PEOPLES VALUES, ATTITUDES, BELIEFS PARTIALLY DETERMINE THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF DANCE AS WELL AS its PHYSICAL PRODUCTION, STYLE, CONTENT

AND PERFORMANCE

BY Y. Lalitha Sindhuri M.P.A (Semester III) 12SDMK05

INTRODUCTION
Dancing and building are the two primary and essential arts; and dancing came first. - says a literary source in an article, The Dance of life. This can suggest the antiquity of dancing and how it has become the part and parcel of human life. Since times immemorial, Dance has become an instrument For some- To Express their Joy, for common people to satire on the riches, for Royale to show their grandeur and sumptuousness, for religious to worship God and nature and to perform their rituals, for suppressed and down in the dumps- to break out and find their happiness... what not, for everything man found his solution in dancing. Its only your psychological state, your social condition, your beliefs and your values that shape up your dance form. So, in order to know how the conceptualization and the content of a production have been done, one should need to dig deeper into the origin and roots of the dance form. In order to do that, one should also understand the classification of dancing. CLASSIFICATION OF DANCE BASED ON PURPOSE It is possible to classify dances according to their purpose or function into 3 broad categories. 1. Dances performed principally to please the dancers themselves 2. Dances performed to please the gods 3. Dances performed to please other people The first category- dances to please dancers doing them-includes social dancing. It may often be entertaining to watch people in a waltz or the latest pop dance craze. So this category of dancing is for pure joy or entertainment which is intended to be performed rather than watched, and many people who are lumbering or graceless can still enjoy themselves enormously on the dance floor. So the kind of attitude of the native will reflect the choreography of the dance depending on his humour, romance, rigidity, agility etc. Then how is ones attitude made? Usually, depends on ones social and economic status, environment and brought up etc. We cant clearly specify that a dance form is a mere reflection of ones attitude or belief or values but the permutations and combinations of the three. Tracing back to the earliest civilization Greek civilization, there dance was believed to be divinely inspired which was allowed to play an important part in religion, education and theatre. Hence initial foundation for dance was belief system. The Greeks viewed the union of dance, music and poetry as symbolic of the harmony of mind, body and of civilization itself. Hence, the Greek art was allied to both poetry and music, and dancers often interpreted poems by means of a complex system of rhythmic movements known as Cheironomia. Many Greek dances can be traced back to the island of Crete, where a great civilization existed from about 3000-1400 B.C. Dancing was both a religious rite and an amusement for the Cretans. Among the Cretan dances were vigorous male dances involving loud shouts and clanging of weapons that were performed not only to praise military prowess, but also to honor the powers of nature and to frighten evil spirits. Hence this is a combination of attitude and belief. They believed that loud noise and shouting can get rid of spirits and the strength of a Greek man (Who is supposed to be very handsome, strong and tall) is shown. Hence, their physical stature made up the physical form of the dance which is strong with movements involving weapons and their belief made the concept of shouting and making loud noise. And also the dances were group dances with interlocking of hands which are to be done with atmost care which shows their discipline (supposed to be in military) These dances are certainly to inspire the soldiers like Pyrrhic dance which contains forward-leaping attacks, withdrawals, and movements to the side to avoid blows. Though the religious dances involved everyone both men and women, it was all a male dominated civilization where male took up the roles of female.

