Category: Dance

Introduction

Lion Dance is a form of Chinese traditional dance that was created more than ten centuries ago (Chinese New Year Lion Dance par1). It involves the mimicry of a lion’s movements while adorning a lion costume and it is practiced in China and other Asian countries that share similar traditional practices and customs. The dance is usually performed during certain special occasions such as New Year festivals and other big occasions of critical importance such as cultural and religious festivals. It is also performed during events such as weddings and honoring of guests. The lion dance is usually performed using drums and gong instruments that act as accompaniments. In Chinese culture, the lion brings good luck, and therefore festivals that included the dance aim to bring good luck and scare away evil (Vasu par2).

History

The dance originated in China more than a thousand years ago. In traditional Chinese culture, the lion was a mythical animal because lions were non-existent in the country (History of the Lion Dance par3). Lions were sent to Chinese emperors by traders to be allowed to conduct business in their territories. Only a few lions had been seen in ancient China before the emergence of the Han Dynasty. Later on, more lions emerge and because they were mythical in China, people were mesmerized by them and began to mimic their behavior and appearance during performances. These performances mimicking the actions of lions led to the creation of the lion dance in the Han Dynasty (History of the Lion Dance par4).

The Lion Dance became more popular with the spread of Buddhism in the Northern and Southern Dynasties and got to its peak during the Tang Dynasty. The rising popularity of the dance led to its embracement in Japan. In Japan, the dance was used in courts as a form of entertainment while in China it was used during celebrations. The dance later spread to Korea and Taiwan where it evolved into different styles but adopted similar symbolism (History of the Lion Dance par5).

Styles

There are two main styles of the Lion Dance namely the Southern Lion style and the Northern Lion style (Chinese New Year Lion Dance par3). These styles emerged as the dance evolved through the years and as it spread to other dynasties around China. Other styles emerged as the dance spread to other Asian countries.

The Northern Lion style

This style closely resembles martial arts and has two variations in which a young lion is mimicked by a young person and an adult lion is mimicked by two people (Green 42). Both performers wear costumes that resemble a lion. For instance, their lower bodies are adorned with trousers that resemble the color of the lion’s body. Their shoes are colored yellow and are resemble a lion’s claws. In the dance that the performers mimic an adult lion, one performer stands in the front and the other one behind the first performer with a bent waist to make movements easy. The first performer adorns the head of the lion and the other moves the body of the lion (Vasu par7).

The performers then mimic several movements that are common among lions such as jumping, climbing, rolling, and wrestling (Green 42). The Northern Lion Dance is more versatile than the southern lion dance and incorporates additional stunts such as lifts and balancing on elevated platforms. In other dances, Northern Lions can appear as families. In that case, the dance includes two large adult lions and two young lions. To get the resemblance of an adult lion, two performers adorn the costume to appear large (Ma and Cartier 88). In more varied Northern Lion dances, a character representing a warrior stands in front of the lions and leads them through the dance.

The Southern Lion style

This style originated from a region called Guangdong and is performed in pairs (Vasu par8). The performers wear lion costumes and do moves that are more characteristic of the lion as compared to the Northern dance. These actions include scratching, licking fur, and shaking the posterior end of the body (Green 44). The movements make the performance more entertaining and dramatic. The lion can also perform other moves such as playing with a ball. The Southern Lion is associated with a mythical legend known as Nian in Chinese ancient culture. Unlike the Northern Lion, it has a playful temperament.

The social component of the Lion Dance

The Lion Dance was usually performed during social events that were either cultural or religious. In many Asian countries, it is performed during the New Year Festival and other cultural, traditional, and religious festivals such as the performance of rituals (Ma and Cartier 88). Also, it is performed during events to open new businesses, marriage, and honorary ceremonies (Carstens 152). All these events are aimed at bringing people together and allowing them to socialize and celebrate their traditions and customs. In Japan, the dance is performed during Shinto festivals during which people gather to celebrate various religious rituals.

Other styles

After the spread of the Lion Dance to other Asian countries, variations on how it is performed emerged. They include Vietnamese, Korean, Tibetan, Japanese, and Indonesian Lion dances (Carstens 152). The Japanese Lion Dance is used in traditional and religious festivals. The style is highly versatile because it comprises more than 9,000 variations depending on the region. Korean Lion Dance has two main variations that are performed on different occasions that include exorcism drama and masked drama.

