ORIGINS AND

CLASSIFICATION OF DANCE

SUBMITTED BY

MAR JOHN T. GUTIERREZ

BS-ENTREPRENEURSHIP

SUBMITTED TO
 Dance is a form of art that is made by purposefully recreating selected
sequences of human motion, which can be imbued with the values of aesthetic and
symbolism that are acknowledged by both performers and observers from within the
particular culture. The dance itself can be freeform or can have a predefined
choreography that may or may not align with traditions of origin or historical period.
The dance can be performed to serve various functions (social, competitive,
ceremonial, martial, erotic…) but it also has two distinct forms – theatrical dance in
which dancers perform for an audience, and participatory social dance where dancing in
a group is encouraged to anyone. Participatory dances are most commonly found at
weddings, social gatherings, and festivals, and they can be enjoyed with folk music both
alone or in a group (pairs, lines, chains or other forms).
Theatrical dance is known for having more elaborate choreography, planning,
costume, scenery and other elements that make the entire production feel more
professional. The performers of theatrical dance are usually professional “ virtuoso
dancers”, who practice their craft over the years, and are often tasked to interpret the
musical accompaniment with advanced dance moves or routines.

Origins and Early History

The dance has always been with us, even before the arrival of written
language and modern history, when our earliest cultures evolved utilizing oral and
performance methods to pass the stories from one generation to the next. Many
historians believe that social, celebratory and ritual dances are one of the essential
factors of the development of early human civilizations.
The earliest findings have pinpointed the origins of ancient dances in 9000-year-
old India or 5300-year-old Egypt, but the records more common infusion of dance into a
modern culture can be found from Ancient Greece, China, and India. All these old
dances evolved, eventually morphing into a wide variety of Roman and European
medieval dances, traditional Chinese dances, Hindi and other traditional dances,
respectively.
After the arrival of European Renaissance, the history of music and dance
exploded with the new additions to song and dance. Ease of travel and immigration to
the new world brought these dances into the mix with many native cultures of the New
World, forging countless new dance types that are still popular to this day.

History of Dance

Dance and music

It is unlikely that any human society (at any rate until the invention of puritanism)
has denied itself the excitement and pleasure of dancing. Like cave painting, the first
purpose of dance is probably ritual - appeasing a nature spirit or accompanying a rite of
passage. But losing oneself in rhythmic movement with other people is an easy form of
intoxication. Pleasure can never have been far away.
Rhythm, indispensable in dancing, is also a basic element of music. It is natural to beat
out the rhythm of the dance with sticks. It is natural to accompany the movement of the
dance with rhythmic chanting. Dance and music begin as partners in the service of
ritual.

Dance as ritual
In most ancient civilizations, dancing before the god is an important element in
temple ritual. In Egypt the priests and priestesses, accompanied by harps and pipes,
perform stately movements which mime significant events in the story of a god, or
imitate cosmic patterns such as the rhythm of night and day.
At Egyptian funerals, women dance to express the grief of the mourners. Sacred
occasions in Greek shrines, such as the games at Olympia from the 8th century BC, are
inaugurated with dancing by the temple virgins. The choros is originally just such a
dance, performed in a circle in honour of a god. In the 6th century it becomes the
centrepiece of Greek theatre. In India the formalized hand movements of the
priestesses in Hindu temples are described in documents from as early as the 1st
century AD. Each precise gesture is of subtle significance. A form of classical dance
based upon them - known as Bharata Nhatyam - is still performed by highly skilled
practitioners today.

Dance as ecstasy
Any sufficiently uninhibited society knows that frantic dancing, in a mood
heightened by pounding rhythm and flowing alcohol, will set the pulse racing and induce
a mood of frenzied exhilaration. This is exemplified in the Dionysiac dances of ancient
Greece. Villagers, after harvesting the grapes, celebrate the occasion with a drunken
orgy in honour of Dionysus, god of wine (whose Roman name is Bacchus). Their
stomping makes a favourite scene on Greek vases; and dancing women of this kind,
whose frenzy even sweeps them into an act of murder, are immortalized in a tragedy,
the Bacchae, by Euripides.
Short of this unfortunate extreme, all social dances promise the same desirable
mood of release and excitement.

Dance as entertainment, dance as display

Egyptian paintings, from as early as about 1400 BC, depict another eternal
appeal of dancing. Scantily clad girls, accompanied by seated musicians, cavort
enticingly on the walls of tombs. They will delight the male occupant during his
residence in the next world. But dancing girls are for this world too. From princely
banquet to back-street strip club, they require no explanation.
Entertainment, and the closely related theme of display, underlies the story of
public dance. In the courts of Europe spectacles of this kind lead eventually to ballet.

