Marjhun B.

Laguilles Physical Edication 2 Folk Dance

PHASES OF DANCE PROGRAM
CREATIVE RHYTHMS are actually for children in the elementary grades. These activities are
sometimes called fundamental rhythms or natural dances. A creative rhythm is an end- product of
exploration and improvisation of movements as children learn to move the parts of their body and to
use them as instruments of expression.
FOLK OR ETHNIC DANCE is a cultural art form handed down from generation to generation. It
communicates the customs, beliefs, rituals and occupations of the people of a region or country. Folk
dancing belongs to the people. It emanates from them. Ethnic tribes have their specific tribal art forms
originated and danced by the people of the tribe.
SOCIAL AND BALLROOM DANCE The setting of the social and ballroom dance is a social gathering
with the more formal atmosphere than the simple and informal parties in which the recreational dances
are the usual forms. Social and ballroom dancing are generally held in the evenings. The participants
are usually in formal attire.
RECREATIONAL DANCE includes dance mixers, square dance, round and couple dances. Many of
these dances have simple patterns and combination of walking steps, two-step, polka step and waltz
step. These setting of recreational dances is usually informal gatherings and parties, reunions and the
like.
CREATIVE DANCE is the highest form of dance. It is the end product of exploration and improvisation
of movements as the dancer or the choreographer expresses his feelings or emotions, ideas and
interpretations. This is a dance with a definite form, a beginning and an ending. The principles of art
form are all observed in the composition of the dance. Ballet, jazz and modern or contemporary dance
examples are:
FORMATIONS COMMONLY USED IN RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES
1. SINGLE CIRCLE - FACING CLOCKWISE
- FACING COUNTER CLOCKWISE
- FACING EACH OTHER
- FACING CENTER
2. DOUBLE CIRCLE - PARTNERS FACING
- PARTNERS FACING COUNTER
CLOCKWISE
- FACING CLOCKWISE
3. SQUARE OR QUADRILLE FORMATION
4. SEMI CIRCLE OR HALF MOON
5. DOUBLE LINES/ COLUMN FORMATION
- FACING IN FRONT
- PARTNERS FACING EACH OTHER
. 6. LONG OPEN FORMATION
7. SCATTER FORMATION
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PARTICIPATION DANCE AND SPECTACULAR DANCE
Participation dance (also group-participation dance or audience participation dance) is a major class of
dance that encourages dancing in a group. It includes social games based on dancing, for example at
weddings, festivals and other social gatherings. Some have simple words to be sung to the music, which
may act as a reminder of the steps – one example is the Hokey-cokey. Some consist of a few simple steps
learned either from simple instructions given by a leader or from watching others. Examples are Electric
Slide, Macarena, YMCA, and the Chicken Dance.
Participation dance games may have elimination rules that disqualify a dancer or dancers, due to lack of
endurance, entering a particular part of the floor, or being of a specific age. Well-known examples are
statues and musical chairs.
In "follow the leader" dances a designated leader makes some motions which the rest repeat, in some cases
in a chain or a file. Examples are Conga line, Bunny Hop and Finnish dance Letkajenkka, a dance craze in
Europe during the 1960s adapted from the Madison, Conga and Bunny Hop dances and played to a Finnish
traditional folk dance song.
A mixer dance or dance mixer is a kind of participation game for partner dancers. During well-known dances
– Waltz, Foxtrot, West Coast Swing etc. – at certain moments dancers change partners.

Spectacular Dance : Spectacular Dance Certain dances are called “spectacular” or “art” dances because
they are intended to be viewed by an audience. Acrobatic dance and tap dance technically fall into this
category, but the most important spectacular dances are ballet and modern dance. A single dramatic
production of unusual length or lavishness . An elaborate display.

