba – grandfather of Latin dances; dance that narrates love and
passion
 Mambo Music – multifaceted rhythms; music of voodoo
 Cha-cha-cha – derived from mambo and swing; dancer’s feet remain
close to the floor; hips are relaxed
 Samba – samba bounce action; a light, effortless, and carefree
movement
 Bossa nova – combination of samba rhythm and jazz; first bossa nova
was recorded by Eydie Gorme
 Boogaloo – gained fame through the songs “Boogaloo Blues” and “I Like
It Like That”; combination of Latin, African American, rhythm and blues,
rock n’ roll, and soul music
 Twist – expression of individualism ; accidentally invented by Chubby
Checker
 Mod dance – performed by narcissisctic teenagers; free-flowing and jerky
 Psychedelic – Haight Ashbury, SF. Introduced during the widespread
use of psychedelic drugs
 Hustle – Cuban dance originated in NY; used in the movie “Saturday
Night Fever”
 Funk Music – James Brown; Jimi Hendrix...; lyrics became more explicit
 YMCA – used cheerleading arm positions to spell out letter
 Macarena – dance craze with arm movements and hip swiveling
 Street Dance – performed in nightclubs and streets; associated with
funk, breakdancing, and hip-hop
1983 – Michael Jackson, King of Pop (“Thriller”); Madonna, Queen of Pop
(“Like a Virgin”)
Ballet – backbone for many other genres of dance  Boogaloo
 Ragga
Fundamental Ballet Dance Movements  House dance
 Lyrical hip-hop
 Plie – to bend  Stepping
 Releve – to rise  Free Running
 Saute – to jump  Punking
 Arabesque – leg extended behind the body  Vogue
 Balance – rocking step
 Chaines – series of rapid, traveling turns Cheerdance – physical activity w/ combination of different dance genre and
 Changement – petit allegro step gymnastic skills
 Chasse – to chase
 Developpe – to develop; working leg is drawn up Basic Motions
 Jete – thrown
 High V
Modern Dance – dance style that rejects many of the strict rules of ballet,  Low V
focusing instead on the expression of inner feelings  Touchdown
 T
Fundamental Modern Dance Movements  Broken T

 Laterals – dancer stands with the head and spine in alignment Basic Jumps
 Spiral – torso twist that begins in the pelvis
 Stag Leap – very high jump in split  Herkie
 Stag Turn – supporting knee is slightly bent  Toe Touch
 Primitive Squat – hop that lands in a deep second-position plie  Pike
 Flat Back – series of moves; “tabletop”
 Hinge – balances on the balls of the feet Basic Stunts
 Contraction – begins in pelvis
 Release – occurs upon inhalation
 Pony Sit
 High release – tilts the breastbone
 Double thigh

Ballroom Dancing - formal social dancing; ball is from Latin word “ballare”
Basic Tumbling
meaning dance

 Forward Roll
 Foxtrot – elegant dance; travel smoothly
 Cartwheel
 Waltz – smooth, progressive dance; “rise and fall”
 Backbend
 Tango – sensual ballroom dance originated in South Africa; “tango”
means closed space; from Latin word “tanguere” which means “to touch”
 Viennese Waltz – first ballroom dance to be performed in the closed hold
position; rotary dance
 Box Step – pattern resembles a box
 Quick Step – up-and-down, rise-and-fall swinging motion

Latin Dances – stay in one place

 Cha-cha-cha – derivative of mambo

 Jive – influenced by boogie, rock n’ roll, African/American swing
 Samba – Brazil; dance of celebration and joy
 Paso doble – Southern France; lively and dramatic
 Rumba – sexiest of the ballroom dances

Latin Technique

 Posture
 Hold – closed, open, lead at lady’s waist level
 Leg Action – keep legs together
 Feet Position – flat, pointe, turn out
 Twisting
 Walk – forward walk, back walk, side step, forward check, spin

Trendy

Hip-Hop – NY, encompasses athleticism, flexibility, energy, agility, power, and

soul

 Locking
 Popping
 Electric boogie
 Breaking
 Uprock
 Funk
 Streetdance
 Tutting
 Battle
 Liquiding