Studying Dance HistoryStudying Dance History

Chapter 1 & 2 Chapter 1 & 2

History of DanceHistory of Dance

Dance history is the study of Dance history is the study of 4 basic areas :4 basic areas :

Design and practice of the dance itself Design and practice of the dance itself Dancers and other artistsDancers and other artists Dance worksDance works Dance literatureDance literature

Can you give an example of each area?Can you give an example of each area?

We study dance in the We study dance in the contextcontext of a of a particular place & time period-particular place & time period-

Visual arts

Theatrical elements

Music

Society

Culture

History

Geography

Performance setting

Dance

All of these factors are connecting and interacting

What do you learn about dance in the French courts of 17th -18th century France?

To study Native American dance we must consider the context of when and where the dances occur. What do you learn about these dances from the images?

Primary and Secondary SourcesPrimary and Secondary Sources((resources for studying dance history & researching dance)resources for studying dance history & researching dance)

PrimaryPrimary (first hand accounts) (first hand accounts) autobiography, eyewitness, dairies, autobiography, eyewitness, dairies, choreography notes by the choreography notes by the choreographerchoreographer

Secondary Secondary (synthesis of primary sources) -(synthesis of primary sources) -the writings of researchers and scholars the writings of researchers and scholars which includes their interpretations, which includes their interpretations, opinions, and points of view of primary opinions, and points of view of primary sourcessources

Historical FrameworksHistorical Frameworks

Historians divide history into: Historians divide history into: millenniums (1000), millenniums (1000), centuries (100), centuries (100), decades (10), decades (10), periods or eras- which can span many years or even periods or eras- which can span many years or even

centuries (i.e. Romantic Era)centuries (i.e. Romantic Era)

BC - Before Christ, or BCE before Common Era- BC - Before Christ, or BCE before Common Era- years counted backwards years counted backwards

AD –anno Domini (“the year of our lord”) or CE -AD –anno Domini (“the year of our lord”) or CE -Common Era- years counted forward Common Era- years counted forward

Ancient Civilizations (4000BC-476AD)Early

Medieval   (500–1400)

Renaissance (1400–1600)

Baroque (1600–1760)

Common practice

Baroque (1600–1760)

Classical (1750–1830)

Romantic (1815–1910)

Modern and contemporary

20th century (1900–2000)

Contemporary (1975–present)

21st century (2000–present)

Periods in European art:Periods in European art:

What are the tools for What are the tools for recording dances fromrecording dances from the past and present?the past and present?

Notes on ChoreographyNotes on Choreography

DiariesDiaries Dance manuals (i.e. “How to manuals” Dance manuals (i.e. “How to manuals”

during the Renaissance Period)during the Renaissance Period) Choreographic notes on a dance by the Choreographic notes on a dance by the

choreographerchoreographer Dance NotationDance Notation Written reviews by dance criticsWritten reviews by dance critics

Dance NotationDance Notation

Fuellet Notation-

18th centuryLabanotation-

20th century

Benesh Movement Notation- 20th century

IconographyIconography(painting, line drawing, or photograph)(painting, line drawing, or photograph)

Paintings of ballerinas by Edgar Degas

BbarMorgan

IconographyIconographyCave paintingsCave paintings

IconographyIconographyPhotographs by Barbara Morgan

Pearl Primus

Erick Hawkins

Martha Graham

IconographyIconographydrawingsdrawings

Isadora Duncan

Rite of Spring by Nijinsky, drawings of Valentine Gross

IconographyIconographybas-relief / sculpturebas-relief / sculpture

Greek Military Dance

Greek Pyrrhic Dance

Dance of the Handmaidens

Geranos Dance

Oral TraditionOral TraditionDances are passed down from one generation to the nextDances are passed down from one generation to the next

Artist and teachers teach dances to their students Artist and teachers teach dances to their students who in turn teach their studentswho in turn teach their students

Principal dancers coach other dancers to interpret Principal dancers coach other dancers to interpret a role (i.e. the role of Giselle in ballet)a role (i.e. the role of Giselle in ballet)

Social and Folk dances (i.e. Western two-step or a Social and Folk dances (i.e. Western two-step or a Jewish wedding dance) is taught informally at Jewish wedding dance) is taught informally at gatherings from one generation to the next)gatherings from one generation to the next)

Archives of written accounts or oral recordings of Archives of written accounts or oral recordings of dance and performing experiencesdance and performing experiences

Electronic Dance RecordingsElectronic Dance Recordings

FilmFilm VideoVideo Internet (i.e.YouTube)Internet (i.e.YouTube)

Accessing Dance Through Other ArtsAccessing Dance Through Other Arts

Written musical scoreWritten musical score Set designsSet designs Costume designsCostume designs Lighting designsLighting designs Dance spacesDance spaces Visual arts- studying an art period in Visual arts- studying an art period in

relationship to the dance during that relationship to the dance during that period (i.e. Baroque Period in art & period (i.e. Baroque Period in art & ballet)ballet)

Ballet CostumingBallet Costuming

18th century 19th century 20th century

Ballet Set DesignsBallet Set Designs

Giselle – Act II

1841 “Realism”

Afternoon of a Faun 1912 “Impressionism”