Ballet in France: 16th - 17th century

A favourite entertainment in Renaissance France and Italy involves ladies and
gentlemen of the court being wheeled into the banqueting hall on scenic floats from
which they descend to perform a dance. Such festivities are much encouraged by
Catherine de Médicis after she marries into the French royal family.
In 1581 a significant step forward is taken by Catherine's director of court
festivals, Baltazar de Beaujoyeulx. For a wedding celebration he produces the Balet
Comique de la Reine, combining dance (which he describes as being just "geometric
patterns of people dancing together") with the narrative interest of a comedy. It is the
first dramatic ballet.
This French and Italian love of dance continues in the next century. At the court
of Savoy, in Turin, there is a strong tradition of lavish amateur ballets for any festive
occasion in the mid-17th century. In France Louis XIII, son of Marie de Médicis, loves to
show off his talents in this line - although, reports a contemporary, he "never performed
anything but ridiculous characters". The king's typical roles include a wandering
musician, a Dutch captain, a grotesque warrior, a farmer and a woman. His son Louis
XIV enjoys similar pleasures, but his roles have a little more classical gravitas - a
Bacchante, a Titan, a Muse and (presumably a favourite) Apollo dressed as the sun.
The dancers in court ballets are the courtiers themselves, and a large part of the
pleasure comes from watching one's friends prance about in spectacular costumes. The
English diarist John Evelyn sees Louis XIV dancing in Paris in 1651; he marvels not so
much at the dancing as at so many Sumptuously attired aristocrats. But Louis XIV
himself is genuinely interested in dancing, and in 1661 he decides that his colleagues
are not up to scratch. He brings together the best Parisian dancing masters to form the
Académie Royale de Danse, where his friends' skills may be honed. It is so successful
that he follows it in 1669 with a similar Académie Royale de Musique. These two
institutions are merged to form the Paris Opéra (still in existence today). From 1672
professional dancers are trained. The institution settles down into what is recognizably a
ballet company. The first director, Pierre Beauchamp, choreographs many ballet
sequences with music by Lully and others - and he devises his own system for
recording the steps. (He is often credited with inventing the five classic positions for the
feet, but more probably he is merely the first to record them.) A spectacular ballet by
Lully and Beauchamp is Le Triomphe de’l'Amour, first performed in 1681 with
Beauchamp dancing Mars accompanied by ladies and gentlemen of the court. Four
months later the same ballet is performed again, in a public theatre, with a significant
innovation - professional female dancers.
The female ensemble is led by Mlle de Lafontaine, the world's first prima
ballerina. She stars in many other ballets over the next twelve years (earning the title
reine de la danse, "queen of the dance") before retiring into a convent. Lafontaine and
her colleagues are constrained by the heavy dresses which convention forces them to
wear on stage, but the men suffer less restriction (when dancing heroic roles their usual
costume is akin to a Roman soldier's short tunic, coming half way down the thigh).
Virtuoso male dancing rapidly becomes one of the great attractions of ballet. The
first to demonstrate it is Jean Balon, who is with the Paris Opéra from 1691 to 1710.
Famous for his lightness and agility, his name is possibly commemorated in the term
"ballon" - still used today for the moment when a dancer can seem to pause in mid-air
during a jump.

This History is as yet incomplete.

