New Worlds of Dance

NEW WORLDS OF DANCE WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THE SOCIETY THEY WERE BORN INTO, EITHER VOLUNTARILY OR INVOLUNTARILY, DANCE IS ONE OF THE THINGS THEY TAKE WITH THEM. WHEN AFRICANS WERE TAKEN AS SLAVES TO THE AMERICAS, DANCE CHANGED FROM BEING AN EXPRESSIVE, COMMUNICATIVE EXPRESSION TO PRIMARILY ENTERTAINMENT. AS LONG AS THE SOCIAL DANCING OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS DID NOT OFFEND THE WHITES’ NOTIONS OF PROPRIETY, IT WAS TOLERATED. FUSION OF AFRICAN & EUROPEAN DANCE IN U.S. DANCING CONTESTS ON SOME PLANTATIONS ENCOURAGED AFRICAN SLAVES TO DEVELOP THEIR DANCING SKILLS. DANCES PERFORMED BY SLAVES: A. THE JIG-A FUSION OF IRISH AND WEST AFRICAN DANCE FORMS B. THE BUCK-FROM ANIMAL PANTOMIMES OF WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA C. THE PIGEON WING-FROM ANIMAL PANTOMIMES OF WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA D. THE CAKEWALK-SYNCOPATED STRUTTING EVOLVED FROM BLACK PARODIES OF WHITE FORMATION DANCES E. THE RING SHOUT-ADAPTATION OF THE TRADITIONAL AFRICAN CIRCLE DANCE AFRICAN AMERICAN PLANTATION DANCE ONE OF THE SOURCES OF THE CAKEWALK MINSTREL SHOWS MADE POPULAR IN THE 1830’S BY AN ENTERTAINER KNOWN AS DADDY “JIM CROW” RICE. HE BLACKENED HIS FACE WITH BURNT CORK MIMICKING AN OLD CRIPPLED SLAVE. HE ENTERTAINED WHITE AUDIENCES WITH A COMIC SONG AND DANCE ROUTINE KNOWN AS JUMP JIM CROW. IT WAS THE FIRST INDIGENOUS AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE. IT BLENDED CLOG DANCING OF BRITAIN AND JIGS OF IRELAND WITH SHUFFLE STEPS AND LOOSE LIMBS OF AFRICAN DANCE. T. D. RICE IN JUMP JIM CROW 1833, BOWERY THEATRE, NEW YORK MASTER JUBA ALL FEATURED PERFORMERS OF MINSTREL SHOWS WERE WHITE EXCEPT WILLIAM HENRY LANE, A FREE-BORN NORTHERN BLACK, 1825-1852. HE CAME TO BE KNOWN AS MASTER JUBA, THE GREATEST DANCER IN THE WORLD. WILLIAM HENRY LANE MASTER JUBA BLACK MINSTREL SHOWS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, WHITE MINSTREL COMPANIES HAD COMPETITION FROM BLACK MINSTREL ENTERTAINERS. THE MINSTREL DANCE, ESSENCE OF OLD VIRGINIA, EVOLVED INTO THE SOFT-SHOE OF VAUDEVILLE HOOFERS. ANOTHER MINSTREL DANCE CALLED THE WALK OR WALK AROUND, WAS ONE OF THE SOURCES OF THE CAKEWALK, THE GREAT BALLROOM DANCE CRAZE OF THE 1890’S. THE CAKEWALK WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN DANCE TO CROSS OVER FROM BLACK TO WHITE SOCIETY AND FROM STAGE TO BALLROOM. THE CAKEWALK THE CAKEWALK SOCIAL DANCES THE ROOTS OF JAZZ DANCE SOCIAL DANCES OF THE 1920’S WITH AFRICAN-AMERICAN ROOTS: A. SHIMMY