Acro dance: Acro dance is a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with
precision acrobatic elements. It is defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography, which
seamlessly blends dance and acrobatics, and its use of acrobatics in a dance context. It is a popular dance
style in amateur competitive dance as well as in professional dance theater and in contemporary circus.
Acro is an especially challenging dance style for dancers as it requires them to be trained in both dance and
acrobatic skills. Acro dancers must be in excellent physical condition as well, because acro is a physically
demanding activity.
Tap dance: Tap dance Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes
hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music
.
Two major variations on tap dance exist: Two major variations on tap dance exist: Broadway tap
focuses more on the dance. It is widely performed as a part of musical theater. Rhythm tap focuses more
on musicality, and practitioners consider themselves to be a part of the Jazz tradition
Ballet: Ballet is a type of dance. It is only done by dancers who have had special training. The dancers are
employed by a dance company, and they perform in theatres. Ballet involves the creation of the dance
itself, often a type of imaginary story. The creation of dance is called choreography. The choreography is
learnt by the dancers under the supervision of a trainer, called a ballet master or mistress. Ballet is always
performed to music, and in many cases the music was especially composed for a particular ballet. Ballet is
a major part of theatre.
Modern Dance: Modern Dance Modern Dance , modern dance is a dance style that centers on a dancer's
own interpretations instead of structured steps, as in traditional ballet dancing. Modern dancers reject the
limitations of classical ballet and favor movements derived from the expression of their inner feelings .
The Following Dance Forms
Aerial

Aerial dance refers to a theatrical production performed by dancers who are suspended in the air with
the aid of apparatus such as ropes, lengths of cloth known as silks, straps or a trapeze. The difference
between this form and a circus act is that in aerial dance artistic focus takes precedence over the
virtuosity of the manoeuvers.

Aeriosa Dance is often found in unexpected vertical environments like the rooftops of city buildings.

African

African dance comprises many traditional and modern dances, with great variation in style and form
across the continent. In Africa, dance is closely related to music, mime, storytelling, costume and ritual.
African children, who traditionally learn to drum and dance as early as they learn to walk, participate in
public ceremonies alongside the adults. Often, a "call and response" dialogue occurs between dancer,
drummer and spectators, which makes all parties integral to the event.

 Zab Maboungou, the artistic director of Nyata-Nyata, performs, teaches and writes about African
dance. Read Zab Maboungou's biography.

Afro-Caribbean

Afro-Caribbean dance has African roots fused with the multicultural influences of Caribbean dance,
which come from African, Chinese, Spanish, South Asian and indigenous Caribbean peoples. Afro-
Caribbean dance is typically joyful and free-spirited, and is often performed to Caribbean, Jamaican,
highlife, jazz or soul music. Beginning in the 1930s, African-American Katherine Dunham created
modern dance with major Afro-Caribbean influences.

Patrick Parson of Ballet Creole creates contemporary Afro-Caribbean dance.

Azerbaijani

Azerbaijani dance has its roots in the diverse cultures of its region. Geographically connected to
Russia, Armenia and Iran, Azerbaijan has a rich tradition of folk dances for men and women. These
emphasize expression, mood and sometimes animal themes, and are generally performed to music with
percussive and wind instruments. [Website icon] Sashar Dance Company performs Azerbaijani dance.

Ballet

Ballet is a theatrical dance form with a codified technique. Developed from court productions of the
Renaissance, ballet was renewed under Louis XIV, who in 1661 established France's Académie Royale
de Danse, where Pierre Beauchamps developed the five positions of the feet.

Significant developments in the early 19th century included pointe work (balance on the extreme tip of
the toe) and the emergence of the prima ballerina, exemplified by Marie Taglioni and Fanny Elssler. In
the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Russia became the centre of ballet production and performance
through the work of innovators such as Serge Diaghilev, Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Marius Petipa
and Michel Fokine. Since then, ballet has appeared on stages and in dance schools around the world.
Ballet in Canada got a huge boost when schools sent performance groups to the six Canadian Ballet
Festivals that took place between 1948 and 1954. The country's first professional ballet company, The
Royal Winnipeg Ballet, was founded in 1939. The National Ballet of Canada was founded in 1951,
followed in 1955 by Les Ballets Chiriaeff, which in 1957 became Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, later
renamed Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal.

