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Dance can often express thoughts and feelings far better than words can. You could say that dance speaks eyes as music speaks to our ears. But it can be very confusing because there are so many different kinds of dancing. Dance which is for celebration or ceremonies is called folk dance and is usually part of a long tradition of local customs. Social dance is fun and informal, like ballroom dance, disco and break dance. These styles have no particular message, except for bringing people together.
All types of dance have special steps and movements which must be learn and these skills are called technique. When a dance technique is mixed with music, costume and scenery to tell a story or create a mood it is called performance dance. It happens on TV, film, in theartres, arts centers and open spaces. It tries both to communicate ideas and feelings and to entertain. Shaping technique and ideas into dance performances is called choreography. Most choreography is easy to understand, but with some dance you need to know how to 'read' the messages.
This is closely linked with the Hindu religion and storytelling and was first performed in temples and was first performed in temples. Each region has a different style: Kathakali, Bharata Natyam, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Orissi and Manipuri. Costume, makeup and music are all very important. The main musical instruments are cymbals, the sitar, and drums such as the tabla and mridangam.
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Unlike in ballet, dancers can point their feet and flex them, dance barefoot and use the floor for rolling and falling. They can twist and contract their whole bodies. The major styles are named after the teachers and choreographers who developed them; Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham have companies in the USA. British companies include Rambert Dance and the London Contemporary Dance. Both have school which train dancers.
In each part of Africa people have different styles of dance. Combined with music, song and decorated costume, dance in Africa is part of everyday life. It celebrate weddings, naming and initiation (coming and rhythmic stamping and also isolated and repeated movements of the shoulders, hips and rib cage.
These movements developed into jazz dance when slaves transported from Africa took their dances to America. In the Caribbean, dances have developed from a combination of African and European folk dance.
Lovely Regards,
Andriano
