88-613: Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in 4 originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia , now part of the Czech Republic . Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture , polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. The term polka referring to the dance is believed to derive from the Czech words "půlka", meaning "half-step". Czech cultural historian Čeněk Zíbrt attributes
176-472: A folk dance , a social dance , a group dance such as a line , circle , chain or square dance , or a partner dance , such as in Western ballroom dancing , is undertaken primarily for a common purpose, such as social interaction or exercise , or building flexibility of participants rather than to serve any benefit to onlookers. Such dance seldom has any narrative. A group dance and a corps de ballet ,
264-587: A "joke-polka" (German scherz-polka ) entitled " Champagner-Polka ", Op. 211, which evokes the uncorking of champagne bottles. Other composers who wrote music in the style of the polka were Jaromír Weinberger , Dmitri Shostakovich and Igor Stravinsky . Dance Dance is an art form , consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography , by its repertoire of movements or by its historical period or place of origin . Dance
352-407: A break between the two sections. The feminine and graceful 'French polka' (polka française) is slower in tempo and is more measured in its gaiety. Johann Strauss II 's "Annen-Polka" [ de ] , Op. 114, " Demolirer-Polka , Op. 269, the " Im Krapfenwald'l ", Op. 336, and the " Bitte schön! " polka, Op. 372, are examples of this type of polka. The polka-mazurka is also another variation of
440-601: A characteristic tempo and rhythmic pattern. The tango, for example, is usually danced in 4 time at approximately 66 beats per minute. The basic slow step, called a "slow", lasts for one beat, so that a full "right–left" step is equal to one 4 measure. The basic forward and backward walk of the dance is so counted – "slow-slow" – while many additional figures are counted "slow – quick-quick". Repetitive body movements often depend on alternating "strong" and "weak" muscular movements. Given this alternation of left-right, of forward-backward and rise-fall, along with
528-523: A collective identity among the many cultural and ethnic groups of Latin America . Dance served to unite the many African, European, and indigenous peoples of the region. Certain dance genres, such as capoeira , and body movements, especially the characteristic quebradas or pelvis swings, have been variously banned and celebrated throughout Latin American history. Dance studies are offered through
616-579: A dancer is generally one of constantly changing work situations, strong competitive pressure and low pay. Consequently, professional dancers often must supplement their incomes to achieve financial stability. In the U.S. many professional dancers belong to unions (such as the American Guild of Musical Artists , Screen Actors Guild and Actors' Equity Association ) that establish working conditions and minimum salaries for their members. Professional dancers must possess large amounts of athleticism. To lead
704-469: A fixed sequence of steps require phrases and melodies of a certain fixed length to accompany that sequence. Musical accompaniment arose in the earliest dance, so that ancient Egyptians attributed the origin of the dance to the divine Athotus, who was said to have observed that music accompanying religious rituals caused participants to move rhythmically and to have brought these movements into proportional measure. The idea that dance arises from musical rhythm,
792-415: A formula for dance diplomacy that sought to learn from and express respect for the aesthetic traditions of recently independent states that were former European colonies, such as Indonesia, India, and Burma, as a show of anti-colonial solidarity. In most forms of dance the foot is the source of movement, and in some cases require specific shoes to aid in the health, safety ability of the dancer, depending on
880-651: A global influence. Dance styles fusing classical ballet technique with African-American dance have also appeared in the 21st century, including Hiplet . Dance is central to Latin American social life and culture. Brazilian Samba , Argentinian tango , and Cuban salsa are internationally popular partner dances, and other national dances— merengue , cueca , plena , jarabe , joropo , marinera , cumbia , bachata and others—are important components of their respective countries' cultures. Traditional Carnival festivals incorporate these and other dances in enormous celebrations. Dance has played an important role in forging
968-481: A part of the gammeldans tradition of music and dance. While it is nowhere near as old as the older Nordic dance and music traditions, there are still hundreds of polka tunes in each of the Nordic countries. They are played by solo instrumentalists or by bands/ensembles, most frequently with lead instruments such as accordion , fiddle , diatonic accordion, hardingfele and nyckelharpa . Bedřich Smetana incorporated