 Meet the Artists: Learn about prominent Canadian and international ballet artists featured on this
website.
 Watch interviewswith ballet greats Celia Franca, Karen Kain, Veronica Tennant, André Lewis
and Jean Grand-Maître.
 Watch videos by Veronica Tennant, as well as one featuring ballerina Evelyn Hart.

Ballet has become diversified since its beginnings in the 1600s. A few of the many styles that have
developed follow:

 Ballet d'action (dramatic ballet) is primarily designed to tell a story, generally a tragic one,
using dance steps and mime. Jean-Georges Noverre of France and Gasparo Angiolini of Italy
separately developed the ballet d'action in the 18th century.
 Ballet jazz is a contemporary fusion of the technical vocabulary of classical ballet and stylistic
elements of jazz dance.
 Canada's [bjm_danse] has been an international leader in ballet jazz for 33 years.
 Comédie-ballets were comedic plays that included substantial amounts of music and dancing.
Many were written by French playwright Molière to entertain Louis XIV and his court. Le
Bourgeois gentilhomme , a collaboration between Molière and composer Jean-Baptiste Lully
which premiered in 1670, is a famous example.
 Ice ballet is a ballet on skates. It differs from competitive ice dance in that ice ballet is intended
as artistic entertainment. Canadian Boris Volkoff was recognized as an important contributor to
ice ballet choreography in the 1930s and 1940s.
 The Montreal Ice Ballet has been active since 1994.
 Neo-classicalballet is a 20th-century style, most closely associated with George Balanchine and
his works for the New York City Ballet. Neo-classical ballet draws on the vocabulary of 19th-
century Russian Imperial dance but strips it of detailed narrative and lavish theatrical settings.
 Psychological ballets, developed in the 20th century by British choreographer Antony Tudor,
reveal the inner being of the characters and explore themes such as grief, jealousy, rejection and
frustration.
 Rock ballet refers to a ballet performed to rock music. In 1970, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de
Montréal presented Tommy, choreographed by Fernand Nault to The Who's rock opera of the
same name.

See also Classical Ballet and Romantic Ballet.

Belly

Belly dance, also known as raqs sharqi , is traditionally a solo form for women. Rooted in pre-Islamic
times, this Middle Eastern dance form was taught within the family and performed during celebrations.
In 10th- and 11th-century Islamic courts and 18th-century Ottoman courts, belly dance took on a more
refined classical style. Characterized by sinuous, rhythmic hip movements and undulating arms, belly
dancing has been popular in cabarets from the 19th century. Since the 1970s there has been an
international revival of interest in the traditional forms among both professional and amateur dancers.

Arabesque Dance Company performs Middle Eastern dance including belly dance.
Brazilian

Brazilian folk dance is found in many different styles in each region of the country, and is often
influenced by African dance and cultural traditions. The lively Brazilian samba,and its importance to
the annual Carnival, is recognized around the world. Dance in Brazil is closely connected to spirituality
and is guided by such religions as Batuque, more commonly called Candomblé. See also Capoeira.

In Canada, Newton Moraes Dance Theatre performs a fusion of Brazilian and contemporary dance.

Break

Break dance, or breakin', is an athletic solo form of dance that originated in the street in the United
States. The foundation vocabulary of break dance includes top/up rock, breakdowns, footwork and
freezes, as well as acrobatic spins and power moves. Body popping, which involves a series of sharp,
fast actions that travel through the body alternating with moments of freeze, creates a robotic effect.

Being a successful b-boy or b-girl, as break dancers are known, requires the ability to freestyle
(improvise) using the foundation vocabulary while creating individual style. Battles (competitions) are
an important part of b-boy/b-girl culture. They can either take the form of one-on-one competitions,
where dancers face their opponents head on, or as crew (group) battles, where a whole team works
together, mixing solo improvisation and group choreographies. Preserving the unadulterated or raw
spontaneity and quality of improvisation is a challenge when bringing street dance to a formal stage.