PYRRHIC DANCE Dance in Roman Civilization: Italy is very important and said to be mother of all western arts. This is because Romans are said to be basically very artistic, creative, humorous, cool and joyful. So obviously, that kind of attitude can do wonders. Ritualistic dancing which is raised from belief system is not seen here usually. So, the main idea of dancing for them is to entertain. Dancing formed part of the fancy dinner-party entertainment known as the symposium. Slowly, a theatrical form evolved called Pantomime. For the Romans, pantomime was a program, introduced by a plot summary and accompanied by singers and musicians, in which a solo performer portrayed all the characters in a story taken from mythology or history. There were further developments and downfalls in dancing and theatre before and after Christianity. Pre- and Post-Renaissance period is very significant for dance developments. Ballet: Derived from an Italian word Balletto which means to dance, Ballet unfolds a dramatic plot through its dance, music, design or it also can be understood as a visual interpretation of the music by means of dance. It began in Italy as an entertainment for nobility in 15 th century. Common man was not allowed and themes were taken from Antiquity. So, now based on the participants of ballet, we can decide the conceptualization and style of it. One was danse noble where people of high cadre used to do this. So, an exponent of this style was serious and dignified on stage and was usually cast as a hero from history or mythology. dancing was much livelier and more extroverted. Those who did this type of dancing were technically agile and tended to portray everyday (but not boorish) people or in mythological works, lesser gods. Dancers who exemplified the comique (grotesque) style played comic or rustic roles; although they were often required to be rough in manner, they could also be genuinely charming. This suggests the then social values and attitude of the nobles. Though born in Italy, with the attack of Henry IV, Ballet flourished in France. Till then, dancing was not there in France. Any art form can flourish with the right patronage. French kings were great art lovers and were greatly involved in Ballet. Male virtuosity is still prevalent which shows their domination over women. France is known for glamour, sparkle, glitters and fashion. On October 15th, 1581, an event happened which epitomized the splendour of the noble, the glam of the lords and heights of their spectacle. It was in Lauvre Palace in Paris where a ballet was played for the Queens sisters marriage. Henry III was the monarch. Catherine de Medici, who was the mother of the King organised this performance. Name of the Ballet: Comique de la Royne not a comic play but an Extravagant Spectacle which has songs, recitation, dance, sets and costume. Choreographer: Beaujoyeulx from Italy Theme: About an enchantress named Circe, who wanted to conquer nature by her witchcraft and wanted to become the queen of seasons. Earlier, in 1573, Catherine arranged a ballet when the polish ambassadors came. So, if we observe the phenomena, the main purpose of dancing was to show their riches with absolute spectacle. Their mind reflected their themes. Though the themes were from Greek mythology and antiquity, they tried to show that theirs was of divine origin and used to play only godly characters. Example: Louis XIV used to play the role of Sun God and known for it. Hence, the theme used to be

unrealistic; style used to be very subtle with rich costumes and sets not allowing common man which reminds us that Dance is an art for the riches.

Louis XIV as Sun God Technique: Than Italians, French took ballet more serious. Hence the roots for the formation of technique were during this period. Pierre Beauchamp who was the personal trainer of the King Henry XIV codified the five positions of feet and arms. This shows their seriousness towards the form. Since the complete technique was not evolved, there was no professionalism. Slowly ballet declined in France in 1800s and went to Russia and Denmark. Institutionalisation, Formulation of technique and due to Industrial revolution, it had evolved as a professional form which was no more for just royals. As ballet entered the pre-romantic era, male dancers reached their peak. It was during this era, the ballerinas started dancing on the very tips of their toes, or en Pointe. This reflected the then attitude of the people. Also the huge costumes restricted the dancing. Hence costumes were light which facilitated free dancing. Industrial revolution was also one of the reasons for drastic changes in Ballet. Significant changes in were: Middle class evolved due to Industrial revolution. Till then, it was either the royals or the common people that were involved in arts. Evolution of this new class totally evolved a new system of thinking and attitude. Till then, nature gave them a pace to work and to relax. But machines made their lives mechanical and they had experienced lot of mental pressure. They want perfect entertainment. They wanted larger than reality picture out of frustration. Due to these psychological changes, ballet was more perfected with more perfect dancers and beautiful ballerinas and evolved from Court dance to Concert dance. People started buying tickets and watched ballets. Hence, bringing back the classification of the purpose of dancing, dance evolved from dancing for themselves (Social dancing and court dancing) to dancing for others(Theatre or concert dancing) Romanticism: Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th Century. Purpose was to revolt against the aristocracy and to get elevated from reality (for middle class) this was also the time when the western classical music was at its pinnacle. The romantic era more or less began with the staging of Giselle. With the reasonably new skill of dancing en pointe improving, the ladies ruled the romantic era. Again, here we can observe the social changes. Earlier, ladies were not even allowed into dancing but now ladies dominated. Not only the content, but the costume also changed. Romantic tutu evolved. Romantic ballet owed much to the new developments in theatre effects, particularly gas lighting (lime light). Candles had been used previously to light theatres, but gas lighting allowed for dimming effects and other subtleties. Combined with the effects of Romantic tutu, ballerinas posing en pointe, and the use of wires to make dancers fly, directors used gas lighting to create supernatural spectacles on stage. Notable romantic ballets are: La somnabule(1827) , La Sylphide (1832) , Giselle(1841) etc.