Tibetan Lion Dance is performed during important celebrations such as New Year Festival (performed as a secular dance) and religious festivals (ritual dance). The Indonesian Lion Dance is very different from the original dance. However, the symbolism is similar even though it utilizes different forms from those used in China and other Asian countries.

Music, instruments, and costumes

The performance of Lion Dance involves music and the use of different musical instruments. Examples of instruments used during the dance include drums, gongs, and cymbals (Ma and Cartier 88). The drum is the main instrument used and the other two are used as accompaniments. The drum gives the main beat of the dance and movements are synchronized to it (Carstens 153). The drum is also used to emphasize certain movements or actions during the performance.

The main purposes of using cymbals and gongs are to scare away bad luck and make the dance emotional (Carstens 153). The instruments are played in a manner that synchronizes to the movements of the lion to create harmony. The aforementioned variations of the lion dance use different music and play their instruments differently. Each style plays a distinctive beat that is closely associated with people’s customs and traditions.

In contemporary society, the development of electronic instruments has made the lion dance more entertaining and adaptable. For instance, the music can be played from a portable mp3 player. Technological advancement has contributed greatly to the evolution of lion dance because it has eliminated the need to carry heavy musical instruments around while dancing. Costumes are one of the distinctive features of the lion dance. They are usually custom made to resemble a lion with certain colors used to represent various body parts.

Historical symbolism

The Lion Dance was used during the Three Kingdoms Period to represent the various struggles that the kingdoms went through in the process of fighting for power and uniting the warring regions. The yellow lion with white hair represents calmness, moderation, competence, and wisdom. The red lion with black hair represents skills and wisdom. The black lion with corresponding black hair or white hair represents strength, courage, and character.

The colors used on the costumes represent various life or traditional aspects that are important to Chinese people. Yellow represents Earth, green represents wood, red represents fire, black represents water, and white represents metal (Carstens 156). In many costumes, the lion’s nose is usually green. Green is a representation of good luck, success, and the presence of divine intervention. Also, a mirror is attached to the lion’s forehead to scare away any evil spirit that may be residing among the people or that may be planning to attack the people.

Evolution of the Lion Dance

As mentioned earlier, the Lion Dance has evolved greatly since its creation. This evolution is primarily due to its spread to other cultures and the emergence of electronic instruments that have changed how it is performed. The presence of Chinese people in countries around the world has led to vast embracement of the dance and its subsequent evolution. In traditional China, the dance was performed as part of Chinese martial arts culture. It was performed during traditional and religious festivals. Its evolution has led to its adoption in competitions that aim to determine the dance with the best movements or performance. The versatility and agility of the ‘lion” are a core aspect of the strategy used to win in such competitions.

Conclusion

The Lion Dance is an ancient Chinese cultural dance that has evolved since its creation more than a thousand years ago during the Han dynasty. It involves the performance of moves and actions that mimic the behavior of lions while wearing costumes created to appear like lions. The dance is mainly used for social purposes during traditional and religious ceremonies. Its origin dates back to the Three Kingdoms Period during which the lion was only a mythical animal in Chinese folklore.

The first lions were seen in China when merchants presented them to Chinese emperors as gifts to be allowed to trade commodities in their territories. Afterward, people began to mimic their behaviors during performances. In China, it comprises two main styles namely the Southern Lion style and Northern Lion style. The dance has evolved significantly since its creation because of its embracement by other cultures and technological advancements. In contemporary society, the dance is performed in competitions. The drum, cymbals, and gongs are the major instruments used during performances.

Works Cited

Carstens, Sharon. Histories, Cultures, Identities: Studies in Malaysian Chinese Worlds. New York: NUS Press, 2005. Print.

Chinese New Year Lion Dance. 2015. Web.

Green, Martin. People, Places, and Events: journalism by Martin Green. New York: iUniverse, 2011. Print.

History of the Lion Dance. n.d Web.

Ma, Laurence, and Carolyn Cartier. The Chinese Diaspora: Space, Place, Mobility, and Identity. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. Print.

Vasu, Suchitthra. Lion Dance. n.d. Web.

