The end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century was marked by a diversity of cultural and artistic phenomena, styles and directions. Huge impact on world art influences African-American culture, primarily through music and new musical genres and styles such as jazz, blues, ragtime. Based on new music and African movements, new dances and dance styles emerge - “Shimmy”, “Black Bottom”, “Charleston”, “Two-step”, “cakewalk”, etc.
All these dances are united by lightness, ease and, one might say, tomfoolery. Based on these dances, new dance styles and subtypes subsequently emerge. For example, the emergence of some types of professional ballroom dance - foxtrot, jive and quickstep, are closely related to cakewalk, two-step, shimmy dances ( Shimmy) and Black Bottom. The style of dances from the beginning of the 20th century is found in the ballet “The Golden Age” by D. Shostakovich, in the operetta “Bayadera” by I. Kalman and in other performances.
Gradually, jazz dance takes on theatrical forms, which leads to the emergence of a new style - Broadway jazz. The term Broadway jazz comes from the name of the theater located on the street of the same name in New York. Broadway jazz is found primarily in musicals, but can also be seen in cinema, in various shows and dramatic performances.
Choreographer and director Bob Fosse has a great influence on the development of Broadway jazz. His films “Cabaret”, “Sweet Charity”, “All That Jazz”, etc., as well as dances for them, are very successful today. The plot of the musical film “Sweet Charity” was created on the basis of F. Fellini’s film “Nights of Cabiria”. Bob Fosse reveals the characters of people from high society, which is not typical spiritual world- The world of things and material values is close to them. This idea is conveyed through very precise dance moves that reveal the characters' personalities.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Art Nouveau and free dance styles also emerged. The first dancer to oppose the strict forms of classical ballet was the American Isadora Duncan. Her dances were free, light and had elements of ancient Greek poses and gestures. Gordon Craig, an English director, wrote about her: “What was in her other than this, no one will ever be able to determine. She was the forerunner. Whatever she did, everything was done with great ease - or so it seemed. This is what gave her the appearance of strength. She released dance into our world in the firm confidence that she was creating something great and true.”
Free dance was also developed thanks to the American dancer Ruth St. Denis and her husband, actor and choreographer Ted Shawn. Ruth Saint Denis performed in exotic costumes with luxurious decorations, which made her concerts more spectacular. Among her productions was the ballet "Radha" to the music of L. Delibes (1906), in which motifs of Indian temple dance were used. This is how she spoke about dance: “I see Dance as a way of communication between soul and soul, through the expression of everything that is very deep, very subtle to convey in words.” In 1915, Ruth St. Denis, together with her husband Ted Shawn, organized the Denishawn troupe and dance school in Los Angeles. This school trained many of the leading figures in modern dance, including Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman.
Distinctive Features dance and modern style is a rejection of direct, classic lines and forms in favor of more natural, “natural” ones, as well as interest in everything new. This style was popular not only in dancing, but also in painting, sculpture, architecture and even in clothing and interior design. Features of Art Nouveau can be found in the works of G. Klimt, A. Mucha, L. Bakst, A. Benois, M. Vrubel and others. Art Nouveau artists drew inspiration from the art of Japan, Ancient Egypt and other ancient civilizations.
The 20th century is the heyday of Russian ballet. The ballet of Diaghilev’s “Russian Seasons” created a real sensation in Paris and throughout the world. It was not just a ballet, it was a unique combination of choreography, music, scenery and the skill of the dancers. Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Vaslav Nijinsky, Serge Lifar and others shone in the “Russian Seasons” troupe. The creativity of choreographers Mikhail Fokin, Leonid Myasin and others flourished in the “Russian Seasons” troupe. Innovative costumes and scenery were created by artists Benois, Bakst, Serov, Picasso, and the music for the ballets was written by Igor Stravinsky, Erik Satie, Sergei Prokofiev, Claude Debussy and others.
"Russian Seasons" by Picasso. Costume for the ballet “Cocked Corner”
Coco Chanel also collaborated with Diaghilev’s troupe - she created costumes for the ballet “Blue Express”. These were classic tracksuits, striped sweaters and knee socks, and tennis tunics. Naturally, the “Russian seasons” were the personification of everything new, fashionable and progressive, and therefore the French public went crazy with delight and shock.