Classification of Dance

Ballroom Dances
These dances started appearing first in Italy, during the early years of
Renaissance. Popularity of this kind of entertainment quickly swept over the Europe,
United States and the World. Although many other simpler and more easily preformed
types of dances caused the ballroom dances to lose some of their influence, modern
worldwide dancing audience started resurrecting these immortal dances in ever
increasing pace.
 Waltz- This graceful and slow two person dance was first introduced in mid-19th
century and was greatly popularized by the music of the famous composer
Johann Strauss. Today this dance represents gold standard and the most
famous dance of the ballrooms around the world.
 Viennese Waltz - Original form of waltz, first performed at the Italian courts is
today remembered as Viennese Waltz. It differs from the much more famous
"English Slow Waltz" by having much faster 180 beats per minute and was the
first who introduced "closed hold" between performers.
 Tango - Originally created in the Argentinean region of Rio de la Plata, this
dance is today known by many of its variations (Argentine tango, Uruguayan
tango, Finish Tango and two types of Ballroom tangos - standard and American)
and the fascinating sensual and energetic style.
 Cha-Cha-Cha - This incredibly rhythmic dance created in Latin America
managed to meld together both the slow and very energetic movements, making
it an instant hit among the dancers around the world.
 Rumba - Popularity of this Cuban dance came from its focus on sensual hip
movements of dance partners. Since its creation in 1930s many types of Rumba
were created, most notably Cuban Rumba (with the style of the African slaves
which created it), Catalan Rumba (with Spanish flavor), Flamenco Rumba and
African Rumba.
 Samba - Samba is a famous dance and musical genre that originated form the
coast of Africa and land of Brazil. Today infectious rhythm of Samba is regarded
as the national dance of Brazil, and its famous Brazilian Carnival gathers millions
Samba dance fans every year.
 Mambo - This Cuban dance that accompanies the music of the same name was
introduced in 1930s, and quickly managed to gain popularity with the exploits of
famous musicians and dancers such as Perez Prado, Benny Moré, Tongolele,
Adalberto Martínez, Rosa Carmina and Lilia Prado.
 Quickstep - Light-hearted and fast movement, powerful forms and syncopations,
represent the core style characteristics of the Quickstep, one of the most popular
ballroom dances today in the world. Originally developed in the 1920s dance
scene of New York and the Caribbean, as the combination of the dances such as
Charleston, a slow variation of Foxtrot, Peabody, shag, and one-step. The
smooth and glamorous version of quickstep that is danced today across the
world to 4/4 music beat of 48-52 measures per minute was standardized in 1927.
 Jive - Jive is one of the five most popular Latin dances and is also known under
the names of swing, boogie or boogie-woogie. It is considered to be one of the
 liveliest of all Latin dances, promoting the happy and bloopy type of
performances, with lots of knee movement and hip rocking. Its official ballroom
jive variation that is commonly danced at a speed of 176 beats per minute was
formalized in the 1990s.
 Bolero - Bolero is an Argentine dance, but it also has different international
variations of the same name coming from Cuba and Spain. Today’s popular
ballroom version of this dance is based on the Cuban bolero, and it is also known
under the name “rumba”. This 2/4 or 4/4 music with a tempo of around 120 beats
per minute that is well known all around the world.

African-American and Traditional Jazz dances

 Charleston - This extremely popular dance type was popularized by famous
tune called "The Charleston" by composer and pianist James P. Johnson.
Charleston craze soon took over the enthusiastic dancers of Prohibition era of
United States.
 Swing - This dance is today synonym for the jazz and swing music of the 1920s-
1930s.Because of the many styles of Jazz music, Swing also comes in many
flavors - Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Boogie Woogie, West Coast Swing and Rock and
Roll.
 Tap Dance- This extremely popular form of dance was first introduced during
1920s Prohibition era in United States. Originally created by the African slaves,
tap dancing came into the mainstream with the performances of Nicholas
brothers. Few short years later, tap dancing conquered Hollywood and then
entire world.
 Moonwalk - This extremely famous dance move that emuates the illusion of
walking backwards was first performed by pop icon Michael Jackson in March of
1983, and ever since then it gained planetary fame. No single dance move ever
created managed to receive this amount of popularity and recognition.
 Boogie-woogie - This quick and energetic style of dance became widely popular
during 1930s and 1940s.