Dance can be described as a set of repetitious movements in space performed rhythmically. It is usually associated with aesthetic qualities and has a symbolic value for observers and varies greatly depending on their culture (Gavrilou 3). The theory of choreology is concerned with the elaboration of the connection between the conscious expression of movement patterns in dance and the principles that guide those movements.

It is essential to realize that the form of dance cannot be directly observed or measured and only exists in the beholder (Gavrilou 3). Every moment of performance is a part of the flow created by the intricate complexion of coordinated movements that unfold before the observer. The vocabulary of dance allows stressing particular poses and presents others in a fleeting manner, thus creating culminations and pauses in motion. The viewer is able to recognize those patterns and construct an underlying structure from visual and aural components of the performance (Gavrilou 4). Therefore, it can be argued that dance is specially structured on two levels: the level of the dancing subject and the level of the observer.

Ballet Pas De Deux: An Exhibition of Dance and Architecture provides a unique possibility to explore the juxtaposition between the two mediums of artistic expression: dance and architecture (Gavrilou 4). The photographs presented at the exhibition invite the visitor of the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design to discover striking similarities between the two genres. It is absolutely clear from the images that Valerie Tellmann-Henning and Kirk Henning were required to create particular shapes with their moving bodies (The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design par. 3).

Moreover, they had to rely on their strength and endurance to make the whole act look natural and effortless. It can be argued that their precise movements and graceful positions were supported by a buttress of continuous training and motivational practices (Wilcox and Vogel par. 7). In a similar vein, the structural reinforcement is used in architecture; it is one of the main components of architectural design. The visitors of the museum are able to imbibe the silent dialogue between the “artistry of the ballet” and the aesthetics of physical structures (The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design par. 3).

By looking at the striking imagery of dance, they can draw the connection between the seemingly palpable elegance of body movements and the architectural balance that is borderline on the divine. Another similarity between the two mediums comes to the fore after a closer examination of photographs. It seems that dancers are always aware of their surroundings and are able to direct their bodies in accordance with their notion of exterior space (Wilcox and Vogel par. 8).

This notion of coordinated movement helps to relate the mechanical experience of the body to the architectural design. Both dance and physical structures manipulate the morphology of space and provide the observer with a unique spatial experience that is inevitably enhanced by the striking juxtaposition between them. The boundaries restricting dancers’ movements and building spaces can be regarded as punctuation marks that help to articulate the meaning of design or even guide the entire process of creative construction.

The rhythmic patterns of motor skills employed in dance are very similar to the building units of architectural design. It can be argued that Ballet Pas De Deux: An Exhibition of Dance and Architecture is an amalgam of different unique experiences that connect the two seemingly unrelated sources of intentional manipulation of visual expression.

Works Cited

Gavrilov, Evelyn. Inscribing structures of dance into architecture. n.d. Web.

The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design. Exhibitions. 2016. Web.

Wilcox, Jess, and Wendy Vogel. Brendan Fernandes. 2014. Web.

The history of dance can be traced back to the very beginnings of humankind history. Dance is ultimately a social event and signalizes occasions of social interaction: not incidentally, therefore, elements of dance can be observed even in such non-human societies as bee swarms and bird couples.

Initially bearing purely informative meaning in the animal world and the primitive society, dance gradually acquired a more complex meaning and became a means of self expression. Developing from symbolic religious activities, the practice of dancing evolved in a social activity and later obtained the status of performing arts.

As such, dance is movement, and movement is altogether natural to human body. It is observed that at moments of intense joy, people tend to perform an increased amount of movements in order to relieve the brain of the excessive amount of oxygen (Scott 1). Such behavior is especially noticeable about children, since they do not control themselves as much as adults; in this respect, primitive savages are not much different from children.

Those leaping movements of the body are the first prehistoric dance that can be observed both in people and in animals expressing their happiness. But this disarrayed motion does not comply with the comprehensive definition of dance provided by Edward Scott, who interprets dance as “the art and expressing gracefully and intelligibly, by movement and gesture, every emotion and sentiment of which the mind is capable, and every incident possible in human life” (6).

Such was the vision of dancing practiced already among the Ancient Greeks, whose art of pantomime dance was compared by Aristotle to poetry, since it could express not only actions but also manners and passions. The art of dancing was connected by Greeks to the idea of harmony and perfection of human body: therefore, dancing ultimately had to be graceful in order to emphasize and not to destroy the natural human beauty (Scott 38).

