1 What Is Dance?
Learning Objectives
With this chapter, you will begin working toward:
- Demonstrating a culturally informed dance aesthetic.
- Identifying the purposes of dance.
—dancer and film director Connie Hochman, on trying to capture the ephemera
Introduction
There are many definitions of dance, with people defining dance in their own way. In this chapter, you will consider your personal definition of dance. You will learn the purposes of dance. You will reflect on your experiences and upbringing to determine their influence on your dance aesthetic.
- Poetry, prose, and music are arts that exist in time. It is through the manipulation of rhythm and tempo that these arts are created.
- Painting, sculpture, and architecture are arts that exist in space. It is through the design of space that these arts are created.
- Dance is the only art that is a creation in both time and space.
How do you define dance?
Elements of Dance
Dance can be studied in terms of its raw materials. We can describe movement thoroughly by breaking dance down into its basic components. A complete understanding of the building blocks of dance allows us to analyze, interpret and speak about dance in a thorough and understandable way. To increase dance literacy and appreciate dance as an art form, we must look at the elements of dance. Through the manipulation of these elements by the human body, dance happens. The elements of dance will be discussed in more detail later in Chapter 2. To describe dance, it is useful to analyze it in terms of these Elements of Dance:
- Body
- Energy
- Space
- Time
Purposes of Dance
Dance can be studied in terms of its purpose and function within a culture. Cultures impact how people engage with the world, as environmental influences, societal behaviors, and attitudes are intertwined within the development and shaping of dance forms. In this respect, dance is a carrier of culture. The purposes of dance include:
- Religious Dance / Dance to Please the Gods
- Social Dance / Dance to Please Ourselves
- Performance Dance / Dance to Please Others
Religious Dance
The earliest dances were likely religious in nature. Some religions embrace dance and use it as a part of their rituals. Other religions have eschewed dance or banned it for a number of different reasons.
The ancient Greeks and Africans used to dance to solidify their community. Ancient Greek dance, as well as ancient African dance, was divinely inspired. Everyone participated in religious ceremonies as cultivated amateurs and upstanding citizens. A big part of the program was processions and circle dances. The realities of the cosmos ruled the symbolism of the dances, and references to the sun, moon, and constellations figured into the movements.
Types of Religious Dance
- Dances of Imitation
- Medicine Dances
- Commemorative Dances
- Dances for Spiritual Connection
Dances of Imitation
Particularly in primitive and indigenous cultures, dances of imitation are performed. Dancers imitate