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#17327836146901056-646: A regular polka that may not fall into any of the categories above. The polka was a further source of inspiration for the Strauss family in Vienna when Johann II and Josef Strauss wrote one for plucked string instruments ( pizzicato ) only, the "Pizzicato Polka" [ simple ] . Johann II later wrote the " Neue Pizzicato Polka " (New pizzicato-polka), Op. 449, culled from music of his operetta Fürstin Ninetta [ de ] . Much earlier, he also wrote
1144-445: A score. As far as competitive categories go, most competitions base their categories according to the dance style, age, experience level and the number of dancers competing in the routine. Major types of dance competitions include: During the 1950s and 1960s, cultural exchange of dance was a common feature of international diplomacy, especially amongst East and South Asian nations. The People's Republic of China , for example, developed
1232-445: A social partner dance and a pas de deux , differ profoundly. Even a solo dance or interpretive dance may be undertaken solely for the satisfaction of the dancer. Participatory dancers often all employ the same movements and steps but, for example, in the rave culture of electronic dance music , vast crowds may engage in free dance , uncoordinated with those around them. On the other hand, some cultures lay down strict rules as to
1320-483: A step with turns in a circle. The dance is decorated with a variety of small pas, often accompanied by chastushkae . Belarusian polkas are extremely rich in their choreographic and musical patterns, and are distinguished by great modal and intonation diversity. Polka demands both skill and physical endurance from the dancers. Like the square dance, the polka also has many local variants: "Віцебчанка, Viciebčanka", "Барысаўская, Barysaŭskaja", "Ганкоўская, Hankoŭskaja", and
1408-923: A successful career, it is advantageous to be versatile in many styles of dance, have a strong technical background and to use other forms of physical training to remain fit and healthy. Dance teachers typically focus on teaching dance performance, or coaching competitive dancers, or both. They typically have performance experience in the types of dance they teach or coach. For example, dancesport teachers and coaches are often tournament dancers or former dancesport performers. Dance teachers may be self-employed, or employed by dance schools or general education institutions with dance programs. Some work for university programs or other schools that are associated with professional classical dance (e.g., ballet) or modern dance companies. Others are employed by smaller, privately owned dance schools that offer dance training and performance coaching for various types of dance. Choreographers are
1496-436: A very fast beat with a 4 time signature. Instruments used are: acoustic guitar (usually six strings, but sometimes seven strings), electric or acoustic bass (sometimes fretless), accordion (sometimes piano accordion, sometimes button accordion), and sometimes some percussion is used. The lyrics always praise the gaucho warriors from the past or tell about the life of the gaucho campeiros (provincial gauchos who keep
1584-450: Is The Cygnets' Dance in act two of Swan Lake . The ballet developed out of courtly dramatic productions of 16th- and 17th-century France and Italy and for some time dancers performed dances developed from those familiar from the musical suite, all of which were defined by definite rhythms closely identified with each dance. These appeared as character dances in the era of romantic nationalism . Ballet reached widespread vogue in
1672-585: Is a fan of polka, and on every album since 1984 (with the exception of Even Worse ), Al has taken bits of famous songs and modified them to fit polka style . The Grammy Awards were first presented for polka in 1985. The first award went to Frankie Yankovic , known as "America's Polka King", for his 70 Years of Hits album on Cleveland International Records . Cleveland International Records had another polka Grammy winner with Brave Combo 's Polkasonic in 1999. Other polka Grammy nominees included Frankie Yankovic 's America's Favorites (1986), Songs of
1760-484: Is also the official state dance of Wisconsin . The United States Polka Association is a non-profit organization based in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is associated with North American " Slovenian-style polka ", which is fast and features piano accordion , chromatic accordion, and/or diatonic button box accordion. North American "Dutchmen-style" features an oom-pah sound often with a tuba and banjo , and has roots in
1848-533: Is associated with "Polish-style polka," and its sub-styles including "The Chicago Honky " (using clarinet and one trumpet ) and "Chicago Push" featuring the accordion , Chemnitzer and Star concertinas, upright bass or bass guitar , drums, and (almost always) two trumpets. Polka is popular in Milwaukee , Wisconsin, where the " Beer Barrel Polka " is played during the seventh-inning stretch and halftime of Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks games. Polka