Corresponding to the meaning behind them, religious dances, embodying the spirit of tragedy, were dignified and stately; while their opposites, the wild grotesque dance, were not to be danced in sober mind (Scott 41). Combining the features of those two extremes and concluding the three-partite order of dances was the vivid dance. In any case, both stately and wild Greek dances were inseparably linked with their religious practices and bore their peculiarities from the nature of the deity glorified by dance.

Historians state that the Greeks borrowed the art of mimic imitation from the dancing art of the Ancient Egyptians (Scott 21). Together with ritual dances performed at funeral of prominent people and at other religious ceremonies connected with worshipping the astronomic gods, Egyptians took pleasure in entertaining dances, mostly performed by graceful girls in light attire. The character of movements was varied by hired dancers according to the tastes of their employers, and therefore could sink from grotesque to mere buffoonery (Scott 23).

From the above it becomes obvious that the antiquity shaped three visions of dance: dance as ritual, as ecstasy, and as entertainment. The Middle Ages witnessed two applications of dance: in church (sacred dance) and in society (secular). Ceremonial in its nature, religious dance involved solemn movements and symbolic figures that corresponded to the accompanying hymns.

Though provoking controversy as to their appropriateness in the church, sacred dances enjoyed a large variation from May Dances to Dances of Death, each bearing a religious significance (Kassing 73–75). Due to the fact that secular and sacred spheres closely intermingled in contemporary life, dances often ‘migrated’ from church to the worldly life. In addition, the institute of chivalry which prospered at the time positioned dance as a way to express gentility and compliance with etiquette, as well as state the knight’s code of honor (Kassing 72).

Dance was more and more drawn into the sphere of entertainment, since amusements were scarce; travelling performers became especially popular, bringing new dances such as carole, farandole, pavane, and others from court to court. In the Renaissance dances increasingly drifted apart from the sacred sphere and became a token of position and manners for the upper society, and a way of celebrating social and life events for the lower classes.

From the Medieval tradition of Dance Dramas, which represented the lives of saints and martyrs, stemmed the idea of 16th and 17th century ballets, ranging from Ballet-Masquerade to Ballet Pastoral and Ballet-Comique (Kassing 101–105). Moving dance from the court into the theatre, the eighteenth century celebrated the onset of ballet art, mainly in the Paris Opera.

Moving away from the artificiality of court ballet, ballet d’action set the aim of imitating nature, which naturally fostered development of costume and decorations. In addition, the art of pointe-work was initiated as well as capacities of whole body were employed in dancing.

Court ballrooms also witnessed a refreshment of repertoire, with minuet being one of the most popular dances of the period and reflecting the national peculiarities of the places it was danced in: while the French envisaged it as a graceful unhurried dance, emphasizing the male gallantry and the female grace, the Italians imparted a brisk and lively character, as well as faster tempo to it.

The early nineteenth century in Europe was still experiencing the consequences of the French Revolution, and the slogan of freedom applies to women’s clothes as well. The unrestrictive design of the garments allow performing jumping and skipping movements, reflected in such dances as gallop and quadrille. However, the ballet stage witnesses a completely different situation.

The era of Romanticism dictated its ideals to the image of ballet-dancer: ballerina on pointes became a nearly deific, ethereal creature, soaring over the parquet in her magic movements. This fully reflected the tendencies towards fantasy, spiritualism, and emotional perception of world promoted by Romantic ideas. By the mid-1850s, female fashion was characterized by enormous hoop skirts, which in turn promoted changes in dancing techniques and made turning dances, such as waltz, rule the ballroom.

The twentieth century has brought about cardinal social change, which also reflected on the dancing styles. On the one hand, due to efforts of Russian ballet troupes, professional ballet was revolutionized, acquiring new techniques and virtuosic standards of dancing.

On the other hand, social dancing is more than ever the terrain for raving youth who possess enough energy to perform such active dances as Charleston, fox trot, shag, and others. In addition, black society influences the dance room and introduces such genre as swing dancing. By the eng of the century, classical dance is characterized by breath-taking technique and conceptual choreography, while popular culture is organized in the sphere of street-dancing, with hip-hop and break dance ruling the dance floors.