Romantic Tutu After Industrial Revolution, mans mindset changed several times and is still changing. Many people with revolutionary ideas changed the existing forms and few came up with the new forms. While Isadora Duncan moved away from the rigidity of the ballet technique,George Balanchine came up with neo-classical ballet and Martha Graham came up with Modern dance. Basse Danse: The Basse Danse or low dance was the most popular dance in the 15 th and early 16th centuries, especially at the Burgundian court. In this, partners move quietly and gracefully in a slow gliding or walking motion without leaving the floor. Commedia dellarte: Art of common man. It was a satire on the atrocities of the government. It was performed in the street corners and became very popular due to its humour content. So dance is like a medium for man to express his inner feelings and to protest since he cannot protest directly.

Commedia Dellarte

Classical and Folk: Ballet is considered as the classical form which is known to be subtle, royal etc. Hence you observe that subtlety in Music also which is calm, slow and without drums and pipes. On contrary, you can find many folk forms with full of drums, pipes, fury and loud sounds. Folk forms, known to be performed by common people, we can understand their attitudes which are louder, happier and expressive than the richer people. A deeper insight Irish folk dance There are some interesting facts about these dances. These are group dances with more foot work and less hand movements. Wondering why? Here is a story- Travelling dance masters taught all over Ireland as late as the 18th Century and early 19th centuries. During this time, place for competitions and fairs were always small, so there were little rooms for the dance masters to perform. They would dance on the table tops, sometimes even on the barrels. Because of this, the dancing styles were very contained, with hands right at the sides, and lack of arm movement and travelling

across the stage. As time went, larger places were found for performance, so styles grew to include more movement, for example, in River dance. Unlike the subtle and dull colours of ballet costume, costumes of folk forms were always as bright as the smiles of common people and they used block colours.

Irish River Dance

Dancing and Beliefs- Ritual Dancing: Now that dancing all with attitude and social condition was discussed, how beliefs influenced dancing is also important.
DANCE AS MEDICINE IN TRADITIONAL CULTURES

Below is a sampling of the many indigenous cultures that use dance as ritual and as a primary form of medicine. North America - American plains Indians dance in celebration of the seasons, in petition for rain or for good hunting; in therapeutic activity, and in honoring the spirit of the tribe. Indian tribes celebrate the holiness of all life and all of nature in a wide variety of dances. The Hopi dance out the myth of origin and social organization of their society. By dancing, the young people learn of the relationship of society and self in the realm of the sacred. The Navajo have many dances which heal the broken spirit, drive away angry spirits, restore personal harmony, affirm tribal solidarity, celebrate the vast splendor of western desert and canyon, enable one to walk in beauty, reassure the totem of other species, signal the time to plant and to harvest, and help young women through menarche to maidenhood. The Iroquois of New York and Canada are a matriarchal matrilineal society. They have a dance called the Dark Dance in which women perform healing dances at night in complete darkness. Middle East - The Zar ritual dance is a cathartic and healing experience, which functions for women in these cultures as effectively as does psychotherapy in Western culture. It also provides a means for sharing knowledge and charitable society among the women of these very patriarchal cultures. South Africa - The! Kung enter into a trance dance that is a prelude to healing or means of making contact with the gods. Women chant and clap hands in a complex beat while men gradually dance with great exertion until they enter a trance. Central Africa - Dance is often used to conduct young people from one social status to another. The women in charge of the rite of passage of young women use the dance to effect changes in the body and spirit of the young woman so she is ready to take her place as an adult woman. West Africa - In some tribes people dance in order to express the desire for a safe journey; a woman may dance in petition of pregnancy. The Tiv in Nigeria mimic the more threatening forms of disease in their dance, treat it, and heal the dancers of the disease in pantomime.