See also Hip Hop.

 Solid State Breakdance Collective is an all-female group based in Montréal.

 Watch videos by Rennie Harris Puremovement, an American company that features an urban
dance style.

Butoh

Butoh describes a revolutionary and contemporary performing art form that developed in Japan during
the 1950s and 1960s in the aftermath of World War II. Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno are the main
originators of this form. Motivated by a rejection of western dance and Japanese classical forms, early
butoh artists were searching for a more primal expression. Butoh dancers are often semi-nude, with
white body paint and shaved heads, and typically favour extremely slow movement. Sankai Juku is a
second-generation butoh troupe from Japan that tours internationally.

In Vancouver, Barbara Bourget and Jay Hirabayashi of Kokoro Dance present dance works inspired by
butoh.

Capoeira

Capoeira is a stylized martial art dance from Brazil, characterized by acrobatic fighting maneuvers and
athletic dance steps. It is designated as a national sport in Brazil, where it is taught in schools and
performed as a contest between combatants. Once only performed by men, now women also dance
capoeira. Capoeira has exerted considerable influence on some modern dance choreographers.

 Grupo Axé Capoeira in Vancouver is a leading capoeira organization.

 Capoeira Québec is a French language reference site.
Chinese

Chinese dance can be divided into two major styles: minjian wudao (folk dance) and gudian wudao
(classical dance). In folk dances, the inclusion of theatrical elements such as mime and drama often
depict a short plot. Today's classical dance is an attempt to reconstruct the dance of the past based on the
present day's understanding and knowledge of that vocabulary.

A third style of Chinese dance is minzu wuju (national dance drama), which usually features new
choreography combining both Chinese and western dance vocabularies, and may reflect either historical
or contemporary events. The Magic Lantern and The Butterfly Lovers are two examples of minzu wuju.

 An interactive multimedia learning kit for home or school is available from the Little Pear
Garden Collective.
 The Toronto Chinese Dance Company and the Lorita Leung Chinese Dance Company in British
Columbia perform traditional and contemporary Chinese dance.

Contact Improvisation

Contact improvisation involves improvised movement based on the relationship between two moving
bodies and the effects of gravity, momentum, friction and inertia. Steve Paxton is the originator of this
system, which has had a significant influence on many choreographers. In Canada, Vancouver's Peter
Bingham, Toronto's Allen and Karen Kaeja, Ottawa's Peter Ryan and Montréal's Andrew de Lotbinière
Harwood are experts in contact improvisation.

 EDAM is a contact improvisation-based company in Vancouver that offers a summer training

intensive.
 The Festival of Interactive Physics offers workshops in Toronto.
 L'Association Contact Improvisation is devoted to promoting this form of movement in the
Montréal area.
 Watch a video of Steve Paxton (coming soon).

Contemporary

Contemporary dance is a term that in Canada is often used interchangeably with modern dance. For
some people, however, it specifically means dance that developed from the roots of modern dance, but
that is no longer aligned with the modernist art movement of the 1930s.

 Meet the Artists: Learn about prominent modern and contemporary dance artists featured on
ArtsAlive.ca.
 Watch interviewswith contemporary dance artists, including Édouard Lock, Ginette Laurin,
Louise Lecavalier and artistic directors of The Holy Body Tattoo, Noam Gagnon and Dana
Gingras.

First Nations

First Nations people of North America enjoy a rich dance tradition. The dances, almost always closely
tied to the songs or music that accompany them, vary greatly by tribe, geographic location and the
purpose for which they are performed. A few are described below.