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#17327836146901936-433: Is generally, but not exclusively, performed with the accompaniment of music and may or may not be performed in time to such music. Some dance (such as tap dance or gumboot dance ) may provide its own audible accompaniment in place of (or in addition to) music. Many early forms of music and dance were created for each other and are frequently performed together. Notable examples of traditional dance-music couplings include
2024-598: Is one early text. It mainly deals with drama, in which dance plays an important part in Indian culture. A strong continuous tradition of dance has since continued in India, through to modern times, where it continues to play a role in culture, ritual, and the Bollywood entertainment industry. Many other contemporary dance forms can likewise be traced back to historical , traditional , ceremonial , and ethnic dance. Dance
2112-428: Is quite possible to develop the dance without music and... music is perfectly capable of standing on its own feet without any assistance from the dance", nevertheless the "two arts will always be related and the relationship can be profitable both to the dance and to music", the precedence of one art over the other being a moot point. The common ballad measures of hymns and folk-songs takes their name from dance, as does
2200-412: Is rhythm and form more than harmony and color which, from the beginning, has bound music, poetry and dancing together in a union that is indissoluble." Concert dance, like opera , generally depends for its large-scale form upon a narrative dramatic structure . The movements and gestures of the choreography are primarily intended to mime the personality and aims of the characters and their part in
2288-498: Is taught to all ages ranging from two years old to the adult level outside of a professional dance setting. Typically this dance education is seen in dance studio businesses across the world. Some K-12 public schools have provided the opportunity for students to take beginner level dance classes, as well as participate in dance teams that perform at school events. Professional dancers are usually employed on contract or for particular performances or productions. The professional life of
2376-415: Is the place of origin of Bhangra . It is widely known both as a style of music and a dance. It is mostly related to ancient harvest celebrations, love, patriotism or social issues. Its music is coordinated by a musical instrument called the 'Dhol'. Bhangra is not just music but a dance, a celebration of the harvest where people beat the dhol (drum), sing Boliyaan (lyrics) and dance. It developed further with
2464-424: Is to provide a fun and educative place for dancers and give them the opportunity to perform their choreographed routines from their current dance season onstage. Oftentimes, competitions will take place in a professional setting or may vary to non-performance spaces, such as a high school theatre. The results of the dancers are then dictated by a credible panel of judges and are evaluated on their performance than given
2552-414: Is typically performed with musical accompaniment , and sometimes with the dancer simultaneously using a musical instrument themselves. There are two different types of dance: theatrical and participatory dance. Both types of dance may have special functions, whether social, ceremonial , competitive , erotic , martial , sacred or liturgical . Dance is not solely restricted to performance, as dance
2640-468: Is used as a form of exercise and occasionally training for other sports and activities. Dance performances and dancing competitions are found across the world exhibiting various different styles and standards. Theatrical dance, also called performance or concert dance , is intended primarily as a spectacle, usually a performance upon a stage by virtuoso dancers. It often tells a story , perhaps using mime , costume and scenery , or it may interpret
2728-591: The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences , which hosts the Grammy Awards , announced that it was eliminating the polka category "to ensure the awards process remains representative of the current musical landscape". A declining number of polka albums were considered for the award in previous years. Peruvian polkas (becoming very popular in Lima ). In the pampas of Argentina, the "polca" has
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2816-612: The Neolithic period, groups of people are depicted dancing in a line holding hands, and the earliest Chinese word for "dance" is found written in the oracle bones . Dance is described in the Lüshi Chunqiu . Primitive dance in ancient China was associated with sorcery and shamanic rituals. During the first millennium BCE in India, many texts were composed which attempted to codify aspects of daily life. Bharata Muni 's Natya Shastra (literally "the text of dramaturgy" )
2904-676: The arts and humanities programs of many higher education institutions. Some universities offer Bachelor of Arts and higher academic degrees in Dance. A dance study curriculum may encompass a diverse range of courses and topics, including dance practice and performance, choreography, ethnochoreology , kinesiology , dance notation , and dance therapy . Most recently, dance and movement therapy has been integrated in some schools into math lessons for students with learning disabilities, emotional or behavioral disabilities, as well as for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dance
