Dance 341 Test 2

many dances from the early days of christianity survived outside of the churches control as folk dances

1. sword dance

2. maypole dance

3. Morris dance

-many different group sword dances that share similar characteristics

-GROUP CIRCLE DANCE

- traditionally preformed by men only

-originated by the ritual drama which portrays the restoration of life after winter

-the character of the fool plays winter

- sun kills winter + restores life in spring

- hobby horse - symbol of good luck

- a variation of a sword dance

-not a drama - it's a dance of skill

- related to greek pyhrritic dance because it is danced on the eve of a battle. to relieve tension and stress

- jump over crossed swords and if feet touch sword its an ill omen

dancing and singing during the may ritual - most often around a may pole

cut tree planted in a village; decorated with greenery and is a symbol of new growth

- full day celebration where maypole is cut and planted

Dance most frequently danced with a maypole

- origin of the christmas carol

-later spread by wandering minstrels and preformed throughout the year

-ribbons added to the maypole in the 18th century

1. court morris dance

2.rural outdoor morris dance

- solo dance of skill - not participatory

-included in pagaent and theatrical entertainments

twisting torse

expressive hand gestures

precise finger movements

legs are separated - feet being used

dramatic facial expressions

bells on arms, legs, costumes

vigourous leaping

sword

rhythmical movement

variation of the court morris dance

- danced in a circle around a lady

-they would compete for her favour - a ring, flower, apple

-gives favour to fool at the end

became a folk dance, preformed outside the court setting

- included characters from the legend of robin hood

- had 3 formations

1. processional

2. circle

3. longways

streets of a town or town to town

william kemp danced from london to norwich

maid marian - man dressed up as woman and became may bride

danced at may rituals around a maypole

couples in 2 lines facing each other

for money, bells on legs, musicians

preformed by both men and women

the longways formation

illustrates the moorish origin of the morris dance

arabs invade spain

moors brought their dance with them - morris dance

form of disguise - if a dancer is recognizable the ritual is less effective

no twisting or expressive and is more upright

not a dance of skill - is now a social dance

outdoor version survived

originated in france,

first occurred in 14th century as a MORALITY PLAY based on the inevitability of death

figure of death would lead characters off the stage

later in songs, poems, dramas, murals

- not a specific dance or participatory

reveals great preoccupation with death since they were surrounded with it (black plague)

dead seen as hostile and dangerous to the living and had many customs to prevent them from coming back

- nails in feet, dance in the graveyard, bind feet together, death watch

- dead liked to dance in cemeteries and churchyards and if you joined them you would die within a year

appears as a dancer - preformed a dance macabre

-often compels people of every age and social class to dance with him in a processional behind him

- interpreting as evidence of awakening the spirit of democracy in the middle ages

flourished through europe in 11th-14th century

people would dance for days on end without stopping until they collapsed from exhaustion

-dancers thought to be bewitched or possessed by the devil

-children would dance town to town like the PIED PIPER

play music slower - to slow down dancers but encouraged them

rituals didn't help

bind dancers tightly around the ribcage

st john baptiste

- hysteria resulting from huge psychological distress due to lifestyle hardships and natural disasters

- rye grain people ate became infected with fungus - ergot - main ingredient as LSD

1. Farandole

2. Branle

line dance

introduced by greek settlers in france - greek geranos

-lead dancers in a snake like formation

- out of doors dance: leaders would lead formations joined together through the streets of towns

- a celebration dance - births christenings marriages

- different formations: escargot, threading the needle, in and out arches, the hay

circle dance

- from french word to sway - held hands and danced in a circle

- accompaniment was singing - not instrumental

- variation of the branle

stop in front of male of choice go down on pillow and kiss and repeat

elite class building manor houses where fire places were moved to side of great hall and chimneys built which freed room for dancing

1. processional form of dance developed

2. courtly dance developed

queen at one side of great hall and dancers would enter the hall in lines of couples and curtsied

style of dancing deemed appropriate for ruling class

- taught by dancing masters

accompanied by professional musicians

- refined and graceful

-FIRST COURTLY DANCE

-accompaniment was instrumental

-smooth and chivalrous

-respectful handhold

-women in maternaty pose

-era of adoration of women

created by anquitaine settled arguments of love and passion

low slow PROCESSIONAL dance

costumes restricted movement

imposing spectable - show off gowns + poses

1. cervera

2. burgundian

earliest known abstract symbol dance notation

derived from the first letter of dance step

1. birth of theatrical forms - started in courts

2.social dance became fashionable in courts

3. dance became more complex and sophisticated

4. more dance manuals being written

1. shift from dominance by church to dominance by monarchy

2. return to greek classics

1. subject matter: dance based on greek mythology

2. costumes

3. choreography

used by monarchy as instrument of political power

-theatrical dancing was part of the renaissance festival

public displays of spectacle preformed in the order to proclaim political ideals of reigning monarch

1. royal entry

2. equestrian ballet

3. indoor diveritissement

GRAND PROCESSIONAL pageant or parade that displayed the majestic glory of the monarch

- still preformed today on the queens birthday

derived from medieval tournament that was a test of skill and valour; military exercises preformed to display war skills

- mock tournaments made - more theatrical and ceremonial

act out dramatic situations - mock duels and chases

forerunner to dressage

short interludes of spoken verse, song and dance between acts of court plays

by 16th century became a 4 act musical play; interspesed within a 5 act drama

-elaborate machinery - cloud machine and people on wires

figured, social dance

- preformers and audience would unite in social dancing

- royal theatrical presentations instigated by catherine de medici

- brought italian influence

- costly

-lasted for several days

-politcally symbolic theme

- purpose:

celebrate royal weddings

signing of treaties

reinforce monarch political ideas - peace and moderation

- more like musicals

performers were members of the court \

- had spoken verse

biggest and last ballet de la cour

- choreographed by beau jeux

- only one documented with illustrations

-derived from classical greece

-FIRST COURT BALLET CONFINED TO ONE DRAMATIC SUBJECT

- expensive to produce & bankrupt court

- committee means happy ending

- court of louis xiii

- dance no longer had spoken verse

-womens roles preformed by men

-grotesque, ugly &burlesque

- simpler and less costly

louis xiii

- number of acts ALL WITH DIFF THEME

- no linear narrative but all relates to the theme

- 5 themes:

music, dance, sport, war, not foolish to temptation

- women only allowed to participate in grand ballet at the end

- performers were courtiers

- took dancing very seriously

- skilled dancer = good breeding

- learn to ride, dance, fence,

- dance talent & social advancement

first illustrations of dancers with rotated legs

- shows happening in renaissance before louis xiv

1. Pavane

2. Galliard

-FIRST DANCE IN SUITE OF DANCES

-open court occasions or ceremonial balls

-majestic and slow

-derived from medieval basse dance

followed pavane

- lively with leaps and jumps

- skill and improvision

-tassle used to train kicks

queen elizatbeth did it for exercise

variation of galliard

- queen elizabeths fav dance

- unusual because it had lifts of the women

- not allowed under louis XIV

- greatest of all royal patrons of dance in europe

- dance gained professional stature and definitive style

- ruled by the right of god

- excellent dancer

- preformed as apollo the sun god in ballet de la nuit

-hosted 2 or 3 balls a week at versailles

- branle - a circle dance in medieval era and processional in baroque

1. theatrical court dance ended

2. social dance continued at court