 Watch a mini-documentary on a contemporary First Nations dance artist, Byron Chief-Moon

(coming soon).
 Inuvialuitdrum dancing: After the arrival of Europeans in Inuvialuit territory, many traditional
songs and dances, which were used to recount legends at gatherings, were lost. The Inuvik
Drummers and Dancers, guided by community elders like Martha Harry, have worked hard in
recent years to re-learn the art of drum dancing. The hunting seal song, the whale tail and the
kayak song are three of the drum dances now performed. Some of the movements are
representations of harpooning and kayaking gestures; another common move features
outstretched arms, resembling wings. The drums, made from ivory, caribou skin, wood and
sinew, are played by being rotated and hit on the top, bottom and rim.
 Learn more about Inuvialuit drum dances.
 Iroquois dances: Among the traditional social dances of the Iroquois, called earth songs, are
the robin dance, the duck dance, the alligator dance, the friendship dance and the smoke dance.
These are danced at any time, for no reason other than enjoyment. There are also sacred dances
that give thanks to the creator, and are performed at ceremonies, the timing of which depends on
the cycles of the moon, when the shortest or longest day of the year occurs or other
environmental factors.
 Many earth songs are described on the Ohwejagehká website.
 Potlatch dances: For over fifteen thousand years, the Haida and other Pacific Northwest coastal
tribes performed dances at their potlatches. Potlatches occurred throughout the year to
commemorate births, deaths, the naming of new chiefs, the raising of totem poles or houses, or
the acquisition of inheritances. These celebrations could last for weeks and hundreds of people
might attend, with many gifts exchanged between families.
 Ceremonial masks were worn in traditional dances, with each dance and mask holding certain
meanings. The dances referring to the sea kingdom were especially important because the coastal
people depended on the ocean for much of their food and livelihood. Fourteen different sea
kingdom masks were used, including those of killer whales, salmon, seals, sea lions and
herring.
 To learn more about the potlatch, visit the Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation website or
read Potlatch Then and Now.
 Powwow dances: Powwows are gatherings of First Nations people, which today occur regularly
across North America. The name is derived from the Narragansett word powwaw , meaning
shaman. An example of a powwow dance is the women's jingle dress dance, which originated
with the Anishnabe people of Ontario and is known as a medicine dance. Hundreds of jingles,
once shells, now cones made from the lids of metal cans, are sewn to the dress and make a
characteristic jingling sound as the dancer moves. The dance consists of low steps and half turns.
Other women's dances are the fancy shawl dance, the hoop dance and the traditional dance.
 Another powwow dance is the men's grass dance, which is known in some regions as a healing
dance, intended, for example, to doctor a sick child. The grass dancer's skill and strong belief in
his dance enable him to render such a healing. Another version of the origin of the grass dance is
that when the grass dancers were called out to the place where feasts and special events were to
take place, the dancers blessed the ground while dancing in time to the beat of the drum. In this
way, they flattened the grass with their feet in preparation for the ceremonies. The costume
features long strands of yarn, ribbon or fabric designed to enhance the dancer's motions, which
resemble the gentle swaying of grass on a windy day. Other men's dances include the ribbon
dance, the traditional dance and the fancy dress dance.
 Visit the Native Dance website: Learn about Canadian Aboriginal Culture

Flamenco

Flamenco dance originally developed from the cante or songs of Andalucia, Spain that expressed the
blessings and hardships of everyday life. Flamenco dance is characterized by highly nuanced, percussive
footwork, a straight spine with at times an arch in the upper back, and arms held in long curves that
frame the body. It conveys strength and, simultaneously, tenderness, urgency, pride and resilience. In the
20th century, flamenco became popular in theatrical settings but it was originally danced on the streets,
in cafés and in people's homes for special occasions like weddings or birthdays, as it still is today.

Toronto's Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company and Vancouver's Flamenco Rosario and
Montreal's Los Flamencos (website in French) present flamenco in Canada.

Hip Hop

Hip hop dance originated on the streets of New York City among young Hispanic and African-
American men during the late 1960s as part of the hip hop culture of rap, scratch music and graffiti art.
Break dance is the most common style of this constantly evolving dance form. A newer development
that came out of Los Angeles is the freestyle, high energy and confrontational krumping, in which the
dancers sometimes use physical contact and weight sharing. Hip hop dance and music, which became
internationally popular in the late 1970s, are now often incorporated into theatrical dance.

 The HoneyKats include hip hop in their performances.

