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Dance 101

Terms in this set (11)

Court Dance
Royal Courts: Center of power, patronage and pageantry
Dancing at courts tends to be deliberate, dignified, measured, hierarchical and training is required to do it properly
Ideals of behavior embodied in court rituals came to be viewed as emblems of cultural or national identity.
Court Dance
Court dance represents "tool of legitimacy" as it expresses values, code of behavior and spiritual heritage.
four courts learned in 3rd
Ghana--Court of Asante
France--Court of Louis XIV
Java---Bedoyo and Wayang Wong
Japan--Bugak
Ghana
Asante, Asantehene—King of the Asante. He is the "master of the music and the drums" or "master of the dance". He is expected to dance before his people to display his royal virtues and honor his ancestors.
The golden stool symbolizes unity
Fontomfrom drums—used for warrior or heroic dances. They can be made to "talk"
Asante
Chiefs at every level maintain ensembles of drummers and dancers.
The order of dancing begins with the lesser chiefs and ends with the most powerful and prestigious.
With every chief there is a Queen Mother
There is a responsibility to pass along traditional songs and dances to the next generation.
Dwo=spiritual coolness, inner peace
Anyone can dance in front of the court but standards are high.
Drum censorship
France
Louis XIV: "The Sun King"
He structured court around the dance floor
2-3 balls a week with rigid protocol
Order was strictly by rank (high to low)
Such dances included the courante and the minuet
A man had to be as skilled at dancing as in riding, fencing and fine speech
The torso was upright with a still center of gravity
"Flowed movements without awkward breaks"
Louis XIV
1661—He established the Royal Academy of Dance---the 5 positions of the feet were also codified around this time—in 1671 the Paris opera opened
This led to the beginning of ballet
Java (Indonesia)
This court is rooted in the cultivation of profound tranquility. (They are people who experience a lot of unpredictable, natural disasters)
Bedoyo—The classic Javanese court dance
Bedoyo
Commemorates the ritual marriage of the Sultan's ancestor to the deity known as the "Queen of the southern sea"
Purpose of performance: proclaim glory of ruler, affirm the court's ties to a divine source of power and to embody clear teachings of the Javanese way of life
"public projection of the disciplined self"
9 synchronized women
The essence is balance. The dancers remain calm, inwardly focused, deliberate, modest, restrained
Highly stylized
Wayang Wong
Dance Drama performed by both men and women
2 styles of male dancing:
1. Warrior types and ogres with abrupt, forceful movement
2. Heroes with smooth, flowing and refined gestures
Few Javanese saw court dancing until the 1920s
Japan
Bugaku—The world's oldest continuing tradition of music and dance
It was secret for many years—only seen by members of the aristocracy, government officials and guests until after WWII
Represents the Japanese appetite for the new and for preserving the past
Adapted traditions with imported procession and entertainments from Korea and China
Music—Gagaku. The orchestra sits in an alcove behind the stage
Movement: repetition and deliberately slow tempo
May depict: legendary battles, encounters with the divine
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