2992-486: The bilateral symmetry of the human body, many dances and much music are in duple and quadruple meter . Since some such movements require more time in one phase than the other – such as the longer time required to lift a hammer than to strike – some dance rhythms fall into triple metre . Occasionally, as in the folk dances of the Balkans , dance traditions depend heavily on more complex rhythms. Complex dances composed of
3080-550: The carol , originally a circle dance . Many purely musical pieces have been named " waltz " or " minuet ", for example, while many concert dances have been produced that are based upon abstract musical pieces, such as 2 and 3 Part Inventions , Adams Violin Concerto and Andantino . Similarly, poems are often structured and named after dances or musical works, while dance and music have both drawn their conception of "measure" or "metre" from poetry. Shawn quotes with approval
3168-560: The jig , waltz , tango , disco , and salsa . Some musical genres have a parallel dance form such as baroque music and baroque dance ; other varieties of dance and music may share nomenclature but developed separately, such as classical music and classical ballet . The choreography and music are meant to complement each other, to express a story told by the choreographer and dancers. Rhythm and dance are deeply linked in history and practice. The American dancer Ted Shawn wrote; "The conception of rhythm which underlies all studies of
3256-591: The maypole dance are common to many nations, while others such as the céilidh and the polka are deeply-rooted in a single culture. Some European folk dances such as the square dance were brought to the New World and subsequently became part of American culture. Ballet developed first in Italy and then in France from lavish court spectacles that combined rhythm, drama, poetry, song, costumes and dance. Members of
3344-439: The 19th century also wrote polkas to satisfy the demands of the dance-music-loving Viennese. In France, another dance-music composer, Émile Waldteufel , wrote polkas. The polka evolved during the same period into different styles and tempos. In principle, the polka written in the 19th century has a four-theme structure; themes 1A and 1B as well as a 'Trio' section of a further two themes. The 'Trio' usually has an 'Intrada' to form
3432-505: The American Midwest . " Conjunto -style" polkas have roots in northern Mexico and Texas , and are also called " Norteño ". Traditional dances from this region reflect the influence of polka-dancing European immigrants from 1800s. In the 1980s and 1990s, several American bands began to combine polka with various rock styles (sometimes referred to as " punk polka"), " alternative polka". Comedy musician "Weird Al" Yankovic
3520-778: The Drive Time Polkas radio show on WXRL Mondays-Saturdays from 5pm-7pm and on WECK Sundays from 8am-11am.) Beginning with its inception in 2001, the RFD-TV Network aired The Big Joe Show , a television program that included polka music and dancing. It was filmed on location in various venues throughout the United States from 1973 through 2009. RFD-TV replaced The Big Joe Show with Mollie Busta's Polka Fest in January 2011; after Big Joe's death, reruns of The Big Joe Show returned to RFD-TV in 2015. In 2009,
3608-459: The Nordic countries where it is known by a variety of names in Denmark (polka, reinlænderpolka, galop, hopsa, hamborger), Finland (polkka), Iceland, Norway (galopp, hamborgar, hopsa/hopsar, parisarpolka, polka, polkett, skotsk) and Sweden (polka). The beats are not as heavy as those from Central Europe and the dance steps and holds also have variations not found further south. The polka is considered
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3696-528: The Polka King Vol. I , Songs of the Polka King Vol. II (1997), and Brave Combo's Kick Ass Polkas (2000). Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra is one of the most popular polka bands in America, having won 18 of the 24 awards for Grammy Award for Best Polka Album . Polka Varieties was an hour-long television program of polka music originating from Cleveland , Ohio . The show, which aired in several U.S. cities, ran from 1956 until 1983. At that time, it
3784-551: The Vaisakhi festival of the Sikhs . The dances of Sri Lanka include the devil dances ( yakun natima ), a carefully crafted ritual reaching far back into Sri Lanka's pre-Buddhist past that combines ancient " Ayurvedic " concepts of disease causation with psychological manipulation and combines many aspects including Sinhalese cosmology. Their influence can be seen on the classical dances of Sri Lanka . Indonesian dances reflect
3872-421: The academy, was formed; this troupe began as an all-male ensemble but by 1681 opened to include women as well. 20th century concert dance brought an explosion of innovation in dance style characterized by an exploration of freer technique. Early pioneers of what became known as modern dance include Loie Fuller , Isadora Duncan , Mary Wigman and Ruth St. Denis . The relationship of music to dance serves as
