Over centuries we have seen ‘Dance’ take many different forms. From the toddler who stomps her feet when told to “Dance” is not a far cry from the African form of dance.
African history has taught us that dance was a way to express feelings and emotions and to celebrate special occasions like marriages and births, but it has also influenced many dance forms like the Charleston, Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug; whereas Ballet found it’s roots in the courts of the Italian Renaissance.
This classical art form was developed in Russia and France and these two countries were the first to publicly present “Dance” as an entertainment. “Ballet” was adopted by the English around the 17th century.
Ballet
Classical Ballet is the oldest and most formal of all ballet styles. This form utilizes the traditional ballet techniques, which is taught in studios all over the world today and a dancer may travel from studio to studio and will probably find the teaching method of Checchetti or the Royal method.
Classical Ballet leaves little room for creative expression, as it styles are rather rigid and premeditated. Where as Contemporary Ballet although influenced by the classical form and modern dance allows the dancer a greater range of movement and relaxed steps which are not found in classical ballet technique.
Modern
Modern Dance, a dance style created by such dancers as Martha Graham, Isadora Duncan and continues to live through choreographers such as Twyla Tharp.
These classical trained dancers all shared a common bond that dance could be enjoyed outside the strict teachings of the rigid technique of classical ballet.
Modern dance was then born showing an emotion and a human side which fell outside the strict rules and guidelines of Ballet which was so popular in that era. Modern dance has no boundaries, the choreographer is at liberty to create moves that don’t belong on paper. In fact many a modern dance choreographer creates on the spot as the music moves him or her at that moment in time. It’s all about emotion and interpretation of an inner feeling.
Jazz
Jazz! You hear the name and immediately you think ‘New Orleans’ but jazz originated from the African slaves. These slaves were taken to colonies in South America and the Caribbean, and there they continued to dance to keep their cultural alive. So once again another dance style takes its roots from Africa.
There are many types of Jazz just as there are many types of Classical Ballet but the famous ‘Fosse’ style is well known through out the world.
8 Time Tony award-winning choreographer and film director Bob Fosse brought a new type of choreography to the stage. His unique style of creating angles with the body, isolated movements, rolling hips and shoulders with finger snapping elements brought a very different style to the Broadway stage which was much loved by the American public.
Jazz; whether it be the ‘Fosse’ style or ‘Traditional’ style still needs a firm classical foundation so that dancers can develop strength and agility which in turn lends itself to the fast pace movements. Don’t get me wrong Jazz can have that slow, soulful feeling. There are no limits to its creativity which makes this style very popular in many studios.
Tap
No one know really knows how Tap dancing originated. It is however believed that Tap dancing started in the United States around the nineteenth century and many believe that it took its roots from Africa and Ireland.
Tap was brought to Vaudeville in the 1900s and was on Broadway and at jazz festivals by 1950.
Television played a big role in the popularity of this dance form made popular by Sammy Davis jr. and Fred Astaire
Tap dancing like ballet requires certain curriculum and it’s technique requires the specific use of the taps [little metal plates on the sole of the show]. Master these moves and you can become your own musician.
Hip Hop
With a new generation comes a very different form of dance. Call it what you like. Break dancing, Funk, Hip Hop, what ever it’s name they all made it’s debut on the streets.
This type of dance has no curriculum or a ‘correct steps’ as many teachers have their own style. However what was once considered a “ghetto” style is now in many studios and gaining momentum in the competition field at international level.
Many who are not interested in the discipline of other dance forms such as Ballet take this form of dance as an exercise.
Social Dance
The big hit TV show ‘Dancing with the Stars takes the required steps of all the Social dances and with clever choreography takes this type of dancing to new heights.
Viennese Waltz
The name of the waltz is taken from the Italian ‘volver’ - to turn, or revolve. It was the dance of the new Romantic Period after the Napoleonic Wars in the eighteenth century, which shocked the aristocratic upper class when it was first introduced. The first dance to ever have close contact with one’s partner’s body made a strong contrast to the stately dances of the aristocracy like the minuet and quadrille where one kept one’s distance.
The Austrian music scholar, Max Graf, has written, “If there exists a form of music that is a direct expression of sensuality, it is the Viennese Waltz. It was the dance of the new Romantic Period after the Napoleonic Wars, and the contemporaries of the first waltzes were highly shocked at the eroticism of this dance in which a lady clung to her partner, closed her eyes as in a happy dream, and glided off as if the world had disappeared. The new waltz melodies overflowed with longing, desire and tenderness.”
No matter what the ‘craze’ today; the waltz will never go out of style; it is of all the social dances the most elegant, magnificent form of dance that is so irresistible to dance and to view.