Worldwide Dances / Latin dances

 Salsa - This Latin dance is today one of the most popular dances in Latin
America, North America, Europe and Australia. It's very sensual form, energetic
movement and innovative choreography that was influenced by Mambo,
Changuyi and Rumba made it very popular all around the world.
 Flamenco - This famous Spanish dance originated from the region of Andalusia,
and it gained its name only in 18th century. Its magical, passionate and energetic
fusion of singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), dance and handclaps (palmas)
made it famous in entire world and became one of the accepted heritages of
entire humanity.
 Argentine tango - Among many types of tango dance, Argentinian dance strives
to preserve original form of tango that was first created in the region of Rio de la
Plata.
  Lambada - This famous dance that originated from Para, Brayil became
internationally popular during 1980s. It managed to successfully fuse aspects of
Forro, salsa, merengue, maxixe and the carimbó into unforgettable dance style.
 Polka - Appearance of polka in mid-19th century created one of the largest
"dance crazes" that our world ever seen. It managed to influence countless other
dances, became national dance of many European countries and is extremely
popular in entire Western hemisphere.
 Jive
 East Coast Swing - Swing dance has many variations, of which one of the most
popular is the East Coast Swing. This social partner dance is known today under
names of Eastern Swing, Jitterbug, American Swing, East Coast Lindy and Lindy
originated between the 1940s and 1960s as the alternative to the other types of
harder-to-learn swing dances.
 Capoeira - Capoeira dance is a unique dance that can be found in the combat
moves of the Afro-Brazilian martial art of the same name that takes heavy
inspiration from music, dance, and acrobatics. Practitioners of this martial art are
famous for being highly athletic dancers who can take advantage of dance-like
moves to perform quick and complex maneuvers that can deliver a wide variety
of kicks, spins, jumps and other techniques used in combat. Today, Capoeira is
famous as one of the most celebrated cultural heritages of Brazil and South
America.
 Country/ Western Dances - - The country dance style is a social dance activity
that is closely associated with American country and its Western traditions. It is
made not from a single dance but encompasses many forms and styles of dance
that can be performed to country-western music. No matter the type of music
style or dance type, Country dance gatherings employ strong dancefloor
etiquette and even ability to perform multiple dances styles on a dance floor at
the single time.
 Folk Dance - Folk dances represent musical, cultural heritage, reflections of
daily life or ethnic history of people who live in a certain region or country.
Popular all around the world in hundreds of unique variations and styles, folk
dances (also known as traditional or ethnic dances) are usually performed at
dance gatherings with the accompaniment of traditional music of the region.
Majority of folk dances are not regulated, and they slowly morph during the
passage of time.
 Belly dance - Belly dance is one of the most famous oriental folk dances in the
world. It is an expressive form dance that originated from Egypt, and it
emphasizes the complex movement of the torso and entire body utilizing sudden
percussive movements, unstopping fluid body motions and presence of small
and fast shimmies, shivers and vibrations of the hips or the ribcage. Belly dance
is regarded as very sensual, emotional and captivating.

Professional performance dance

Professional dancing was first introduced in the early years of Italian
Renaissance when music, dance, arts and poetry started to rise in popularity after the
millennia of medieval stagnation. Refined by the efforts of the France and
Russia, ballet became the premier technical concert dance. Hailed as one of the most
revered and most complicated dance of all time, ballet continued its rise to worldwide
domination. In the modern times, many other professional dances came to be, such
as Contemporary dance, Modern Dance, Concert dance, but none of them managed to
surpass the complexity, physical strain, and heritage of ballet.
 Ballet - Ballet is without any doubt one of the most highly technical and famous
of all performance dances. It was originally created in 15th century Renaissance
Italy, but it received popularization in countries such as France and Russia. It’s
incredible popularity and influence has had a profound impact on techniques
found in many other dances, and has even morphed the cultural histories of
many countries around the world.
 Contemporary dance - Contemporary dance is a highly complicated type of
modern performance dance that originated in the mid-20th century as an
alternative to classical dance styles (such as ballet), modern styles (free dance)
and Jazz dance. Its focus on free leg movement, strong stress on the torso,
disordered choreography, unpredictability, multiple and simultaneous actions,
improvisation, and non-standardized costumes, sets, and lighting has pushed
this dance into the forefront of modern art dance scene.
 Concert Dance - Concert dance (also known as stage dance) is any
choreographed dance that is performed for an audience, usually at the theatre or
an organized gathering setting with the presence of set music. It is a polar
opposite of social or participation dances, where participants can freely dance
how and when they wish. Most popular concert dances are Ballet, Acrobatic
dance, tap dance, modern dance, classical Indian or Persian dances and others.
 Modern Dance - Modern dance is an influential performance dance that
originated as a reaction against the classical ballet and its movement style.
Shaped by many factors in late 19th and early to mid-20th century, modern
dance evolved into a popular free dance style that includes elements of
performance art, release technique, improvisation and contact improvisation.
 Tap Dance - Among many types of popular dances around the world, tap dance
may be one of the most unusual dances. Instead of focusing on body movements
and dancing with a partner, tap dance is characterized by the creation of
percussion-like musically-focused rhythm performance using tap shoes striking
on the floor in accordance with the dancing music.

