How to Learn About the Evolution of Dance
If you wish to study the evolution of dance, you should first build up on your knowledge of both memorable events and renowned artists in dance's history. Once you know the historical facts, attend public dance performances to see how the art has progressed through the years.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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Chronicling the Evolution of Dance
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1
Begin with your favorite dancer. Find the teacher who taught this dancer the movement in the dance you are interested in. Continue moving up from the successor to the predecessor until you find the master, who is the original educator of the dance.To do this, you can peruse library books on the dance, a dance company's brief dancer biographies and company histories, and book biographies. If your favorite dancer is a current performer, you may want to put a call in to the dancer to ask.
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2
Look up in reference books the beginnings of ballet in Catherine de Medicis' Italy and Louis XIII's France. Review the debut of "Balet Comique de la Reuse" the first dramatic ballet, put on by Catherine's director of court festivals, Baltazar de Beaujoyeulx. Study the renowned institution, Academie Royale de Danse, established in 1661 by Louis' son, Louis XIV.
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3
If you have the taste and time for travel, visit a performing arts library to study dancer achievements, and a museum to see the landmark showings. Americans have carefully collected the recordings and remembrances of dance's moments in history. Enthusiasts have noted the lasting impressions in more than 10,000 books, oral histories, pictures, films, clippings and videotapes. Museum exhibits show citizens the memorable pieces and lasting traditions.
On the West Coast, the Museum of Performing Arts and Design in San Francisco houses a large dance collection. At the museum, you can enter the library to study folk, ballet, jazz, ethnic, tap and modern dance. The collection offers programs, souvenirs and press releases. Times in dance span from Elizabethan court dance to contemporary dance.
On the East Coast, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts houses the Jerome Robbins Dance Division, the most extensive archival collection on dance in the world, set up in 1944. Not only does this library have its own museum with rotating displays, but you can also travel to Sarasota Springs to see a Hall of Fame for dancers. At the National Museum of Dance, you can see honors to Fred Astaire, George Balanchine and Anna Sokolow.
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Read the story of America's leading ballet company New York City Ballet. The book, "Dance for a City: 50 Years of the New York City Ballet" describes and illustrates in black and white 50 years of company dancers engaged in growing dance to the century end's mark.
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5
Attend a performance at the theatre that chronicles a dance history. Judge directly the dances for each period portrayed. By judging, you gain a fair knowledge of the examples.
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Tips & Warnings
Ask an dance instructor for a few lessons on classical and modern dance.
Learn the dance figures as you learn the historical facts. You can see the progress in the figures.