3960-607: The acceptance of dharma religion in the 1st century in Indonesia, Hinduism and Buddhist rituals were celebrated in various artistic performances. Hindu epics such as the Ramayana , Mahabharata and also the Panji became the inspiration to be shown in a dance-drama called "Sendratari" resembling " ballet " in the western tradition. An elaborate and highly stylized dance method was invented and has survived to this day, especially on
4048-452: The advancement of plot and the narration of action, and Furyū Noh , dance pieces involving acrobatics, stage properties, multiple characters and elaborate stage action. Social dances , those intended for participation rather than for an audience, may include various forms of mime and narrative, but are typically set much more closely to the rhythmic pattern of music, so that terms like waltz and polka refer as much to musical pieces as to
4136-403: The ages as having emerged as a response to music yet, as Lincoln Kirstein implied, it is at least as likely that primitive music arose from dance. Shawn concurs, stating that dance "was the first art of the human race, and the matrix out of which all other arts grew" and that even the " metre in our poetry today is a result of the accents necessitated by body movement, as the dancing and reciting
4224-424: The basis for Eurhythmics , devised by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze , which was influential to the development of Modern dance and modern ballet through artists such as Marie Rambert . Eurythmy , developed by Rudolf Steiner and Marie Steiner-von Sivers , combines formal elements reminiscent of traditional dance with the new freer style, and introduced a complex new vocabulary to dance. In the 1920s, important founders of
4312-702: The common way). The polka was very popular in South and Southwest of Brazil, where it was mixed with other European and African styles to create the Choro . There also exist Curaçaoan polkas. The polka ( polca in the Irish language ) is also one of the most popular traditional folk dances in Ireland , particularly in Sliabh Luachra , a district that spans the borders of counties Kerry , Cork and Limerick . Many of
4400-570: The continent. These may be divided into traditional, neotraditional, and classical styles: folkloric dances of a particular society, dances created more recently in imitation of traditional styles, and dances transmitted more formally in schools or private lessons. African dance has been altered by many forces, such as European missionaries and colonialist governments, who often suppressed local dance traditions as licentious or distracting. Dance in contemporary African cultures still serves its traditional functions in new contexts; dance may celebrate
4488-606: The court nobility took part as performers. During the reign of Louis XIV , himself a dancer, dance became more codified. Professional dancers began to take the place of court amateurs, and ballet masters were licensed by the French government. The first ballet dance academy was the Académie Royale de Danse (Royal Dance Academy), opened in Paris in 1661. Shortly thereafter, the first institutionalized ballet troupe, associated with
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#17327836146904576-433: The dance is something about which we could talk forever, and still not finish." A musical rhythm requires two main elements; a regularly-repeating pulse (also called the "beat" or "tactus") that establishes the tempo , and a pattern of accents and rests that establishes the character of the metre or basic rhythmic pattern . The basic pulse is roughly equal in duration to a simple step or gesture. Dances generally have
4664-412: The dance itself. The rhythm of the dancers' feet may even form an essential part of the music, as in tap dance . African dance, for example, is rooted in fixed basic steps, but may also allow a high degree of rhythmic interpretation: the feet or the trunk mark the basic pulse while cross-rhythms are picked up by shoulders, knees, or head, with the best dancers simultaneously giving plastic expression to all
4752-413: The early 1840s. The polka's origin story first appears in the periodical Bohemia in 1844, in which it was attributed to a young Bohemian woman named Anna Slezáková (born Anna Chadimová). As told by Čeněk Zíbrt , the music teacher Josef Neruda noticed her dancing in an unusual way to accompany a local folk song called " Strýček Nimra koupil šimla ", or "Uncle Nimra Bought a White Horse" in 1830. The dance
4840-622: The elements of the polyrhythmic pattern. Dance in Africa is deeply integrated into society and major events in a community are frequently reflected in dances: dances are performed for births and funerals, weddings and wars. Traditional dances impart cultural morals, including religious traditions and sexual standards; give vent to repressed emotions, such as grief ; motivate community members to cooperate, whether fighting wars or grinding grain; enact spiritual rituals; and contribute to social cohesiveness . Thousands of dances are performed around