Ballet “Blue Express” Portrait of Diaghilev (artist V. Serov)
The outstanding choreographer of the 20th century, George Balanchine, also collaborated with Diaghilev. For the Russian seasons, he staged the ballets “Apollo Musagete” to the music of Igor Stravinsky and “ Prodigal son"to the music of Sergei Prokofiev. Both ballets were successful, but soon George Balanchine left the “Russian seasons” and went first to London and Copenhagen, and later to the USA. Together with L. Kerstein, a famous artist, Balanchine creates the American ballet school, and then a professional group, now known to everyone as the New York City Ballet . Here he puts his famous ballets- “Serenade” to the music of Tchaikovsky, “Concerto Baroque” to the music of Bach’s concerto for two violins, “Symphony in C major” to music. Bizet's symphonies, "Brilliant Allegro" to music. 3rd Tchaikovsky piano concerto, “Caracol” to music. Mozart, "Episodes" on music. Webern and others. Balanchine made a huge contribution to the development of classical dance traditions in America. His ballets are a combination of classical choreography with a new aesthetics of poses, dance patterns and musical accents. Balanchine created a new dance style, “neoclassical”, which became close to many choreographers - Jerome Robbins, Alexei Ratmansky, Benjamin Millepied and others.
Balanchine and his troupe. Photo by Duane Michels
The development of Russian (Soviet) ballet in the 20th century was greatly influenced by choreographer and director Rostislav Zakharov. Zakharov's ballets are complete dramatic works, competently structured from the point of view of direction. Special attention deserves the ballet “The Bakhchisarai Fountain” to the music of Asafiev, performed by two legendary ballerinas - Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya. The ballet contrasts the authority and passion of Zarema (Plisetskaya) with the tenderness and spiritual sophistication of Maria (Ulanova). The nature of two opposites is conveyed not only through acting, but also through the movements and poses conceived by the choreographer, as well as through the exciting music of Asafiev.
Ballet "Bakhchisarai Fountain"
Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya
The great choreographer Yuri Grigorovich left a huge mark on the history of Russian ballet. His ballets “Romeo and Juliet”, “Spartacus”, “Legend of Love” and others make up a golden collection of performances Bolshoi Theater. Grigorovich's ballets are characterized by strength of spirit, scale, and heroism, which is reflected in the choreography, scenery and music. Grigorovich collaborated with theater designer Simon Virsaladze, who designed all of his ballets. Grigorovich pays more attention to music. His ballets convey not only the content of the plot, but also the content of the music. He worked closely with composers S. Prokofiev, A. Melikhov, A. Khachaturian, D. Shostokovich and others. V. Vanslov notes the amazing unity of music, choreography and decoration ballets by Grigorovich: “In the performances of Yu.N. Grigorovich achieved an unusually organic synthesis of the arts. It is difficult to name other stage creations where music, choreography, visual arts, choreography and performing skills would appear in such an amazing fusion, as if everything stems from a single source and poured out from one creator, as if in one breath. Deepening the synthesis of arts - plastic, stage, any other - is also one of the trends artistic culture XX century".
Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasiliev, Maris Liepa, Natalya Bessmertnova and others shone in Grigorovich’s ballets, who created new images and new characters in the ballet. V. Vanslov writes about this: “In Grigorovich’s performances, new type a dancer-actor who knows how to embody deep dramatic and psychological content in a complex dance part. It is not technical virtuosity outside of the image and not the image outside of dance expressiveness, but an organic fusion of acting creativity with developed and rich dance that characterizes the performing style in Grigorovich’s ballets.”
Ballet "Spartacus"
Set design for the ballet “Ivan the Terrible”
The ballets of contemporary Russian choreographer Boris Eifman are distinguished by the scale and depth of their choreography. His ballets, based on the works of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov and others, are real works of art. The ballets are imbued with deep philosophy, and Eifman is called a “choreographer-philosopher.” The choreographic poses invented by Eifman can be compared with paintings and sculptures of great artists, and the plastic has its own unique style, combining the classical dance basis with modern trends. Technical ability dancers amaze and delight connoisseurs of ballet art. “Eifman the teacher (and his merit in this is no less than that of the choreographer) raised a new type of universal dancer who can do everything. Eifman's dancers float in the air, as if deprived of gravity. They know no limits in controlling their body. They can handle the most difficult things acrobatic stunts and the most unimaginable steps. The dance involves not only the arms and legs, but the whole body. Eifman's ballerinas are boneless and ethereal: in duets they wrap themselves around their partner like vines; dashingly dance the Charleston like real cabaret dancers; they stand on pointe shoes and, with their eyes downcast, float across the stage as if they had never danced anything except “Swan Lake”,” writes Bella Yezerskaya.