All in all, it appears obvious that the ritual character of dance inherent in it since the first days of its existence shapes itself into two directions: the “self-unconscious act without deliberate aesthetic concerns” that reveals itself in the culture of tribal dances, and the unique experience of individual transformed into the “metaphoric idiom known as art” (Highwater 14).

In the course of historical development, dance demonstrates a clear tendency from the former aspect to the latter, basing on the social influence that affect its development.

Works Cited

Highwater, Jamake. Dance: Rituals of Experience. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1996. Print.

Kassing, Gayle. History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2007. Print.

Scott, Edward. Dancing in All Ages — The History of Dance. London, Hesperides Press, 2006. Print.

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) is a sculpture of the ancient god Shiva that combined in himself several roles, such as the creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe. Within Indian theology, Shiva is an integral symbol that represents the never-ending cycle of life.

In the sculpture, Shiva is dancing within a halo of flame, in his right hand holding the damaru, which is a hand drum that made the first sounds of creation, and the agni in his left hand, which is the fire that will destroy the world. Personally, this is my favorite thing about the artwork because it shows a balance between good and mad, chaos and order, life and death. With the lower right hand, Shiva is shown to make the gesture, which is called abhayamudra, that should alleviate fear, while the figure that looks like a dwarf that is being trampled by the deity’s right foot represents apasmara purusha, which is the illusion that makes the humankind lose itself. The front left hand of Shiva, which is pointing to his raised foot in the dance, is a symbol of support for the troubled souls. Therefore, Shiva is dancing to spread his energy around him, as signified by his hair flying to the sides. The symbolism of the sculpture is that by believing in Shiva and his power, his followers can achieve salvation.

The Dance Elements of “Swan Lake”

One of the most famous ballet scenes in Swan Lake is the dance of little swans. It introduces Siegfried to Odette’s carefree world. Little swans represent childhood with its cheerfulness; at the same time, the clasped hands of the dancers speak of friendship and loyalty (Wagner, 2019)). Its key movements comprise emboite — consecutive transitions from foot to foot; jete— movement performed with a leg throw; and pas de chat — jumping movement when bent legs are alternately thrown back. The dance of Siegfried and Odette comprises such elements as pas de deux, and pirouette. In classical pas de deux in Swan Lake, the ballerina performs 32 pirouettes in a row. Swan Lake is a classical ballet because it is performed to classical music using the ballet classical elements and costumes. Swan Lake points of value comprise the highest ballet technique, medieval flavor, and the effective contrast of white Odette and black Odile.

The Dance Elements of “Night Journey”

The dance elements that one can see in the Night Journey ballet are pas de deux, plies, and projection. Oedipus and Jocasta perform pas de deux when they exchange vows, and this dance sets the mood of the ballet. While Oedipus portrays the features of masculinity, Jocasta is seen as less sure of herself. She kneels on the floor at the foot of the bed in a plié showing her suffering after Oedipus (Barnes, 2012).

The idea of suffering is echoed by the chorus that performs jetée while holding hands back in the gesture of despair, Oedipus, on the opposite, uses projection to show his maleness and self-confidence. The ballet is classical since within it the viewers see classical elements performed by ballerinas. In terms of choreography and music, it is a good example of art, since each of the three central characters dances with a special set of movements making the ballet more interesting and complex. The ballet’s points of value comprise original chorus, tragic music and original choreography admired by many viewers around the world.

Classical Ballet and Modern Dance: Comparison

Ballet is often described as a special language with its own codes, a strict organization hierarchy that extends to the viewer. The ballet has a clear structure, where the main dance takes place only in the center of a stage, while dancing that takes place around the center just shades it and supports it. In modern dance, the stage can be divided into many parts, in each of which something happens – and the viewer chooses where to look. Ballet wants its audience to go through a familiar ritual, and modern dance, vice versa, aims to surprise viewers with new technique and elements (Gonzales, 2020).

Ballet breaks the natural anatomy of the body making ballerinas perform complex ballet elements. Modern dance presupposes feeling of one’s body as it is and many elements such as en points, may not be performed to highlight dancers’ freedom of movement. Modern dance often uses the tools of other disciplines, such as fitness, meditation, improvisation, rave aesthetics and mindfulness practices.

