Dance - Ballet, Tap, Jazz

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

A mug shot taken by the regional Colombia control agency in Medellin

Pablo Escobar: 8 Interesting Facts About the King of Cocaine

Close-up of ostriches (Struthio camelus) necks and heads; location unknown.

6 of the World's Most Dangerous Birds

The Jeff Koons tulips sculputure outside the Guggenheim Museums in Bilbao, Spain, Basque Country.

What’s the Difference Between Modern and Contemporary Art?

9 Mind-Altering Plants

Ahura Mazda - relief of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda at the ancient ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Also known as Ormazd Zoroastrianism,

Which Religion Is the Oldest?

Orange basketball on black background and with low key lighting. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time

Timeline and Map of the Panama Canal

The division of dance into types can be made on many different grounds. Function (e.g., theatrical, religious, recreational) is an obvious ground, but distinctions can also be made between tribal and folk dance, between amateur and professional, and above all between different genres and styles. Genre and style are relatively ambiguous terms. They depend on analyses of movement style, structure, and performance context (i.e., where the dance is performed, who is watching, and who is dancing) as well as on a cluster of general cultural attitudes concerning the role and value of dance in society. Genre usually refers to a ...(100 of 23178 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.