Modern Dances
Advancements in music technology brought the birth of many new types of
dances. Introduction of electronic and rock music brought the era of House, Punk, Rave
and Disco dance. Faraway country of India did not cared much for those styles, and in
accordance to the deeply seeded religious beliefs, they incorporated dance of their gods
to everyday life and was and profitable Bollywood movie scene.
 House dance - After the years of popularity of Disco, the genre of House music
and house dance became born in New York and Chicago clubs. Built on top of
subtler rhythms, riffs of the music and influences of jazz, Latin, soul, funk, R&B,
and many other music styles, this social dance quickly found its way into homes
and clubs across the entire world.
  Punk dance - Born as an extension of 1960s garage rock, the punk rock
managed to attract fans who enjoyed not traditional social dances of before, but
more energetic and sometimes violent dance style of moshing (sometimes called
slam-dancing) and headbanging. This dance styles were characterized by the
strong and full body contact of live band audience, with frequent bumping and
jostling both alone and in groups.
 Rave dance - Fueled by the unending focus on pulsating beats, loud volume and
psychedelic music effects, dancers of rave music are free to create their freestyle
of movements, with no rules about dance routines or synchronized moves,
usually in dark and crowded venues of dance clubs, nightclubs, and festivals.
Dancers are encouraged to find inspiration in music, other people, and their
mood.
 Disco dance - The popular disco music genre of the 1970s would not found such
popularity if it was not so easy to dance with. Fans of this music often wore
extravagant and sexy clothing while dancing free form or structured versions of
various disco dances, such as Bump, (several variations of) Hustle, Robot,
Boogaloo, Watergate, and others.
 Bollywood dance - The cultural history of India and the rest of southern Asia
would not remain the same without the strong influence of Bollywood movie
industry which has promoted Hindi dance music to the world. Created as the mix
of traditional Indian music, Hindi dance traditions of the Indian sub-continent, and
Middle-Eastern techniques, Bollywood dance is characterized by elaborate
choreographies, energetic movements, and dances that involve a large number
of participants.

Hip-hop & Funk dance

Dancing style of Hip-Hop evolved from the music style that was first introduced
during 1970s. Powered by the great popularity, exposure in media, movies and
television programs, hip-hop dances found a great foothold in United States, France,
United Kingdom and South Korea. A very similar style called Funk was also created
during 1970s, and is today regarded as one of the most influential pieces of Hip-hop
dance styles.
 Breakdance (Breaking) - One of the most athletic dances in the world,
Breakdance, have originally found its popularity in the 1970s as the street dance
in the New York’s Bronx. Since then it has spread all around the world where it
was viewed as one of the most unique dance styles ever made. Usually danced
solo, this dance requires talented dancers to perform the series of either
choreographed or freeform dance and athletic movements alongside usually
breakbeat, hip-hop or funk music.
 Bounce - Born in the 1980s as a mix of New Orleans hip-hop music and the
traditions of the Mardi Gras Indian chants, Bounce dance can today be danced
both in its common and hypersexual form. Since it is so closely connected with
the traditions of the Mardi Gras culture, many forms of Bounce today remain to
be highly regional and can rarely be seen dancing outside of the music scenes of
New Orleans, Miami, Baltimore, and other music hubs.
  Electric boogaloo - Funk style of hip-hop was popularized not only by its music
but also by the worldwide acceptance of the famous dance style called Electric
Boogaloo, which was originally promoted in the 1970s by the dance group of the
same name. Danced both by individuals and groups in both free form and
choreographed manner, Electric Boogaloo is filled with the wide variety of moves
that focused on the movement of legs, hips, knees and frequent use of
exaggerated robotic-like moves.
 Street Jazz - Created with the influences of African American slaves, Jazz dance
gained popularity in the early 20th century as any form of dance that was
performed alongside then new Jazz music. Highly improvisational and freeform,
Jazz dance quickly morphed into a performance dance that emulated elements
of ballet. Today, Jazz dance is enjoyed in many forms which are collectively
called “modern jazz dance”.
 Jookin' - Jookin’ or so-called “gangsta waling” style of dance is a street dance
that originated quite recently in the 1990s on the streets of Memphis, Tennessee.
The dance is characterized by the movement set that tries to emulate the
“bounce” in the core beat of the crunk music that often accompanies this dance
style. Even though this dance has found some popularity worldwide, it is still a
regional dance that can rarely be seen outside of the city of Memphis.
 Locking - Funk dance is incredibly diverse, and one of its famous variations is
“locking”. The core gimmick of this style of hip-hop dance is to suddenly stop and
hold the position (or get locked) in the middle of dance routines for a short while,
and then suddenly resume the dance. It requires full body motion, but most of the
dance is focused on top half of the body. Many Locking dancers prefer to use
various acrobatic and physically demanding moves to augment their dance
routines.
 Popping - Very close in style with popular Electric Boogaloo, Popping is another
variation of the funk-themed street dance from the 1960s and 1970s that found
popularity all around the world. The technique that dancers need to master to
properly dance Popping is controlled and quick contrasting and relaxing of
muscles that will create the feeling of a jerk throughout the body. This jerk is
referred as “pop” or “hit” and can be used to augment dance routines,
movements and possess.

References
Dance Facts. Types of dance-categories. Retrieved from
http://www.dancefacts.net/dance-types/types-of-dances/
History World. History of the dance. Retrieved January 26, 2020 from
www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ab82