Dance- comes from the word “damson”, which means “to stretch” or “to drag”

Prehistoric Period
Prehistoric dance was very basic as it involved everyday movements. It served as an important means of
communication and revolved around life events that were meaningful to individuals and tribes: birth, puberty,
courtship, marriage and death.
Ancient Egypt
Dance was the ancient Egyptian’s primary way of expressing their religious services and teaching about their ancient
myths. The major dancers were the following:
1. King
2. The priest who performed magical dances for the gods and other spiritual entities and took the role of the
god Osiris in a great religious dance-drama.
3. The virgin dancers who were trained to perform during ceremonies led by the priests.
Ancient Crete
Dance themes included military training, healing, religious rituals, and entertainment. According to the Greek writer
Homer, the Cretans had an excellent army because they used dance to perfect their training.
Ancient Greece
Dances in ancient Greece were extremely organized and structured. They maximized these movements; incorporated
ritualistic, symbolic, or representative gestures; and were accompanied by music, both vocal and instrumental. The
dancers were also required to sing during a performance.
Phorai and Cheironomia- Greek terms that describe the carriage of the body during dance and mimetic gestures.
Schemata- refers to the form and shape of gestures, focusing on how a dancer executed the short movement
patterns.
Deixis- was a pure dance, performed by male Greek dancer who portrayed the essence of a human character, an
animal, or a natural element such as fire or wind.
Rome
Dances in Roman era were primarily performed for religious, social, and entertainment purposes.
Salii or the college of 24 dancing priests that were members of the noble class did war dances in full armor with
sacred shield in their left hand and a staff in the right.
Pantomime- refers to a performance by an actor or solo dancer who does not speak but acts in a stylized form.
Modern History
Late 16th and 17th Centuries
Male dancers played both male and female roles in court ballets.
Mila La Fontaine- first female professional dancer produced by the Academie Royale de la Musique et de Dance.
Ballet de la Nuit (1653)-In this ballet, Louis XIV portrayed the Sun King, after which he became known by that name.
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (1670)- This is Moliere’s comedy play, which featured music and dance sequences.
Le Triomphe de L’Amour (1681)- A ballet created by Jean- Baptiste Lully, in which the first female dancers appeared.
18th Century
During this period the professional male dancers or danseurs nobles took the leading roles in the ballets.
19th Century
During the romantic era, female dancers took the lead roles in ballet performances. They appeared in as winged,
unearthly beings such a nymphs and fairies. To have an illusion of dancing in points, dancers stood at the tips of their
toes and this became an essential feature of the ballerina’s art. Also, during this century, both males and females
must strictly follow the code of etiquette when attending a ball or they will not be admitted.
BALLROOM DANCES OF THE 19TH CENTURY
Cotillion- a forerunner of American square dance, had many figures that required practice by the group.
Polonaise- opened a court ball, involved partners dancing side by side behind a lead couple and moving through
various choral figures.
Quadrille- performed in a stately manner and, later on, in an accelerated one. The “Queen of London Society,” Lady
Sarah Jersey, introduced the quadrille to English society at Almack’s in 1815.
Waltz- was derived from German landler and other Southern German folk dances. It was performed in a triple time by
single couples in close embrace and featured wild hopping, stamping, and throwing of the female partner into the air.
Polka- originated in Poland or the former Czechoslovakia, was a popular social dance in the first part of the century.
20th Century
The early part of the 20th century can be describe as a period of “dance ever” wherein the young and old alike were
not limited to express their emotions through dance.
Ragtime- is a type of music known for its syncopated melodic line and regularly accented accompaniment played
especially on the piano.
After the first decade, the collaboration of husband and wife, Vernon and Irene Castle, transformed social dance
from a set structure of steps to a series of figures for couples.
Castle walk- accompanied by the song “Castle Rag,” was performed in the close dance position with the men walking
backward and the women moving forward, then repeated in the position.
Tango- was developed in Buenos Aires. It is a highly sensual and erotic dance performed by a couple with closed body
contact and direct eye contact.
Foxtrot- Arthur Carringford’s famous two slow steps followed by four quick steps gained popularity in the society and
were brought in the dance halls.
Charleston- which originated in the harbor city in Charleston, South Carolina, was done in 4/4 time and can be
performed solo, with partner, or with a group.
Black Bottom- originated in New Orleans and has movements similar to the Charleston. “The Original Black Bottom
Dance” was printed in 1919 and the dance became fad in American society in the mid-20’s.