4928-555: The figures of Irish set dances , which developed from Continental quadrilles , are danced to polkas. Introduced to Ireland in the late 19th century, there are today hundreds of Irish polka tunes, which are most frequently played on the fiddle or button accordion. The Irish polka is dance music form in 4 , typically 32 bars in length and subdivided into four parts, each 8 bars in length and played AABB. Irish polkas are typically played fast, at over 130 bpm, and are typically played with an off-beat accent. The polka also migrated to
5016-542: The inauguration of a hospital, build community for rural migrants in unfamiliar cities, and be incorporated into Christian church ceremonies. All Indian classical dances are to varying degrees rooted in the Natyashastra and therefore share common features: for example, the mudra s (hand positions), some body positions, leg movement and the inclusion of dramatic or expressive acting or abhinaya . Indian classical music provides accompaniment and dancers of nearly all
5104-716: The islands of Java and Bali . The Javanese Wayang wong dance takes footage from the Ramayana or Mahabharata episodes, but this dance is very different from the Indian version, indonesian dances do not pay as much attention to the " mudras " as Indian dances: even more to show local forms. The sacred Javanese ritual dance Bedhaya is believed to date back to the Majapahit period in the 14th century or even earlier, this dance originated from ritual dances performed by virgin girls to worship Hindu Gods such as Shiva , Brahma , and Vishnu . In Bali, dance has become an integral part of
5192-423: The meaning of "primitive rhythmic movements", a situation that began to change in the 20th century with such productions as Igor Stravinsky 's The Rite of Spring with its new rhythmic language evoking primal feelings of a primitive past. Indian classical dance styles, like ballet, are often in dramatic form, so that there is a similar complementarity between narrative expression and "pure" dance. In this case,
5280-566: The mid-1800s with the spread of the Romantic movement , which emphasized an idealized version of peasant culture. By 1835, this dance had spread to the ballrooms of Prague . From there, it spread to classical music hub Vienna by 1839, and in 1840 was introduced in Paris by Johaan Raab, a Prague dance instructor. It was so well received in Paris that its popularity was referred to as "polkamania." The dance soon spread to London in 1844, where it
5368-480: The more desired American recordings include Berliner 230 ("Commodore Polka", played by W. Paris Chambers ) and the Berliner 3300s series (which include recordings like "The Signal polka" (BeA 3307) and "Exposition echoes polka" (BeA 3301), played by Arthur Pryor ), though most early records are extremely scarce or nonexistent anymore due to their fragile nature. There are various styles of contemporary polka besides
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#17327836146905456-476: The musical accompaniment , which is often specially composed and performed in a theatre setting but it is not a requirement. Examples are Western ballet and modern dance , Classical Indian dance such as Bharatanatyam , and Chinese and Japanese song and dance dramas, such as the dragon dance . Most classical forms are centred upon dance alone, but performance dance may also appear in opera and other forms of musical theatre . Participatory dance, whether it be
5544-598: The names were also given according to the peculiarities of the choreography: "Through the leg", "With a podkindes", "With squats", "On the heel", "Screw" and others. In the United States, polka is promoted by the International Polka Association based in Chicago , which works to preserve the cultural heritage of polka music and to honor its musicians through the Polka Hall of Fame . Chicago
5632-440: The new style such as Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey began their work. Since this time, a wide variety of dance styles have been developed; see Modern dance . African American dance developed in everyday spaces, rather than in dance studios, schools or companies. Tap dance , disco , jazz dance , swing dance , hip hop dance , the lindy hop with its relationship to rock and roll music and rock and roll dance have had
5720-521: The next. The use of dance in ecstatic trance states and healing rituals (as observed today in many contemporary indigenous cultures) is thought to have been another early factor in the social development of dance. References to dance can be found in very early recorded history; Greek dance ( choros ) is referred to by Plato , Aristotle , Plutarch and Lucian . The Bible and Talmud refer to many events related to dance, and contain over 30 different dance terms. In Chinese pottery as early as
5808-477: The ones that design the dancing movements within a dance, they are often 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 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
5896-463: The original Czech dance, which is still the chief dance at any formal or countryside ball in the Czech Republic. In the 1850s, polka was expanded among Belarusians , and was transformed by the national culture. In different regions, local variants arose, which assimilated with local choreographic folklore and gained popularity. The ease of penetration of the polka into Belarusian choreography
