Rhythms That Dance

1
Chapter 5

• Rhythms That Dance

2
Early American Influences

• Native American developed a rich tradition of
  dance to serve social, ceremonial, and spiritual
  purposes.
• American dance traditions can be traced to
  European and African roots.

3
European Influences

• Reels Irish dances from a word meaning a
  weaving motion, danced to quick music in duple
  meter, for 2-16 dancers, forerunners of square
  dancing
• Jigs Irish dances that use music in 6/8 time
  with a triple meter, name refers to the dancers
  up and down movement
• Ceili (kay-lee) includes mainly reels and jigs,
  a traditional Irish or Scottish social dance.
• Some of the reels and jigs were forerunners to
  CLOGGING
• 1994 Riverdance became popular, combined
  traditional step dancing with contemporary music
  and costumes.

4
Conjunto

• Conjunto a dance music created by Mexicans in
  Texas, influenced by European neighbors it
  includes polka sounds with traditional Mexican
  sounds.
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vpCjLTXVCd1s

5
Hula

• Film industry grew popular in Hawaii in the 1930s
  (before it became a state in 1959).
• The hula was seen as superficial entertainment,
  but now provides links to Hawaiis past.
• Hula means movement and gestures.
• Ukulele small 4 stringed guitar, used to
  accompany the hula
• The hula can be performed standing or seated.
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vl_WmLl9p_MM
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vs9dof5o64H8

6
Classical Dance

• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vCcC6ISw-dEs
• Ballet refined style of classical dance
  emphasizes the verticality of the body, an
  outward rotation of the legs with fluid foot and
  leg work, and virtuosic turns and jumps
• Ballet emerged from Italy and France during the
  16th century. It has roots in European court
  dances.
• Popular ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The
  Nutcracker
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vWz_f9B4pPtg
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vDOARfu8modE

7
Ballet Breaks New Ground

• 1913 Popular choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky
  worked on a ballet, The Rite of Spring by
  Russian Igor Stravinsky.
• Nijinskys choreo broke established rules of
  classical ballet. The dancers legs were bent
  and turned in their movements were heavy.
• A riot broke out people threw whatever was
  handy at the musicians and dancers food,
  programs, and items of clothing.
• It was only danced 7 times with the original
  choreography.
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vd6d8wacBjPQ

8
West Side Story

• Dance found its way to broadway musicals through
  Operettas and Vaudeville shows.
• In West Side Story the dances are memorable
  because they are integral to the story. It
  opened on Broadway in 1957 as a modern-day
  version of Romeo and Juliet.
• The music is by composer Leonard Bernstein who,
  for the musical/movie, carefully blended Latin
  American dance rhythms with American jazz.

9

• Mambo a type of ballroom dance that originated
  in Cuba
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vkokbJvSEMUY
• Cha-cha a rhythmic Latin American dance with
  the basic pattern of three steps and a shuffle
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vFXNZFe63brY

10

• Charleston an athletic dance that includes
  kicks and inward leg rotations on syncopated
  beats of the music.
• Tap dancing step dancing in which foot
  movements produce audible rhythms emphasized by
  small metal plates on the soles of the dancers
  shoes
• Bill Bojangles Robinson
• Savion Glover
• Lindy Hop a jazzy dance where couples swing,
  balance, and twirl, featured the breakaway

11

• Tango a Latin American dance performed at a
  moderately slow, walk-like tempo in 4/4 meter
• Samba African-Brazilian dance that is faster
  and jazzier than the tango
• Rock and Roll musical blend of rhythm and
  blues, country, and gospel styles
• The Twist a dance and song by Chubby Checker
• Disco electric mix of rhythm and blues, gospel,
  soul and Latin dance music short for discotheque
  meant music library
• Developed a need for DJs
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vLUID0jSh2Ic