Ballet "Red Giselle". Choreographer B. Eifman, in the photo Vera Arbuzova (Photo: Nina Alovert)
Ballet "Anna Karenina"
Eifman pays special attention to the corps de ballet, as Bella Yezerskaya writes: “Eifman created a corps de ballet that is rare in its synchronicity, expressiveness and precision of each movement. The extras in his performances acquire either grotesque sharpness, as, for example, in the scene of demonstration of the revolutionary plebs in “Red Giselle,” or sculptural expressiveness, as in Mozart’s “Requiem,” or classical completeness, as in “Tchaikovsky.” Amazes final scene ballet "Anna Karenina", in which the artists accurately depicted the movement of the train, with the help of choreography, as well as the refined and refined taste of choreography, costumes and scenery inherent in Eifman's ballets.
As for Western ballet, there, the fate of ballet art was decided by outstanding choreographers: Jose Limon, John Cranko, Roland Petit, Maurice Bejart, Jiri Kylian, John Neumeier, etc. All of them left their unique mark on history, reaching the hearts of the audience through their productions and creating your own unique and memorable dance style, created on a classical basis with the addition modern choreography.
I would like to pay special attention to the work of Jiri Kylian. His choreography contains lightness, precision of poses and patterns, and incredible musicality. As Rudolf Nureyev wrote, “There is Jiri Kylian, who, I would say, has the most “golden” ears. He turns metaphors into movements: Kilian hears music and sees movements." Often his works are filled with humor, mischief and dexterity of movement. This can be seen in his productions of “Six Dances”, “Symphony in D”, “Birthday”, etc. This is a great advantage for the choreographer, because humor is needed and necessary for man and art. There is a place in creativity for both the children's ballet "The Child and the Magic" and the serious dramatic work“The Story of a Soldier” to complex music by Stravinsky..
Ballet "Child and Magic"
"Six Dances"
The concepts of postmodernism that emerged in the second half of the 20th century had a great influence on dance art. The main and only value of postmodern art is considered to be the unrestricted freedom of expression of the artist, freedom of thought and creativity. All this was also characteristic of dance art, which incorporated the basic principles of postmodernism. Having no restrictions or clear boundaries, postmodern art gave rise to many styles and new trends in art. In dances, these are contemporary, contact improvisation, hip-hop dance, pop dance, fly law, etc.
Contemporary dance is associated with such names as Robert Dunn, Anna Halprin, Simon Forti, David Gordon, Trisha Brown, Steve Paxton, Deborah Hay, Lucinda Childs and Meredith Monk, etc. The beginning of postmodernism in dance should be considered the work of the Judson Church Theater (Judson Dance Theater). The Judson Church Theater featured a group of experimental dancers who performed in New York City at the Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, in art galleries, museums since 1962
New dance experiments were based on the principles of improvisation and modern choreography; they were greatly influenced by composer John Cage and choreographer Merce Cunningham. John Cage was interested in Zen Buddhism and defended the principle of chance in the creative process.
The same principle was defended by Merce Cunningham, believing that when composing compositions this allows one to get rid of the plot and stereotypical solutions (although, in our opinion, the absence of a plot in choreography is an omission). But in modern dance, the process of creating dances is often important, not the result .
Also, conceptual artist Robert Morris collaborated with the Judson Theater: “We met with small group dancers, painters, musicians, and poets on Sunday evenings and experimented with sound, light, language, and movement in the studio. This was my first involvement with dance-related research. When I moved to New York in 1961, these activities were still fresh in my mind, so the Judson Open Meeting approached me - although I do not remember exactly how I became associated with them" (R. Morris).
Robert Morris, Lucinda Childs, Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer, Deborah High, Tony Holder, Sally Gross, Robert Rauschenberg, Judith Dunne and Joseph Schlichter.
Further similar groups were formed that adhered to similar principles, such as Grand Union, Living Theater, Open theater, etc. These associations also defended the ideas of chance, and often the process of creating dances was more important than the result. One of the group members was Steve Paxton, the creator of the style of contact improvisation, the idea of which lies in the spontaneous contact of people's bodies.