Lindy Hop- was an American dance that originate in Harlem, New York City. It was a combination of many dances
such as a jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston. It was sometimes referred to as a street dance because its
improvisational and social nature.
Rumba- considered as “Grandfather of the Latin Dances.” It is a dance that narrates love and passion between a
tough male lover and a timid, mischievous woman. With its sensual action movements and intense sharp eye contact,
it is considered to be the sexiest ballroom dance.
Mambo music- comes from a very old tradition of Africa which consisted of multifaceted rhythms.
Cha-cha-cha- was derived from the mambo and the swing. Like most Latin dances, the dancer’s feet remain close to
the floor, the hips are relaxed to allow free movement in the pelvic area, and the upper body shifts over the
supporting foot as the steps are taken.
Samba- has a distinct look and feel because of its “samba bounce action,” a light, effortless, and carefree movement
from the knees and ankles.
Bossa Nova- also emerged in this decade and earned its popularity in the early 1960s. It is a Latin dance in 2/4
syncopated tome. It is a combination of samba rhythm and jazz, resulting in a Latin mix.
Boogaloo- this dance is combination of Latin, African-American, rhythm and blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and soul music.
Twist- early 1960s, Chubby Checker first performed and introduced the twist on American Bandstand. Dancers dance
apart, stood in one place and twisted their hips from side to side, pivoting on their feet.
Mod dance- British introduced the mod dance and it was brought to America in 1963. The “cool” narcissistic
teenagers who rebelled against the emotionalism of rock ‘n’ roll were among the first to perform this dance.
Psychedelic dance- introduced during the widespread use of psychedelic drugs in1967 at Haight Ashbury, San
Francisco. The dance was experimental and freeform in nature, affected by drug-induced exhibitionism. F
Funk music- started in the late 60s by James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and Earth, Wind and Fire introduced the 1970s funk
rock.
Macarena- became the dance craze among the youth with its arm movements and hip swiveling.
Street dance- began in California during the 70s and was performed both in nightclubs and on the streets.
Ballet
Ballet acts as a backbone for many other genres of dance.
Fundamental Ballet Dance Movements
1. Plie (plee-ay) or to bend. Keeping both feet flat on the floor at all times, bend your knees.
2. Releve( ruh-leh-vay’) or to rise. This can be done on one foot or both feet together.
3. Saute (soh- tay) or to jump. This kind of jump is performed “ two feet to two feet.”
4. Arabesque (ah-ra-BESK). The position of the body supported on one leg with the opposite leg extended
behind the body.
5. Balance- (ba-iahn-SAY). A rocking step where the weight shifts from one foot to the other.
6. Chaines( sheh-NAY) or chain or links. A series of rapid, traveling turns on demi-pointe, staying in the first
positions.
7. Changement (shahnzh-MAHN). A petit allegro step that begins in fifth position demi-plie’, springs straight up,
changes the position of the position of the feet in the air, and lands with the opposite foot front in the fifth
position demi-plie.
8. Chasse’(sha-SAY) or to chase. A connecting step on which one foot literally chases the other and comes to a
fifth position before landing.
9. De’veloppe’(dayv-law-PAY) or to develop. A movement in which the working leg is drawn up through a retire
position to an open, extended position in the air.
10. Jete’ (zhuh-TAY) or thrown. In petit allegro this step is executed from a fifth position demi-plie.
Modern Dance
Modern dance is a dance style that rejects many of the strict rules of classical ballet, focusing instead on the
expression of the inner feelings.
Fundamental Modern Dance Movements
1. Laterals- the dancer stands with the head and the spine in alignment and the supporting foot turned out.
2. Spiral- the spiral is a torso twist that begins in pelvis.
3. Stag Leap- a very high jump in a split, but although both legs are parallel to the floor, the front leg is bent
from the knee inward.
4. Stag turn- the supporting knee is slightly bent; the other leg is up in the air and bent behind the body.
5. Primitive squat- is a hop that lands in a deep second- position plie- the feet are turned out heel-to-heel and
the knees are bent.
6. Flat back- is actually a series of the moves but the basic movement makes a “tabletop” of the body.
7. Hinge- the dancer balances on the balls of the feet, keeps a straight back and head, and sends the knees
forward as the torso tilts back and the arms are held straight out in front.
8. Contraction- action begins in the pelvis, and articulates up the spine as the breath is exhaled.
9. Release- occurs upon inhalation and also begins in the pelvis.
10. High release- tilts the breastbone up rather than ending with the spine and upper body in an upright neutral
position.