References

Wagner R. T. (2019) A step offstage to restart. Remembering Swan Lake. In Perspectives on dance, young people and change, edited by Charlotte Svendler Nielsen & Stephanie Burridge. Routledge. Web.

Barnes, A. S. (2012). Dance, psychoanalysis, and modernist aesthetics: Martha graham’s night journey. In The ancient dancer in the modern world: responses to greek and roman dance, edited by Fiona Macintosh. Oxford University Press. Web.

Gonzales, J. (2020). From ballet to modern dance: Tracing modernity in Malaysian dance. In Sharing identities (pp. 92-110). Routledge India. Web.

Introduction

Garba is a traditional Indian dance devoted to a powerful goddess, Durga, and honoring female fertility and pregnancy. Nowadays, Garba is popular in all parts of the world. It unites Indians and provides foreigners with rich cultural knowledge, allowing them to participate in cultural events. Garba is an important part of Indian religious festivals held in various countries of the world. Beautiful costumes and energetic music contribute to the popularity of Garba. In this work, I examine different aspects of this dance.

History

The dance appeared many years ago in Gujarat, a north-western state of India. The inhabitants of the state believe that the dance dates back to the ancient times of Krishna. The word “Garba” originates from the name of an earthen pot (“garbo”) with a candle inside and holes on its surface. It symbolizes the human body with a radiant soul inside (Garba Raas & Basmati Raas: A brief history, 2011, par. 3).

The dance was originally meant to honor Durga, also known as Amba, a powerful Indian goddess who protects the universe in times of crisis and defeats demons, and also to celebrate women’s fertility with the movements that reflect symbolic related to embryo, womb, and pregnancy (Garba, 2016, par. 2).

It was danced almost exclusively by women and only in the mentioned state (Gujarat). Traditionally, the dance was performed only at night, most often at the festival of Navratri, a religious Hindu festival held to worship Durga and other goddesses. During Navratri, people gather in vast fields or large temples and perform Garba and other dances devoted to Durga, such as Raas. Garba is a unique dance: it honors women, their pride, and their fertility. Moreover, it honors a female divinity who is both womanly and strong.

Specifics

As it was mentioned, Garba is a dance performed by women. Occasionally, men can participate in the performance along with women, but they cannot dance alone. Being a dance of the residents of one state, Garba spread all over India and then penetrated other countries. Nowadays, one can see it performed in literally any country of the world. The costumes are an integral part of the dance and cannot be changed. Female Garba dancers wear a colorful embroidered dress with a blouse decorated with gems, small mirrors, and shells. They also wear a lot of heavy and bright jewelry. Male dancers wear kafni pajamas (Koskoff, 2008, p. 1016).

The circle formed by dancers symbolize the never-ending life cycle (reincarnation). The movements are meant to remind viewers about embryonic development and female fertility (Sinha, 2006, p. 26).

Garba dance is accompanied by special music. One or two singers sing a refrain, and then the leaders sign a musical verse. Each line is somehow connected to the previous one. The lyrics honor Durga. The drums set the rhythm of dancing. The rhythmic density and speed increase gradually during the dance. At the beginning of the dance, dancers clap one time after each circle. As the speed progresses, they clap three or four times. Garba is not danced merely for fun. Special judges are appointed to evaluate the performance (Koskoff, 2008, p. 1016).

Personal Experience

I have selected Garba for my research work because of its unique representation of women. I was attracted by the image of Durga, a strong goddess that guards the world, and was stunned to find out that the dance honors this female fighter and women’s fertility at the same time. I have chosen the song “Garba non-stop” by Falguni Pathak. Falguni Pathak is a famous Indian singer who performs folk songs.

The song provides a rhythm necessary for dancing the Garba, in addition to Falguni’s charming voice and flawless performance. I have a positive opinion on the style. I have seen the live performance of Garba at a Navratri festival; both the dance and music were performed by natives of India. Learning and choreographing was rather complicated since it is hard to adjust to the evolving speed and the changes that it brings (a different number of claps). It is also hard to get an entire ensemble used to these changes. Such were the challenges of the work. Nevertheless, I would not make any substantial changes if I were to create a piece in this style.

