Dance Around the World

What is Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to
music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or
performance setting.

Dance may also be regarded as a form of nonverbal communication between humans, and
is also performed by other animals (bee dance, patterns of behavior such as a mating
dance).

Dancing has evolved many styles. Breakdancing and Krumping are related to the hip hop
culture. African dance is interpretive. Ballet, Ballroom, Waltz, and Tango are classical styles
of dance while Square and the Electric Slide are forms of step dances.

Every dance, no matter what style, has something in common. It not only involves flexibility
and body movement, but also physics. If the proper physics is not taken into consideration,
injuries may occur.

Choreography is the art of creating dances. The person who creates (i.e., choreographs) a
dance is known as the choreographer.
Competition in Dance
• A dance competition is an organized event in which
contestants perform dances before a judge or judges for
awards and, in some cases, monetary prizes. There are
several major types of dance competitions, distinguished
primarily by the style or styles of dances performed. Major
types of dance competitions include:
Competition • Competitive dance, in which a variety of theater dance
styles—such as acro-ballet, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and
tap—are permitted.

Competitive Dance • Open competitions, which permit a wide variety of dance

Open Competitions styles. A popular example of this is the TV program So You
Dancesport Think You Can Dance.
Single-style
• Dancesport, which is focused exclusively on ballroom and
Latin dance. Popular examples of this are TV programs
Dancing with the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing.

• Single-style competitions, such as highland dance, dance

team, and Irish dance, which only permit a single dance
style.

• Today, there are various dances and dance show

competitions on Television and the Internet:
– Dancing with the Stars.
– So you think you can Dance.
Dance Occupations
Dancer
Dance training differs depending on the dance form. There are university programs and schools associated with professional
dance companies for specialized training in classical dance (e.g. Ballet) and modern dance. There are also smaller, privately
owned dance studios where students may train in a variety of dance forms including competitive dance forms (e.g. Latin dance,
ballroom dance, etc.) as well as ethnic/traditional dance forms.

Professional dancers are usually employed on contract or for particular performances/productions. The professional life of a
dancer is generally one of constantly changing work situations, strong competition pressure and low pay. Professional dancers
often need to supplement their income, either in dance related roles (e.g., dance teaching, dance sport coaches, yoga) or Pilates
instruction to achieve financial stability.

In the U.S. many professional dancers are members of unions such as the American Guild of Musical Artists, the Screen Actors
Guild and Actors' Equity Association. The unions help determine working conditions and minimum salaries for their members.

Dance Teacher
Dance teacher and operators of dance schools rely on reputation and marketing. For dance forms without an association
structure such as Salsa or Tango Argentino they may not have formal training. Most dance teachers are self employed.

Dancesport coaches
Dancesport coaches are tournament dancers or former dancesports people, and may be recognized by a dance sport federation.

Choreographer
Choreographers are generally university trained and are typically employed for particular projects or, more rarely may work on
contract as the resident choreographer for a specific dance company. A choreographic work is protected intellectual property.
Dancers may undertake their own choreography.
DANCE AROUND include the Maxine. plates on the dancer’s shoes
touch a hard surface.
THE WORLD Belly Dance
Kathuk Dance Belly dance is a Western term Ballroom Dance
The Kathuk Dance is one of the for a Ballroom dance refers to a set
eight forms of Indian classical traditional Egyptian dance genre of partner dances, which are
dances from India. known as raqs sharqi or enjoyed both socially and
sometimes raqs baladi literally competitively around the globe.
Bhangra in the Punjab “dance of country”, and so Its performance and entertainme
The Bhangra is a form of music “national” or “folk” dance. nt aspects are also widely
and dance that originated in the enjoyed on stage, in film, and
Punjab Region Ballet Dance on television.
Ballet is a formalized type of
Street Dance performative dance, the origins Salsa Dance
Street dancing, also called of which date lay in sixteenth- Salsa is a dance for Salsa music
vernacular dance is an umbrella and seventeenth- created by Spanish-speaking
term, used to describe dance century French courts, and people from the Caribbean and
styles that evolved outside which was further developed their immigrant communities in
dance studios. in England, Italy, and Russia as the US. Salsa dancing mixes
a concert dance form. African and European dance
influences through the music
Samba Dance and dance fusions.
Tap Dance
Samba is a lively, rhythmical
dance of Brazilian origin in Tap dance was developed in
the United States during the 20th Century Dance
2/4 time danced under
the Samba music. However, nineteenth century, and is Dance has evolved to the point
there are three steps to every popular in many parts of the where there are shows watched
bar, making the Samba feel like world. The name comes from the around the worlds.
a 3/4 timed dance. Its origins tapping sound made when metal