The History of the Cancan Dance
The Cancan is a choreographed dance that became popular entertainment when it was introduced in the late 19th century at the Moulin Rouge, a night club in Paris. In addition to making the Moulin Rouge famous, the Cancan and became a memorable highlight in both the film and stage versions of "Can-Can."
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Beginning
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The earliest evidence of Cancan dancing was found on a wall frieze in a tomb in Egypt in 2500 to 2350 BC, depicting a line of dancers kicking their legs over their heads.
Evolution
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Privately, the Cancan was performed by courtesans to seduce a client. Publicly, it was danced by men who later partnered with women to perform a provocative and vulgar routine that eventually became a highly polished and respectable dance performance dominated by women.
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Characteristics
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High kicks, wild movements and long skirts concealing lacy under garments contributed to the racy, shocking and scandalous image of the Cancan. The kick line, flying splits and cartwheels were some of the athletic dance elements added to produce a technically challenging and exciting performance.
Music
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The Cancan is danced to music with 2/4 time. Jacques Offenbach's music from the ballet "Gaite Parisienne," is the most readily identified Cancan music.
Influences
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The movements of the Cancan were influenced by acrobatics and particularly the performance of Charles Mazurier as Jocko the Monkey in a Parisian revue. Costumes and movements were also influenced by the politics, fashion and morality of the time.
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References
- Photo Credit Bing Images