B. CHARLESTON C. THE BLACK BOTTOM THESE DANCES ARE THE ROOTS OF AMERICAN JAZZ DANCE. THE SAVOY BALLROOM IN HARLEM WAS THE BALLROOM WHERE THE BEST DANCERS CHALLENGED EACH OTHER IN CONTESTS. THE LINDY HOP THIS DANCE ALLOWED THE GREATEST LICENSE FOR CREATIVE IMPROVISATION. IT FAMILIARIZED AMERICA WITH THE AFRICAN-DERIVED NOTION OF EMBELLISHING A BASIC DANCE STEP WITH VIRTUOSO IMPROVISATIONS. IT FUSED THIS ELEMENT WITH THE ESSENCE OF EUROPEAN- DERIVED COUPLE DANCE, IN WHICH THE PARTNERS WORKED TOGETHER TO CREATE A UNIFIED IMPRESSION. WHITEY’S LINDY HOPPERS MADE THE DANCE A NATIONAL DANCE CRAZE. ALSO KNOWN AS THE JITTERBUG OR SWING. WHITE’S LINDY HOPPERS, 1937 LINDY HOPPERS PERFORMING BREAKAWAYS WITH ACROBATIC “AIR STEPS” MODERN DANCE IN EARLY 1900’S A NEW MOVEMENT BEGAN WHICH TORE DOWN THE OLD BALLET REGIME AND CREATED A NEW DANCE FORM CALLED MODERN DANCE. IT WAS LED BY ISADORA DUNCAN. THERE WERE MANY REFORMERS IN BALLET NAMELY NOVERRE, FOKINE, NIJINSKY, AND MASSINE BUT THEY USED THE PROSCENIUM STAGE AS A PICTURE FRAME FOR BALLET SCENES AND POSES. THE NEW BREED OF DANCERS EXPLORED: 1. THE MIDDLE OF THE BODY, THE TORSO TO START WAVES OF MOVEMENT 2. USED BARE FEET 3. THE FREE, SWINGING MOTION OF THE WHOLE BODY 4. THE TREATMENT OF SPACE AS 3 DIMENSIONAL 4. IMPORTANCE GIVEN TO EXPRESSION OF FEELINGS AND IDEAS MODERN DANCE PIONEERS NOT ONLY DID THEY REJECT BALLET BUT ALSO CLAIMED FREEDOM TO BE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. THEY EACH DEVELOPED THEIR OWN TECHNIQUE TO TRAIN DANCERS. NEARLY ALL OF THE EARLY MODERN DANCE PIONEERS WERE WOMEN. INDIVIDUALITY IS THE KEY WORD. THE MAJOR ARTISTS OF MODERN DANCE: 1. FOUNDED A SCHOOL AND A COMPANY 2. WAS THE STAR PERFORMER, CHIEF CHOREOGRAPHER, AND COMPANY DIRECTOR 3. ATTRACTED PUPILS AND AUDIENCES WITH A CULT-LIKE FOLLOWING THAT SPURNED THE OTHER ARTISTS 4. LOOKED UPON CLASSICAL BALLET AS STERILE, RESTRICTIVE, AND NOT RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS OF THE 20TH CENTURY AUDIENCE. 5. THEY WERE AWARE OF CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARD THE WORLD, BEHAVIOR, AND THE BODY AND IN TURN THEY GET THEIR AUDIENCES TO SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY. FORERUNNERS OF MODERN DANCE FRANCOIS DELSARTE 1811-1871 PARIS OPERA SINGER WHO LOST HIS VOICE BECAUSE OF BAD TRAINING. HE DEVELOPED PRECISE THEORIES OF PANTOMIME AND A DETAILED SET OF EXERCISES FOR LEARNING EFFECTIVE GESTURES OF THE TORSO AND THE LIMBS. EMILE JACQUES DALCROZE 1865-1950 DEVISED A SYSTEM OF RHYTHMIC ANALYSIS AND A TEACHING METHOD. THIS WAS A