Evolution

Surely enough, many changes occurred since ancient times when the dance emerged. The technique of the dance, the movements, the manner of performing music, the costumes, and, of course, the meaning have not changed. It is still performed according to the requirements established in the ancient times, still honors Durga and female fertility, and is not forgotten (conversely, it flourishes) in the state of Gujarat.

Changes occurred in the geography of the dance: it managed to cross the borders of its native state, capture entire India, and appear in such countries as the USA and the UAE. Not only do the Indian diasporas perform Garba, but foreigners are also active participants. For instance, the students of Stanford (California, USA) created the Garba Raas Team in 2002. In many American colleges, students form Garba teams and hold Garba competitions.

In Europe, Garba competitions are also held. Nowadays, the dance is performed not only at Navratri festivals but also at weddings, birthdays, and other feasts. Garba dancers now use modern technologies such as audiotapes for their work. They transmit knowledge about Garba all over the world via the Internet. Thanks do the latter fact, I believe, Garba will spread even further and become even more popular.

Preservation

Because of the globalization process, many traditional cultural phenomena, such as dances, disappear, get modernized, or get mixed with different cultural elements, which make them lose the initial sense and appearance. To preserve the Garba dance, I would like to offer three measures:

1. Education. To prevent Garba from being forgotten, misunderstood, and mixed with the elements of other traditional dances, it is necessary to educate people. Garba can be included in the curricula of educational institutions. It can also be privately taught.
2. Music. It is also important to encourage the performance and recording of Garba music since it is an essential part of Garba. Garba singing and instrument performance can also be taught along with dancing.
3. Evaluation. It is necessary to preserve the institution of the judges who evaluate Garba’s performance. Judges will make sure that the meaning of Garba is not forgotten and that the performers do not deform traditional Garba movements and change costumes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to mention my gratitude for the unique experience that learning about Garba has given me. My sincere wish is to contribute to the popularity and preservation of Garba in the contemporary world, particularly in our country. For this reason, I plan to continue working in this direction.

References

Garba Raas & Basmati Raas: A brief history (2011). Web.

Garba. (2016). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Web.

Koskoff, E. (2008). The concise Garland encyclopedia of world music: The Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia. New York City, New York: Routledge.

Sinha, A. (2006). Let’s know dances of India. New Delhi, India: Star Publications.

Looking for a definition of dance? Find it here! This short essay about dancing explains what it is, talks about the benefits and importance of dancing as a hobby, performance, and profession, and defines the key genres.

Introduction

Dancing is an art that refers to the movements of body parts and especially to rhythmic and to music. Dancing is taken as a form of nonverbal communication that is used to express emotions, ideas or tell a story. Dances are social, participatory or performed for an audience. Moreover, dancing can also be ceremonial, erotic as well as competitive.

Definitions of Dance Genres

Jazz dancing is the most famous dancing styles in the 21^st century. It is popular because it’s the most common dancing style in movies, television shows as well commercials. Jazz is considered as fun and energetic dance. It is a form of dancing that portrays a dancer’s individual styles as well as originality. Jazz dancing is a unique dance as it consists of dancers interpreting steps as well as moves in their own way. It is fun and energetic as it involves unique fancy footwork, moves, quick turns and big leaps.

In order to ensure uniqueness in jazz dancing, dancers are encouraged to be innovating and to incorporate their own personality in the dancing. Some common jazz leaps include; turning jumps, jazz walks, tour jetes as well as grande jetes, whiles jazz turns, piques, pirouettes and chaines are the most prevalent jazz steps (Giddins 10).

Tap dancing very exhilarating. Dancers use special shoes with metal taps to produce exciting sounds. The term Tap originates from the tapping sound that originates when the metal taps hits on hard surfaces. Tap dancers create rhythmic patterns and timely beats using their feet.

Classical tap is a common style of Tap dancing that mostly uses jazz or ballet in their tap routines. Some common Tap steps include; flap, shuffle, brush as well as ball change. Tap dancers initially practice single steps before learning incorporating steps as a series of combinations (Bedinghau par.4).

Hip hop dance is a dancing style that evolved from several cultures that include; jazz, tap Latino culture, rock and American culture. Hip hop dancing is often danced to Hip hop music. It is a very energetic style of dancing. Jazz dancing encourages dancers to include their own movements in order to make it unique. Hip hop dancers requires a lot of skills and experience to perform the Hip hop steps. Thus, they practice a lot in order to master the Hip hop steps (Bedinghaus par.5).