 Rennie Harris Puremovement celebrates hip hop culture.

Improvisation

Improvisation,often called improv, refers to m ovements that are created spontaneously by the dancer,
either individually or with others, with or without specific direction from a choreographer. An improv
jam is like a musical jam session in that dancers can flow in and out of participation while the collective
improv dance continues. Also see Contact Improvisation.

The Move Collective organizes improv jams in Toronto and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Jazz

Jazz dance was developed in the United States by African-Americans in the early part of the 20th
century. It drew on African rhythms and techniques that isolated various parts of the body in movement.
The name was first used during World War I, and by the 1920s jazz had been taken up by general
society. Its presence in film, on television and on Broadway provided a large and enduring audience.
One of the earliest instances of theatrical jazz dance was George Balanchine's ballet Slaughter on Tenth
Avenue (1936). Katherine Dunham and Bob Fosse were leading American jazz choreographers.

Calgary, Alberta's Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, founded in 1984, is an important promoter of jazz
dance.

Korean

In Korea, modern dance developed in the 1920s. Since the 1980s, influenced by traditional Korean
dance as well as by western ballet and modern dance, contemporary Korean dance has thrived.

 Miyoung Kim established the Korean Dance Studies Society of Canadain 1979. For more
information on Korea and its dance culture visit Korea.net.
 The Korea Society has a lesson plan for K-12 teachers on Traditional Korean Dance.

Modern
Modern dance usually refers to 20th-century concert dance that developed in the United States and
Europe. Rebelling against classical ballet, early modern dance pioneers began to practice "free dance",
often in bare feet. In America, Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis developed their own
styles of free dance, paving the way for American modern dance pioneers Martha Graham, Doris
Humphrey and José Limón. In Europe, Rudolf von Laban, Émile Jaques-Dalcroze and François Delsarte
developed theories of human movement and methods of instruction that led to the development of
European modern and expressionist dance.

Today the term modern dance is sometimes used interchangeably with contemporary dance. However,
for some people, modern dance refers only to dance that was aligned with the modernist art movement
of the 1930s and all dance that developed afterwards, from these early roots, is contemporary dance. See
also Contemporary Dance.

Canada's earliest modern dance company is Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers, founded by Rachel
Browne in 1964. Four years later, Patricia Beatty, David Earle and Peter Randazzo founded Toronto
Dance Theatre with the goal of nurturing modern dance in Canada. There are now hundreds of Canadian
modern dance companies.

 Meet the Artists: Learn about prominent modern and contemporary dance artists featured on
ArtsAlive.ca.

Unlike ballet choreographers, who usually work within an established vocabulary of steps, modern
choreographers explore their own movement styles, creating steps as they go and passing them on to
their dancers. Sometimes this results in the establishment of a specific style and technique. Below are
techniques of several early modern dance choreographers:

 Cunningham: In his work, choreographer Merce Cunningham experiments with chance

methods and explores pure movement devoid of emotional implications. While his ideas and
approaches are taught in dance schools around the world as the Cunningham technique,
Cunningham himself prefers that his ideas not be codified but remain flexible. Some elements
taught in Cunningham classes are strength, clarity and precision, and maximum use of the spine
and torso.
 View excerpts from some of Cunningham's choreographic works. Search for 'Cunningham'.
 Graham: Martha Graham created a technique that was the first significant alternative to the
idiom of classical ballet. Her dance language was intended to express universally shared human
emotions and experiences, rather than merely provide decorative displays of graceful movement.
Many of the steps feature forceful, angular movements originating in spasms of muscular
contraction and release centred in the dancer's core. Graham technique is taught in dance schools
throughout the world.
 Horton: Along with ballet, Lester Horton studied the dance of American First Nations people
and trained with Alvin Ailey and Japanese dancer Michio Ito. This wide-ranging background
provided a rich base for his choreographic works. The technique based on his teachings and
choreographic style is distinguished by a powerful stillness in the torso from which radiates
asymmetrical movements of the limbs.
 Horton technique is taught at The Ailey School in New York City.
 Humphrey: Doris Humphrey was a prolific choreographer and, after training at the Denishawn
School in Los Angeles, she founded a school and company in New York City with Charles
Weidman. Her interest in the body's weight in relation to gravity led to explorations of fall and
recovery, which became one of the main principles of her technique. She believed that dance
existed in "the arc between two deaths", meaning that when dancing the body is in a constant
state of either "fall" with gravity or "recovery" in a swing or rebound away from gravity.
 The Limón Dance Company in New York City continues to perform some of Humphrey's works.
 Limón: The Limón technique is based on the choreographic and teaching approaches of José
Limón, who further developed the ideas of his teacher Doris Humphrey. Limón choreographed
many works known for their drama and musicality, which can be seen today in the repertoire of
the Limón Dance Company. Limón technique uses principles of opposition, succession, and fall
and recovery to a state of suspension through swing or rebound. Limón created an exercise
known as body as orchestra, where the legs, arms and torso represent sounds of the timpani,
strings and woodwind sections of an orchestra, in order to teach integration of different qualities
into a whole movement.
 Canadian Children's Dance Theatre is a Limón-based company and offers classes in his
technique.

South Asian

South Asian dance, or Indian dance, can be organized into three categories: classical, folk and modern.
Classical dance forms are among the best preserved and oldest practiced in the 21st century. The royal
courts, the temples and the guru-to-pupil teaching traditions kept this art alive. In rural areas, folk
dancing has remained as an expression of the daily work and rituals of village communities. Modern
Indian dance, a product of the 20th century, is a creative mixture of the first two forms, with freely
improvised movements and rhythms to express the new themes and impulses of contemporary India.

Today, classical dance has left the temples and royal courts and is presented regularly on stages in cities
across India and around the world. Nine distinct schools of classical Indian dance that exist in the 21st
century are described below:

