1. A quick guide to dance history
Dancing Through Time!!!
A quick guide to dance history

2. Types of Dance
A. Social
B. Folk/Religious
C. Performance

3. Folk/Religious Dance 1. Gift to the gods 2. Links to nature
3. Storytelling
4. Courtship rituals
5. Procreation rituals

4. Dance Beginnings Hunters A. ______ danced before going to the hunt
B. ______ danced before war
Tribes danced to ward off evil spirits,
bring fertility, celebrate harvest, rain
Warriors

5. Greeks

6. Greeks Emphasis on symbolism of dance rather than skill
Religious emphasis/_______________
Mythology

7. Religious emphasis/ Mythology
1. Terpsichore was muse of _________ (watched over the dance)
2. Dionysus was god of dance
a. worshipers often participated in
________ and frantic dances
b. these types of dances would
become the basis for theatrical
Grecian dance
dance
wild

8. Greeks Athens Sparta Whole of society danced (small children
to elderly)
1. Males danced (especially in
____________ and _____________)
a. to demonstrate military prowess
b. to give honor to nature
c. to frighten evil spirits
2. Theatrical dance evolved
Athens
Sparta

9. Romans

10. Romans Dance paganistic; based on celebration of the _________
B. Popular socially for a short while
C. _____________
planets
Pantomime

11. Medieval Dance

12. Medieval Societal Dance
1. denounced by __________
participated in by ________ at street
festivals
3. participated in by _______ and ________ at castles
priests
peasants
lords
ladies

13. Medieval Societal Dance
4. used as entertainment sponsored by medieval guilds (usually festivals)
a. use of fantastic ___________ during street
processions
b. social dances at end of procession at private
homes/inns
(I) ductia was a dance of the ________
(II) stantipes was intended to keep thoughts from straying
(III) accompanied by flute, lute, and stringed instruments
c. some dances only members of the guild were allowed to do
costumes
wealthy

14. Medieval Societal Dance
Bal des Ardents of 1393: particular palace dance; all dancers except one king (Charles VI) died

15. Medieval Dance B. Subjects of dances
1. moresca- bizarre movements; participants
wore ________ or blackened faces
a. exotic look
b. solo and circle dances
c. some imitated mock battles (mainly reflecting battles of Christians and Moors in Spain)
d. some symbolized folk tradition
2. dance of death- __________ leading mortals of every social status in a dance
masks
death

16. Renaissance

17. Renaissance V. Italian dance (Renaissance) A. Court dances
B. The First Ballets
1. first dance masters appeared in Italy
around 1400
2. ballet is Italian word from the verb ballare which means “to dance”
3. Italian dance spectacles were lavish and theatrical

18. The Renaissance French dance A. Italian influences
1. Influenced by Catherine de Medici (mother of King Henri III)
2. Catherine was from Italy and came to France as bride of Henry II

19. French Dance 3. Catherine de Medici hired Italian choreographer
Baldassarino da Belgiojoso (Balthasar de
Beaujoyeulx) for entertainment at wedding of
Marguerite de Lorraine: he choreographed the
Ballet Comique de la Reine
a. no ___________
b. audience sat above __________ in
galleries
c. included recitations and songs
d. lasted nearly _______ hours
stage
performers
six

20. French Dance (Renaissance)
B. Renaissance court dances
1. Description
a. ornate
b. performed by __________
c. much like ballroom dancing of the era
d. women’s roles usually performed by _____ in the ballet (however, not on ballroom floor)
e. men assigned ____________________; women’s movement was to be _______________ and restrained
nobles
men
jumps and fancy steps
light, graceful,

21. Renaissance Court Dances
as the Renaissance progressed, steps became complex (in fact, many dance masters would recommend students practice them holding on to a _____ or tightly stretched ___________--- this is the origin of the ballet barre)
dancing seen as art for gentleman (equivalent to riding and fencing)
chair
rope