DANCE IN DIFFERENT CULTURES

By: Amanda N, Cari J, Luis F 11/16/14

8 CLASSICAL DANCE STYLES OF INDIA

• Bharatanatyam

• -Originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu

• -Denotes various 19th and 20th century reconstructions of Sadir, the art of temple dancers

• -Known for its grace, purity, tenderness and sculpturesque poses

• -Today its one of the most popular and widely performed dance styles and is performed by

male and female dancers all over the world

• Kathak

• -This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathakars or storytellers. Its form today contains traces of temple and ritual dances, and the influence of the bhakti movement. From the 16th century onwards it absorbed certain features of Persian dance and central Asian dance which were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era.

• -The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word katha meaning story, and katthaka in Sanskrit means he who tells a story, or to do with stories.

• Kathakali

• - is a stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion. It originated in the country's present day state of Kerala during the 17th century and has developed over the years with improved looks, refined gestures and added themes besides more ornate singing and precise drumming

• Kuchipudi• - a Classical Indian dance from Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also popular all over South India

• -The performance usually begins with some stage rites, after which each of the characters come on to the stage and introduces him/herself with a dharavu (a small composition of both song and dance) to introduce the identity, set the mood, of the character in the drama. The drama then begins.

• -The dance is accompanied by song which is typically Carnatic music. The singer is accompanied by mridangam (a classical South Indian percussion instrument), violin, flute and the tambura (a drone instrument with strings which are plucked).

• -Ornaments worn by the artists are generally made of a lightweight wood called Boorugu.

• -It originated in the seventh century.

• Manipuri

• -Manipuri dance is purely religious and its aim is a spiritual experience

• - From the religious point of view and from the artistic angle of vision, Manipuri classical form of dance is claimed not only to be one of the most chastest, modest, softest and mildest but the most meaningful dance

• -Manipuri dancers do not wear ankle bells to accentuate the beats tapped out by the feet, in contrast with other Indian dance forms, and the dancers' feet never strike the ground hard.

• -Movements of the body and feet and facial expressions in Manipuri dance are subtle and aim at devotion and graces of the world.

• Mohinattyam• -a classical dance from Kerala, India. Believed to have originated in 16th century CE

• - is considered a very graceful form of dance meant to be performed as solo recitals by women

• -The term Mohiniyattam comes from the words "Mohini" meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and "aattam" meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. The word "Mohiniyattam" literally means "dance of the enchantress".

• -The dance involves the swaying of broad hips and the gentle movements of erect posture from side to side. This is reminiscent of the swinging of the palm leaves and the gently flowing rivers which abound Kerala, the land of Mohiniyattam. There are approximately 40 basic movements, known as atavukal

• Odissi

• - It is the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences

• - It is particularly distinguished from other classical Indian dance forms by the importance it places upon the Tribhangi (literally: three parts break), the independent movement of head, chest and pelvis

• - involves stamping of the foot and striking various postures as seen in Indian sculptures

• Sattriya

• -The core of Sattriya Nritya has usually been mythological stories. This was an artistic way of presenting mythological teachings to the people in an accessible, immediate, and enjoyable manner.

• -Traditionally, Sattriya was performed only by bhokots (male monks) in monasteries as a part of their daily rituals or to mark special festivals. Today, in addition to this practice, Sattriya is also performed on stage by men and women who are not members of the sattras, on themes not merely mythological.

• -This dance form has remained a living tradition in Assam's Vaishnava monasteries, known as sattras, for over 500 years now. It was originally practised by celibate monks in the form of mythological dance-dramas.

HAWAIIAN DANCE OF HULA

• When the dance began, it was done to poetic chants performed by men. The chant was called the Mele. The men relayed the poetry and the female dancers played it out in expressive form. Instruments used were sharkskin drums, rattles, gourds and castanets. Costumes were not made of grass. Women wore wrapped skirts made of cloth and men wore loincloths. Leis, bracelets and necklaces were worn then as they are now. Leis were not meant to be worn after a ritual dance. They were placed on the altar of Laka as an offering of flowers to the goddess. Hula was more than a ritual dance. It was the Hawaiian's way of keeping a record of history. Much of the history was lost after it was banned in the early part of the 19th century.

• Originally, the hula was called the "Ha`a". The name was changed to "Hula" in the 19th

century. Though modern influence has touched Hula dancing, it still remains a beautiful dance to watch or perform. Its ancient roots can be seen in the movements that symbolize nature with all its contrasts - from the gentle swaying of the palms to the wildly exploding dances of war.

BRAZILIAN DANCE

Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that combines

elements of dance, acrobatics and music, and is

sometimes referred to as a game. It was developed

in Brazil mainly by African descendants with native

Brazilian influences, probably beginning in the 16th

century. It is known for quick and complex moves,

using mainly power, speed, and leverage for a wide

variety of kicks, spins, and highly mobile techniques.

• Samba is a lively, rhythmical dance of Brazilian origin in 4/4 time danced under the Samba music.

• The Samba music rhythm has been danced in Brazil since its inception in the late 19th century. There is actually a set of dances, rather than a single dance, that define the Samba dancing scene in Brazil; thus, no one dance can be claimed with certainty as the "original" Samba style.

• Another major stream of the Samba dance besides the Brazilian Samba dancing styles is Ballroom Samba which differs significantly. This style is done with a partner in closed hold or open positions including but not limited to hand to hand hold, or side by side positions.

AFRICAN DANCE

• African dance has traditionally played an essential role in the culture of the tribes. Much more than entertainment, dances communicate emotions, celebrate rites of passage, and help strengthen the bonds between members of the tribe as a whole.

• African dance can legitimately be considered the oldest form of choreography in the world. The dances are still taught to the children of the tribes from an early age, but the form has spread far beyond the continent to thrill audiences around the world

African dance is polycentric, which sets it apart from most

other dance traditions in the world. As explained by the

National Museum of African Art, this means that the

dancer's body is segmented into separate areas of

movement, with each area being able to move to different

rhythms within the music. Known as "isolations" in

choreographic terms, these moves are quite complex and

difficult to master.

SUMMARY/QUESTIONS

• As you can tell, dance traditions and/or techniques can differ greatly from culture to culture. Some cultures dancing is more of a religious technique, whereas others may be more of an entertainment, or even a longtime ritual. Regardless of whether were talking about India, Hawaii, Brazil, Africa or any other coutry, they all take pride in the dance they do.

• 1.Which dance is said to have the oldest choreography in the world?

• 2.India has how many classical dance styles?

• 3.What is the traditional Hawaiian dance called?

• 4.Whats the most common Brazilian dance?

• 5.What was the Hulas original name & when was it changed?