Midterm Flashcards
Dance definition
Physical behavior where the head, body, limbs move through space. Has the capacity of promoting a feeling. Body is instrument, movement is medium
Dance in lineage based societies
Business of living
Ways to view dance
Artistic expression Emotional expression Nonverbal communication Societal role Collective unconscious
Artistic expression
Of the aesthetic. What we consider beautiful. Classical form
Emotional expression
Self expression
Nonverbal communication
Telling story through movement
Societal role
Based on the business of living, as in dance rituals
Collective unconscious
Part of your people
Movement characteristics
Harmonious. Ecstatic
Harmonious
Mellow, simple, contained, little movement
Ecstatic
High energy. Expended energy. Trance state is climax
Trance state
Climax of ecstatic dance. Person is embodied by spirit for cleansing or healing of themselves or community. Spiritual leader breaks trance
Primary dance form
Spiritual dance
Rituals
How tribal groups respond to the business of living. Cyclical or specific
Cyclical ritual
General, repeated at same time each year or season
Specific ritual
Needed immediately. Used to cure a person, expel spirits, mourn death, perform burial
Elements of rituals
Formation Sounds/drumming Body decoration/mask Setting Fire Priests/shaman Holy water
Mudras
Hand movements
Bali
Legong dance
Java
Bedaya dance. Kris dance
India
Bharatanatyam dance
Gamelon
Musicians in Java’s Bedaya dance
Legong
Bali. Performed by 2 young girls. Wear head dresses and fans
Bedaya
Java. Theatrical dance. Women wear scarves. Gamelon plays. Balance and unison
Kris dance
Java. Dancers go into trance and stab themselves with Kris. Exorcism, purify
Bharatanatyam
India. Gods Shiva & Krishna. Mudras (hand movements)
Commonalities
Shared characteristics or qualities
High effect juxtaposition
Energies or tensions juxtaposed in the body (ex: happy body, sad face. Quick feet, slow hands)
Greots
Chosen story teller of the community. Conscience of the community. Chosen as young boy. Knows all
Orishas
Deities, gods, spirits
Ephebism
Losing oneself in the movement, intensity and flow. Do things you don’t think you’re capable of
Aesthetic of the cool
An attitude. Hot engaged with cool detachment. Swagger
Marathoning
Go on and on to reach the journey. To do what needs to be done takes time (spirit time)
Multiple foci
Everyone is a spectator and participant. Made possible by circle. Circle rules
Improvisation
Structured individuality. There’s something structured going on, but you do it your way
Collective communal trust
Censorship to maintain communal trust. Created a safety net for community. If someone breaks struts or is offensive, drummer stops and kicks person out
Epic memory *
Blood memory of a people. Embodied wisdom
Call and response
Dialogue of dancers and song between leader and participants
Oral principle
Storytelling, passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth (tradition)
Polyrhythm *
Simultaneous multiple rhythms
Polycentrism *
Movement from various centers of the body. Allows for slow and fast at same time
Dimensionality *
Perception. What we understand from feeling other senses. Perceive energy “texturized”. (Wavy movement)
Holism *
The parts of a creation are not emphasized beyond the whole, neither is the individual. Democracy of body parts. (Silence is as important as sound)
Musician/drummer
Driving force of the dance. Calls the shots
Drummer plays “break”
To change steps. Constant dialogue between dancers and musicians. Musician leads, dancers follow
Repetition *
Intensifying movement until satisfaction has been reached. The more you do the movement, the more intense it becomes
Participation
Community, society
Curvilinear *
Curved, circular movements. Path moves
Japan
Influences of both Chinese ceremonial and Hindu dance. Bugaku, Noh, Kabuki
Gagaku
Japanese imperial household musicians and dancers. All men. Passed down father to son. Ceremonial. Dance form is Bugaku and Noh
Bugaku
Japanese ceremonial dance. Gagaku’s dance form. Pure and stately style. Symmetry and paired movements
Noh
Japanese ceremonial dance. Offshoot of Bugaku. Performed by Gagaku. Cyclical. Symbolic theatre. Drama, singing, dialogue based off old stories and myths. Good vs evil moral. MINIMALIST MOVEMENT. ART OF WALKING. Mask used to show characters. Stage is open to audience and musicians
Kabuki
Japanese ceremonial dance. O-Kuni founded the idea, turned into prostitution. Men copied this and dressed like women. Entertainment for all people. Tells stories. Lively and energetic
Java motto
Unity in diversity