5984-591: The particular dances people may or must participate. Archaeological evidence for early dance includes 10,000-years-old paintings in Madhya Pradesh, India at the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka , and Egyptian tomb paintings depicting dancing figures, dated c. 3300 BC . It has been proposed that before the invention of written languages, dance was an important part of the oral and performance methods of passing stories down from one generation to
6072-404: The plot. Such theatrical requirements tend towards longer, freer movements than those usual in non-narrative dance styles. On the other hand, the ballet blanc , developed in the 19th century, allows interludes of rhythmic dance that developed into entirely "plotless" ballets in the 20th century and that allowed fast, rhythmic dance-steps such as those of the petit allegro . A well-known example
6160-628: The polka in his opera The Bartered Bride ( Czech : Prodaná nevěsta ) and in particular, Act 1. While the polka is Bohemian in origin, most dance music composers in Vienna (the capital of the vast Habsburg Austro-Hungarian Empire , which was the cultural centre for music from all over the empire) composed polkas and included the dance in their repertoire at some point in their careers. The Strauss family in Vienna, for example, while better-known for their waltzes , also composed polkas that have survived. Joseph Lanner and other Viennese composers in
6248-477: The polka, being in the tempo of a mazurka but danced in a similar manner as the polka. The final category of the polka form around that time is the Polka schnell , which is a fast polka or galop . Eduard Strauss is better known for this last category, as he penned the "Bahn Frei" polka, Op. 45, and other examples. Earlier, Johann Strauss I and Josef Lanner wrote polkas designated as a galop (quick tempo) or as
6336-571: The previous era, replacing stories with more Islamic interpretations and clothing that is more closed according to Islamic teachings. The dances of the Middle East are usually the traditional forms of circle dancing which are modernized to an extent. They would include dabke , tamzara , Assyrian folk dance , Kurdish dance , Armenian dance and Turkish dance , among others. All these forms of dances would usually involve participants engaging each other by holding hands or arms (depending on
6424-630: The richness and diversity of Indonesian ethnic groups and cultures . There are more than 1,300 ethnic groups in Indonesia , it can be seen from the cultural roots of the Austronesian and Melanesian peoples , and various cultural influences from Asia and the west. Dances in Indonesia originate from ritual movements and religious ceremonies, this kind of dance usually begins with rituals, such as war dances, shaman dances to cure or ward off disease, dances to call rain and other types of dances. With
6512-522: The romantic era, accompanied by a larger orchestra and grander musical conceptions that did not lend themselves easily to rhythmic clarity and by dance that emphasised dramatic mime. A broader concept of rhythm was needed, that which Rudolf Laban terms the "rhythm and shape" of movement that communicates character, emotion and intention, while only certain scenes required the exact synchronisation of step and music essential to other dance styles, so that, to Laban, modern Europeans seemed totally unable to grasp
6600-597: The sacred Hindu Dharma rituals. Some experts believe that Balinese dance comes from an older dance tradition from Java. Reliefs from temples in East Java from the 14th century feature crowns and headdresses similar to the headdresses used in Balinese dance today. Islam began to spread to the Indonesian archipelago when indigenous dances and dharma dances were still popular. Artists and dancers still use styles from
6688-524: The statement of Dalcroze that, while the art of musical rhythm consists in differentiating and combining time durations, pauses and accents "according to physiological law", that of "plastic rhythm" (i.e. dance) "is to designate movement in space, to interpret long time-values by slow movements and short ones by quick movements, regulate pauses by their divers successions and express sound accentuations in their multiple nuances by additions of bodily weight, by means of muscular innervations". Shawn points out that
6776-468: The style of the dance). They would make rhythmic moves with their legs and shoulders as they curve around the dance floor. The head of the dance would generally hold a cane or handkerchief . Folk dances vary across Europe and may date back hundreds or thousands of years, but many have features in common such as group participation led by a caller , hand-holding or arm-linking between participants, and fixed musical forms known as caroles. Some, such as
6864-421: The style or styles of dances performed. Dance competitions are an excellent setting to build connections with industry leading faculty members, adjudicators, choreographers and other dancers from competing studios. A typical dance competition for younger pre-professional dancers can last anywhere between two and four days, depending whether it is a regional or national competition. The purpose of dance competitions
