Assignment # 6

The Baroque Period of Dance

The baroque period was from 1600 to 1750.  Baroque was derived from the Portuguese word barroco meaning misshapen pearl.  During this time dance, art, architecture, and music flourished.  The baroque period is characterized by dynamic movement, overt emotion, and self-confident rhetoric.  During the baroque period there was a tendency to blur distinction between the various arts. Louis XIV was a dancer in European History during this time.  At age 15, he appeared as Apollo, the sun king, in a ballet.  That is why he is still known as the Sun King.  This baroque period of dance is directly related to the baroque music.

Louis XIV, the Sun King

Why People Dance

People dance as a form of representation and self-expression.  Some people dance as a form of prayer, a way to stay fit, a way to spend quality time with a partner, or as a social interaction.  Dance is commonly expected to see during a time of celebration like at a wedding.  Sometimes people just dance for fun and as a hobby or interest.  Dance is also done by a way of performing. There are many types of dance and many of them hold different purposes.  An example would be the Butoh dance which is the dance of the dark soul and is an experimental Japanese dance.  This is different from Modern Ballet which is a 20^th century variation on classical ballet and is based on the teaching of George Balanchine.

People using dance as a form of exercise by doing Zumba.


One Non-Western Dance Art Form

One non-western dance art form is Polynesian dance. Polynesian dance can be seen and celebrated as a form of art on many islands from Hawaii to Tahiti.  This dance is a major part of many cultures.  His native dance to Hawaii is the hula.  The hula is performed at luaus and festivals. This dance was originally created by the Polynesians settled in Hawaii.  These dancers perform to a song or chant, and this is known as a "mele." Oftentimes the choreography acts out the words or emotion behind the mele. The two kinds of hula are Monarchy and Ai Kahiko.  There is a Polynesian Culture center on the island of Oahu that many tourists, including myself, visit to see this Polynesian dance and this culture.

Polynesian dancers performing a traditional Hula dance.