Dance - Movement, Expression, Art

dance

Table of Contents

Introduction
The aesthetics of dance
- Basic motives: self-expression and physical release
- Problems in defining dance
  - Defining according to function
  - Distinguishing dance from other patterned movement
  - Defining according to intent
- Dance as dramatic expression or abstract form
  - The debate in the West
  - Dance as a nonverbal language
- Changes in attitude toward dance
Components of the dance
- The dancer
  - Physical requirements
  - The importance of training
  - Differences among dancers
  - From amateur to professional
- Basic steps and formations
  - Ballet and modern dance
  - Folk dance
  - Social dance
- Choreography
  - Choreographers’ motives and methods
  - The three-phase choreographic process
    - Gathering the movement material
    - Developing movements into phrases
    - Creating the final structure
- Dance notation
  - Prominent notation methods
  - Difficulties of notation
- Theatrical elements
  - Rhythm
  - Music
  - Set and design
  - Costume and stage sets in Western theatre dance
  - Drama
    - Cultural distinction between dramatic and formal dance
    - Drama in Western theatre dance
Types of dance
- Theatre dance
  - Ballet
    - Basic characteristics
    - Innovations in the 20th century
  - Modern dance
    - Expressionism
    - Merce Cunningham
    - Postmodernism
    - The musical
  - Indian classical dance
- Tribal and world dance
  - Tribal dance
  - World dance
- Folk dance
- Social dance

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Edgar Degas: The Dance Foyer at the Opera on the Rue Le Peletier

For Students

dance summary

Read Next

Odissi Indian classical female dancer on white background. (Indian dancer; classical dancer; Indian dance)

6 Classical Dances of India

Discover

In this aerial photo, structures are damaged and destroyed October 15, 2005 in Balakot, Pakistan. It is estimated that 90% of the city of Balakot was leveled by the earthquake. The death toll in the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck northern Pakistan on October 8, 2005 is believed to be 38,000 with at least 1,300 more dead in Indian Kashmir. SEE CONTENT NOTES.

6 of the World’s Deadliest Natural Disasters

9 of the World’s Deadliest Spiders

Vietnam War. U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson awards the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant Marty A. Hammer, during a visit to military personnel, Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam, October 26, 1966. President Johnson

Vietnam War Timeline

Periodical Cicada, Adult, Magicicada spp. Requires 17 years to complete development. Nymph splits its skin, and transforms into an adult. Feeds on sap of tree roots. Northern Illinois Brood. This brood is the largest emergence of cicadas anywhere

Why Do Some Cicadas Appear Only Every 17 Years?

Pluto. The Changing Faces of Pluto. Most detailed view to date of the entire surface of the dwarf planet Pluto, as constructed from multiple NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken from 2002 to 2003.

10 Important Dates in Pluto History

Solar Eclipse, Eclipse, Solar Flare, Outer Space, Astronomy

What Causes Lunar and Solar Eclipses?

VAN, TURKEY - OCTOBER 25: A building and car ruined during the earthquake of Van-Ercis on October 25, 2011 in Van, Turkey. It is 604 killed and 4152 injured in Van-Ercis Earthquake.

What Is an Aftershock?

One of the most basic motives of dance is the expression and communication of emotion. People—and even certain 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. People also dance for the pleasure of experiencing ...(100 of 23177 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.