6952-445: The styles wear bells around their ankles to counterpoint and complement the percussion. There are now many regional varieties of Indian classical dance . Dances like "Odra Magadhi" , which after decades-long debate, has been traced to present day Mithila, Odisha region's dance form of Odissi (Orissi), indicate influence of dances in cultural interactions between different regions. The Punjab area overlapping India and Pakistan
7040-433: The system of musical time is a "man-made, artificial thing.... a manufactured tool, whereas rhythm is something that has always existed and depends on man not at all", being "the continuous flowing time which our human minds cut up into convenient units", suggesting that music might be revivified by a return to the values and the time-perception of dancing. The early-20th-century American dancer Helen Moller stated that "it
7128-533: The term to the Czech word půlka (half), referring to both the half-tempo 4 and the half-jump step of the dance. This name has been changed to "Polka" as an expression of honour and sympathy for Poland and the Poles after the November Uprising 1830-1831. "Polka" meaning, in both the Czech and Polish languages, "Polish woman". The name was widely introduced into the major European languages in
7216-707: The two are separately defined, though not always separately performed. The rhythmic elements, which are abstract and technical, are known as nritta . Both this and expressive dance (nritya) , though, are closely tied to the rhythmic system ( tala ). Teachers have adapted the spoken rhythmic mnemonic system called bol to the needs of dancers. Japanese classical dance-theatre styles such as Kabuki and Noh , like Indian dance-drama, distinguish between narrative and abstract dance productions. The three main categories of kabuki are jidaimono (historical), sewamono (domestic) and shosagoto (dance pieces). Somewhat similarly, Noh distinguishes between Geki Noh , based around
7304-523: Was considered highly fashionable, and was also introduced to America. It remained a popular ballroom dance in America, especially with growing Central, Northern, and Eastern European immigrant groups until the late 19th century. It may also be responsible for an increase in domestic popularity since the end of the 19th century, starting with the birth of recorded music, at first thanks to the many recordings provided by Emile Berliner's Gramophone company , which provided several examples of popular music. Some of
7392-478: Was due to its degree of proximity to Belarusian national choreographic traditions. The 2/4 meter polka merged well with Belarusian traditional dance, which had a similar meter. For example, " Trasucha " ( Belarusian : "Трасуха", "Trasucha" or "Пацяруха", "Paciaruchais" ) a symbol of a typical folk dance, from which it received its name, and polka. Most often in Belarus, the polka is performed in pairs, moving half
7480-884: Was found in renaissance Europe, in the works of the dancer Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro . Pesaro speaks of dance as a physical movement that arises from and expresses inward, spiritual motion agreeing with the "measures and perfect concords of harmony" that fall upon the human ear, while earlier, Mechthild of Magdeburg , seizing upon dance as a symbol of the holy life foreshadowed in Jesus' saying "I have piped and ye have not danced", writes; I can not dance unless thou leadest. If thou wouldst have me spring aloft, sing thou and I will spring, into love and from love to knowledge and from knowledge to ecstasy above all human sense Thoinot Arbeau 's celebrated 16th-century dance-treatise Orchésographie , indeed, begins with definitions of over eighty distinct drum-rhythms. Dance has been represented through
7568-477: Was further propagated by Neruda , who put the tune to paper and taught other young men to dance it. Some versions of this origin story placed the first polka as being danced in Hradec Kralove , while others claimed it occurred in the village of Labska Tynica. Historians believe the polka evolved as a quicker version of the waltz, and associate the rapid bourgeoning in popularity of the polka across Europe in
7656-476: Was performed simultaneously" – an assertion somewhat supported by the common use of the term "foot" to describe the fundamental rhythmic units of poetry. Scholes , a musician , offers support for this view, stating that the steady measures of music, of two, three or four beats to the bar, its equal and balanced phrases, regular cadences, contrasts and repetitions, may all be attributed to the "incalculable" influence of dance upon music. Hence, Shawn asserts, "it
7744-532: Was the only television program for this type of music in the United States. A number of polka shows originated from the Buffalo Niagara Region in the 1960s, including WKBW-TV 's Polka Time , which was hosted for its first half-year on air by Frankie Yankovic, and cross-border station CHCH-TV 's Polka Party , hosted by Walter Ostanek . In 2015, when Buffalo station WBBZ-TV launched the weekly Polka Buzz hosted by Ron Dombrowski, who also hosts
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