Haiti - Ritual dances are done to make contact with spirits, to gain their favor by offering them sacrifices and gifts, to obtain help in the form of more abundant food or higher standard of living, and improved health. Rituals are held to celebrate lucky events, to attempt to escape a run of bad fortune, and for healing at birth, marriage and death. Australia - The KaKadu use the dance to renew the Spirit of the Land. They tell the animals of their oneness with them, and they make peace with the dreamworld animal spirits for the killing of animals in the real world. The Kakadu have lived in peace and harmony with the land and its spirits for over 40,000 years. Now shift to the Eastern part of the globe. China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand etc. People here are very strong and stick to their strongest beliefs. That reflect in their dancing like in the ritual dances of India like Manipuri, Bhagavata mela etc. JAPAN: "The Japanese are, to the highest degree, both aggressive and unassertive, both militaristic and aesthetic, insolent and polite, rigid and adaptable, submissive and resentful of being pushed around, loyal and treacherous, brave and timid, conservative and hospitable to new ways." ~Ruth Benedict You can find their nature in their forms like in Noh and Kabuki. Japanese believe in internalization rather than being extrovert. That internalization of energy is shown in Noh where audience are just made to feel the energy and they even forget to clap (Or they dont clap after the performance but they feel the vibrance). They believe in god and they take up the roles of gods and evils. They make their costume symbolizing their gods like with Hexagons or serpents etc. They are not so famous because they stuck to their tradition without stylization or changing according to the contemporary scenario. In other words, they are still pure (subjected to very little changes)

Indonesia: Dance in Indonesia reflects the countries diversity of ethnicities and culture. Pre-historic tribal era: Dances in Indonesia are of ritual worship and religious origin. There are war dances, dance of witch doctors and dance to call for rain or any agriculture related rituals such as Hudoq dance ritual of Dayak people.

Hudoq Dance- The Dayak Bahau people living along the Mahakam river basin perform their hudoq ritual
usually in October and November, the time when they plant rice in the unirrigated rice fields. This annual rite must be performed in the most festive manner possible to ensure that the soul of the paddy will be pleased to stay in the rice field. The Bahau people believe that animals like deer, hogs, monkeys and birds bring paddy from heaven to them. The hudoq are designed to reflect these animals.

From the above picture, we can get a clear understanding of how belief makes up your attitude, how your attitude is reflected in the content of your dance form and how your costume would match the content. They all are inter-linked.

Balinese dances are a very ancient dance tradition that is a part of the religious and artistic expression among the Balinese people, native to Bali island, Indonesia. Balinese dance is dynamic, angular and intensely expressive.The Balinese dancers express the story of dance-drama through the whole bodily gestures; fingers, hands and body gestures to head and eyes movements.

China: China dance forms are also based on beliefs. For example: Dragon dance. Chinese believe that they are the descendants of the dragon i.e. the descendants of Shennong, the legendary first king of the Chinese people who taught them agriculture, law and medicine, the foundations of civilization. The dance team mimics the supposed movements of this river spirit. The movements in a performance traditionally symbolise historical roles of dragons demonstrating power and dignity. CONCLUSION: There are many other forms which have some meaning either reflecting their beliefs or their value filled traditions. Dance is nothing but the reflection of ones mind. So, according to the period, mind or attitude changes which further changes the art forms or evolve the new ones.

Hence a wholesome production of dance can speak the history.

REFERENCES http://sc64.ucoz.ru/referat/76.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_ballet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_dance http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2003/04/04/039hudoq039-ritual-dance

dayak-bahau.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_in_Indonesia http://japaneselifestyle.wikispaces.com/Japanese+Values+and+Beliefs

A book by Jack Anderson