PHYSICAL METHOD. STUDENTS WERE TAUGHT TO RESPOND TO MUSICAL PHRASES WITH THE BODY ON COMMAND. FRANCOIS DELSARTE ISADODRA DUNCAN 1878- 1927 BORN IN SAN FRANCISCO. SHE WAS THE FIRST HIPPIE-SHE HAD A NAIVE, UNDISCIPLINED, IDEALISTIC LIFESTYLE. SHE REBELLED AGAINST THE CORSETED COQUETTISH ART WHICH CONSTITUTED BALLET AT END OF 19TH CENTURY. SHE THREW OFF THE RESTRAINING CLOTHES AND STERILE CLICHES THAT BOUND THE DANCE AND MADE HERSELF A SYMBOL OF THE POWERFUL NEW VISION OF EXPRESSIVE MOVEMENT. SHE ADVOCATED FOR: 1. THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN TO BUILD A NEW SOCIETY 2. THE DIGNITY OF MEN AND WOMEN 3. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT OF THE BODY 4. FREE LOVE AMERICA WAS NOT READY FOR HER. SHE SHOCKED AUDIENCE WITH SEE-THROUGH COSTUMES. ISADORA DUNCAN, 1898 ISADORA DUNCAN SHE ADMIRED THE SOVIET SYSTEM. SHE DREW INSPIRATION FROM ANCIENT GREECE. SHE AND HER FAMILY WENT ABROAD. SHE GAVE SOLO CONCERTS IN 1901-2 IN HUNGARY AND GERMANY. SHE TOOK RHYTHMS AND SHAPES FROM NATURE. SHE DANCED TO GREAT MUSIC BY CHOPIN AND BEETHOVEN. CONVENTIONAL MUSIC LOVERS WERE SHOCKED WHEN SHE DANCED TO THESE COMPOSERS. FROM ALL DESCRIPTIONS WE GATHER THAT DUNCAN WAS ONE OF THOSE RARE INTERPRETIVE ARTISTS WHO ARE CAPABLE OF STIRRING AN AUDIENCE DEEPLY THROUGH SHEER EMOTIONAL MAGNETISM. IT WAS HER CHARISMATIC PERSONALITY RATHER THAN HER MATERIAL THAT HAD APPEAL. ISADORA DUNCAN AT THE ACROPOLIS IN ATHENS INSPIRATION FOKINE FOUND HER AN INSPIRATION IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: A. THE USE OF GREEK THEMES AND COSTUMES B. THE INSISTENCE ON A FLOW OF MOVEMENT AND ON SYMMETRY C. THE REALIZATION OF THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLE MOVEMENTS AND OF ROMANTIC MUSIC ALL ARE FOUND IN FOKINE’S WORK AND ARE A LEGACY FROM DUNCAN. DIAGHILEV ALSO ADMIRED HER. SHE WAS A FREE THINKER WHO LEFT A DEEP IMPRESSION ON MANY FAMOUS ARTISTS. ISADORA DUNCAN DRAWINGS BY ABRAHAM WALKOWITZ DUNCAN SCHOOLS IN 1904 SHE FOUNDED A SCHOOL IN GERMANY WITH HER SISTER, ELIZABETH. THE SCHOOL WAS NEGLECTED AND ONLY LIP SERVICE WAS PAID TO THE FOUNDER’S THEORIES SHE OPENED ANOTHER SCHOOL IN MOSCOW IN 1921. HER SCHOOL FAILED DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS. DUNCAN DANCERS TRAGIC PERSONAL LIFE SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE THEATRICAL SCENIC DESIGNER AND PRODUCER, GORDON CRAIG, AND HAD TWO CHILDREN OUT OF WEDLOCK BY DIFFERENT MEN. SHE LATER MARRIED A RUSSIAN POET EVEN THOUGH SHE DID NOT BELIEVE IN MARRIAGE. HER HUSBAND EVENTUALLY COMMITTED SUICIDE