Ballet Dancing is famous because of its elegance and grace. Ballet dancers and especially female dancers use their pointer shoes to raise themselves. When learning ballet dancing, the dancers first learn five fundamental ballet positions. It is necessary for them initially to learn the five ballet positions because every ballet dance starts and ends with one of the five positions.

Social dance is any dancing that is mostly done for socializing purposes. The dance is done for pleasure and therefore does not appear very appeasing as it is meant for the people but not entertaining the judges. Most social dances leads to romance and are considered as perfect meeting opportunities for single men and women.

It is noted that many successful social gathering are characterized by the use of social dances to break the ice. Social dances do not require mastery of certain turns, moves, leaps or jumps as every participant has his/her own unique style of dancing depending on their past dancing experiences (Williamson par. 2).

Conclusion

This essay aimed to answer the question “What is dance?”. It gave the definition of dancing, talked about the benefits and importance of dancing as a hobby, performance, and profession, and defined the key genres.

Works Cited

Bedinghaus, Treva. “Types of Dance.” About.com Guide. 2019. Web.

Giddins, Gary. Vision of Jazz: New York: Prentice Hall, 2000, Print.

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If you’re exploring the importance of dancing, this essay can help you.

Dance is an art that refers to the movement of part of the body, some of the parts or the whole body, while keeping rhythmical to music (Luetzner). It is also referred to as a nonverbal form of communication as such movements can carry some massage. So that you see the benefits of dancing, this essay explores its importance in the human experience.

Expression

Dance as an art itself can be used to make expressions. The expressions can be either of joy, sorrow, warning or sometimes used for entertainment (Luetzner). In many parts of the world, dance can also be used to express talent or extra ordinary ability over others has in dance competitions.

Sense of unity

Dancing can be used as a symbol of unit. Among the several symbols of unity in different people in the world, such as taboos, cultures, songs, color and many others, dance is the most common way of expressing the sense of unity (Browning). In other words, dancing to a rhythm shows appreciation and acceptance despite the perspectives on can have.

Form of Exercise

This is because of the movements that are involved in dancing. It is proven that dancing can considerably improve one health by reducing the risk of some worse health conditions such as high blood pressure, weight gain and heart diseases (Browning). Just like any other exercise or sport, dancing has been incorporated in sports such as gymnastics, martial arts and figure skating (Luetzner).

Offers Mental and Physical Relaxation. A combination of music and a simple physical exercise are the most effectual way of setting one’s mind stress free. Dancing provides a quick and fun state that naturally relieves stress.

Form of Entertainment

Dancing and fun go hand in hand thus; it is the easiest way to happiness. Happiness can come from the activities one gets involves into will in dance groups, which include, making friends, dancing settings and of course learning new dance styles (Luetzner).

Source of Motivation and Inspiration

This is commonly in some games, competition and even sports such as basketball and football. The dancers can perform before, during the event and even on commercial breaks to keep both the fans and the participants motivated.

Source of Income

Dancing is a skill that if specialize can lead into career. So many professional dancers nowadays are able to form affiliates and make a living from training interested people and competitions (Browning).

Enhances education

Dancing is a major booster for both the old and the young. In children, dancing contributes a lot in terms of personal improvement hence enhancing their skills more so those necessary for better education. Research shows that dancing help in boosting self-esteem as well as confidence (Luetzner).

Social and political activity

Just like any other practice, dancing is also a social and political activity. The importance of dance is vividly understood during performance. As explained above, dance sends a message to the audience hence it is an important activity to the society at large.

Confidence Booster

Dancing being an exercise, it improves posture, strengthen muscles and bring out sense of them. Eventually, this state of body and mind eliminates doubts and fears and replaces them with confidence and thus good time (Luetzner).

Enhances Creativity

Lastly, dance provides emotional outlet that helps a person to clearly reveal his or her feelings through coordinating body movement with music. It is this ability that translates back to the sense of creativity in the real world (Browning).

Works Cited

Browning, Sarah. The Importance of Dance. 2012. Web.

Luetzner Andreas. Benefits of Dance. 2012. Web.