 Bharata natyam developed over several centuries in the temples of South India. It was handed
down as a living tradition from generation to generation under the devadasi system in which
women were dedicated to serve the deity as dancers and musicians. Today bharata natyam is one
of the most popular and widely performed dance styles and is practiced by men and women. Due
to its wide range of movements and postures, and the mix of rhythmic and mimetic aspects, it
lends itself well to experimental and fusion choreography. Degree and postgraduate courses
covering the practice and theory of bharata natyam are offered at major Indian universities.
 Jai Govinda and Lata Pada are two Canadian bharata natyam dance artists.
 Watch an interview with Nova Bhattacharya as well as video excerpts of her work, which is
often informed by bharata natyam. (Type Nova's name into the Video Gallery search field.)
 Chhau is indigenous to the eastern part of India. It originated as a martial art and contains
vigorous movements and leaps. Some chhau dances use large stylized masks, with the depiction
of birds and animals as a distinctive feature. There are also heroic dances with sword, bow or
shield. In keeping with the martial origins of chhau, some of the themes include the depiction of
mythological heroes. Over time, female characters and more diverse themes have been added.
The work of Canadian choreographer Deepti Gupta is partly inspired by both chhau and kathak.
 Kala Bharati is a Bharata Natya Centre in Montréal.
 Kathak is a classical North Indian dance, now popular around the world. The word kathak is
derived from katha, meaning story. The ancient kathakas, or storytellers, were traveling bards
who were the first to employ this dance in order to better communicate their tales to the masses.
Kathak is characterized by intricate footwork and precise rhythmic patterns that the dancer
articulates by controlling ankle bells. Both men and women dance kathak, which often conveys
moods of love. British dancer Akram Khan is known for his fusion of kathak and contemporary
dance styles.
 Kathakali originated in the South Indian state of Kerala over 500 years ago. It is a spectacular
combination of drama, dance, music and ritual. Characters with vividly painted faces and
elaborate costumes re-enact stories from the Hindu epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. The
name comes from the roots katha, meaning story, and kali, meaning performance or play.
 Kuchipudi developed in what is now the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Historically
it formed the basis of dance-dramas but today it is performed either as a solo or group
presentation. Kuchipudi, which features fast, rhythmic footwork and sculptural body movements,
includes singing and occasionally spoken dialogue. As well, stylized mime using hand gestures
and subtle facial expression is combined with more realistic acting. This blend of techniques
makes it unique among Indian classical dance. Another unique feature is the tarangam, in which
the performer dances on the edges of a brass plate, executing complicated rhythmic patterns
while sometimes also balancing a pot of water on the head.
 Manipuri, a smooth and graceful form, is named after Manipur, a mountainous region of
northeast India. A legend tells of the gods draining a lake in this area in order to find a place to
dance. The lai haroba, a ritualistic dance depicting creation that is still alive today, is considered
the precursor of Manipuri. Included in the Manipuri repertoire is the raas leela, which depicts
the cosmic dance of Krishna and the cowherd maidens. Dancers wear long embroidered skirts
and translucent veils as they perform swaying and gliding movements. A tall crown of peacock
feathers characterizes Krishna's costume. Another dance is the pung cholam , or drum dance, in
which dancers play fast rhythms on a drum while leaping and spinning.
 Mohiniattamis of similar origin to its traditionally masculine counterpart kathakali, but involves
more feminine attributes. The movement is lyrical and very soft with rounded arm and hip
movements.
 Odissi dates back to the first century B.C. Odissi, which originated in the temples of the state of
Orissa in Eastern India, is characterized by fluidity of the upper torso and graceful gestures and
wristwork, juxtaposed with firm footwork. The rhythmic dances are called batu (foundation),
pallavi (flowering) and moksha (liberation). The acting dances are called abhinaya. An important
feature of this dance is the tribhangi, which divides the body into three parts: head, bust and
torso. This concept has created the very characteristic poses, which are more contorted than those
founding other classical Indian dances.
 Chitralekha Odissi Dance Creations in Ontario is dedicated to preserving Odissi in its ancient
form.
 The repertoire of the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company includes traditional and contemporary
works in Odissi and bharata natyam.
 Sattriya has its origin in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. The subject of sattriya is usually
mythological stories, and it is accompanied by classical raga-based compositions called borgeets.
Traditionally, sattriya was performed by bhokots (male monks) in monasteries as part of their
daily rituals or special festivals. Today, in addition to this practice, men and women who are not
part of the monasteries perform sattriya on stage.
 Kala Nidhi Fine Arts of Canada curates an annual festival of South Asian dance in Toronto
 View dance by Roger Sinha, a Canadian artist of Armenian and Indian descent whose work is
informed by cross-cultural influences.
 Watch a mini-documentary on the life and work of Natasha Bakht, an acclaimed dance artist
trained in bharata natyam who is also a lawyer.

Tanztheater

Tanztheater (German, "dance theatre") is dance set in a dramatic situation, which may include
dialogue. This style developed out of the earlier German form ausdruckstanz (expressive dance)
originated by Mary Wigman. Today, tanztheater is synonymous with the work of choreographer Pina
Bausch.

Tap

Tap dance was first seen in the United States in the late 19th century. The name comes from the tapping
sound made when the small metal plates on the dancer's shoes touch a hard floor. This lively, rhythmic
tapping makes the performer not just a dancer, but also a percussive musician. In its solo form, tap dance
often includes an improvised section that might be compared to a solo taken by a jazz drummer.
Individual tap dancers are recognized for having their own distinct voice or tapping style. William
Orlowski is an accomplished Canadian tap dancer.

 Turn On the Tap is a Toronto-based company directed by Paula Skimin.

 The Vancouver Tap Dance Society presents an annual tap dance festival.

Ukrainian

Ukrainian dance today, based on traditional Ukrainian folk dance, is typically rousing and virtuosic.
Men competitively improvise high leaps and squatting kicks, while women dance lyrical, graceful steps.

Canada has many Ukrainian dance groups, including Shumka and Volya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble,
both based in Edmonton, Alberta.