HER CHILDREN WERE DROWNED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE LAST YEARS OF HER LIFE WERE SPENT RUNNING UP BILLS, DRINKING, AND SEARCHING FOR MONEY TO START HER SCHOOL AGAIN. HER DEATH IS LEGENDARY. SHE GOT INTO A GLAMOUROUS SPORTS CAR AND TOSSED A LONG SCARF AROUND HER SHOULDERS. WHEN THE CAR STARTED, IT GOT CAUGHT IN THE WHEEL AND BROKE HER NECK. RUTH ST. DENIS 1877-1968. FIRST LADY OF AMERICAN DANCE WORLD. BORN IN NEWARK, NJ. SHE STARTED OUT AS A COMMERCIAL ACTRESS WHO DANCED AND SANG. INSPIRED BY A AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR A BRAND OF EGYPTIAN CIGARETTES, SHE SPENT THE NEXT YEARS READING, RESEARCHING, AND RAISING MONEY TO PRODUCE DRAMATIC DANCE SCENES OF ORIENTAL LIFE FROM EGYPTIAN TO HINDU. THE EXOTIC ORIENT WAS THE STIMULUS FOR HER CREATIVITY WITH ITS MIXTURE OF SENSUAL SPLENDOR AND INNER SERENITY. RUTH ST. DENIS IN A POSE SUGGESTED BY THE EGYPTIAN DEITIES CIGARETTE AD SIMILARITIES TO DUNCAN 1. THEY HAD SYMPATHETIC FAMILIES 2. THEY DANCED FREELY AT HOME AND OUTSIDE IN THE FIELDS OR NEAR WATER 3. THEY HAD A FEW BALLET LESSONS WITH THE SAME TEACHER 4. BOTH RECOGNIZED BALLET WASN’T FOR THEM 5. DISAPPROVED OF THE FEMALE CORSETED BALLET COSTUME 6. INFLUENCED BY DELSARTE 7. DRIVEN BY A COMBINATION OF WORLDLY, SENSUOUS PASSIONS AND SPIRITUAL VISIONS 8. SENSATIONALLY POPULAR PERFORMERS ST. DENIS WAS DISCIPLINED BUT DUNCAN WAS NOT. ST. DENIS’ FAMOUS DANCES THE INCENSE A PRAYER RITUAL WITH A TRAY OF SMOKING INCENSE. HER BODY MIRRORED THE RIPPLES OF THE SMOKE. THE COBRAS SHE WAS A SNAKE CHARMER AND TWO SNAKES. HER ARMS BECAME THE SNAKES’ BODIES. RADHA SHE PORTRAYED A GODDESS WHO LOOKED ON AS PRIESTS PAID HER HOMAGE. A GREAT GOLDEN SKIRT FLEW OUT AS SHE SPUN INTO THE CLIMAX. RUTH ST. DENIS IN INCENSE, 1916 RUTH ST. DENIS IN RADHA, 1906 RADHA REVIVED AFTER 40 YEARS RUTH ST. DENIS THE MAGNETIC FORCE OF RUTH’S PERSONALITY COMBINED WITH THE EXOTIC AND DRAMATICALLY CONTRASTING PIECES AND SPECTACULAR STAGING MADE HER A GREAT SUCCESS. BOSTON WAS UNACCEPTING OF HER BARING OF HER LEGS AND TORSO. SHE TOURED EUROPE AND THE US ADDING ORIENTAL PIECES TO HER REPERTORY. ST. DENIS HAD AN INTEREST IN SACRED, RITUALISTIC DANCE WHICH STARTED IN 1934 UNTIL HER DEATH. SHE DREW ON HINDU TEACHING AS WELL AS FROM HEBREW AND CHRISTIAN SOURCES. HER DANCE CAREER SPANNED 6 DECADES. SHE HAD A BELIEF IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN BEING AND IN THE BODY AS THE INSTRUMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT.

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