Steve Paxton
As for hip-hop dance, it originated in the African-American disadvantaged neighborhoods of New York in the late 60s. Initially, hip-hop culture and dance were focused on parties and relaxation (scratched music of Jamaican DJs and recitative), later hip-hop culture was imbued with aggressively defiant lyrics of social rap, reflecting the harsh reality ( gangsta rap 90s) and gradually leaked to the masses, going into show business. Hip-hop dance, accordingly, is divided into old school (old school hip-hop) and new style ( new school). The old school includes popping, locking, breakdance, and the new school represents more commercial hip-hop with the addition of various styles of choreography - jazz dance, contemporary dance, pop dance, etc. Hip-hop is characterized by freedom, rhythm, and direction of movements into the ground, as well as relaxation of the knees and swaying of the body, the so-called “kach”. Hip-hop dance is very popular nowadays and can be seen everywhere - in various shows, music videos, performances, etc. Based on complex stunts and acrobatics, it is quite challenging to perform. Now the best hip-hop dancers are the dance duo Les Twins, and you can also name the French dancer Dedson and American singer Chris Brown.
Old-school hip-hop
The dance culture of the 20th and early 21st centuries is extremely rich and diverse. Under the influence of new musical trends and new trends in art, dance and choreography were enriched with new styles and trends. Over the course of the century, the perception, vision and approach to dance and choreography have changed. Continues to live, develop and classical dance, enriched by modern movements, preserving the classical style and the foundation laid by centuries of history. And this is correct, since it is possible and necessary to keep up with the times without forgetting about your past.
Conclusion:
The art of choreography is multifaceted and unique. Choreography conveys to us the content and a certain meaning laid down by the dancer or choreographer through the mysterious and enigmatic language of the human body. As Martha Graham said, “Dance is the secret language of the soul” and “the body speaks what words cannot say.”
During the research, we traced how dance changed over centuries of history, what features it acquired and what role it played in people’s lives. Each period of history has left its own unique and inimitable mark on the art of dance. Dance has always united people, served as a way for people to communicate with each other, as well as a means of self-expression and energy renewal. Choreographer Alla Rubina talks about this: “Dance is self-expression. That is, a person expresses himself, his thoughts, his life and understanding of life through dance. This is the knowledge of beauty, self-knowledge, which occurs both in those who dance and in those who watch... When you dance, you accumulate energy and are renewed. Any movement is a renewal of the energy field. This is a purely medical function...”
A dance performance is impossible or very impoverished without scenography, costumes and music. Throughout history, dance, and later ballet, has been closely associated with music and the visual arts. J. J. Nover identified the important components of a ballet performance: “The stage, so to speak, is the canvas on which the choreographer captures his thoughts; with the proper selection of music, scenery and costumes, he gives the picture its color, because the choreographer is the same painter.” V. Vanslov also writes about the relationship between music and dance: “The emergence of dance would have been impossible if music had not come to the aid of plastic arts. It enhances the expressiveness of dance plasticity and gives it an emotional and rhythmic basis.” All this indicates that choreography is a synthetic art form that combines several types of arts.
Dance art is constantly enriching itself and moving forward, absorbing all the basic moods of society, as well as reflecting important historical events, socio-cultural and political life. It was interesting for me to follow the process of dance development, deciphering its meaning and significance throughout history.
List of used literature:
1. Thino Arbaud “On Dance and Music”
2. V. Vanslov “On music and ballet”
3. Yu. Bakhrushin “History of Russian ballet”
4. Vera Krasovskaya “History of Western Ballet”
5. S. Khudekov “History of Dance”
6. Dance “Modern” http://www.ortodance.ru/dance/style_modern1
7. V. Vanslov “Grigorovich’s ballets and problems of choreography” http://bolshoi-theatr.com/articles/596/part-2/
8. Hip-hop http://vsip.mgopu.ru/data/2401.htm
9. Lucian “Treatise on Dance”
10. Encyclopedia of ballet http://www.krugosvet.ru/
The 20th century is a time of evolution and progress. This period can be compared to a huge leap in the scientific and technological field. But progress affected not only science or technology, but also civilization in general. Such a rapid and dynamic development of society occurred even despite two world wars and many other events that brought complete destruction. But humanity’s craving for perfection and self-development has contributed to the incredible evolution of man as a part of cultural society. Dancing was one of the most powerful tools for self-realization and self-improvement. They brought joy, a sense of happiness and harmony into the life of people of the 20th century, when scientific and technological progress almost completely squeezed out spirituality and replaced it with pragmatism. Due to the lack of “beautiful” during this period, the culture of dance simply “explodes”, and a colossal number of new types and styles of choreography appear.
Dance "kaleidoscope" of the 20th century
From the diverse and variegated “kaleidoscope” of dance styles of the 20th century, one can single out such as rumba, hip-hop, lambada, contemporary and many others. Such a variety of dances proves that the 20th century is a leap not only in the scientific and technological sphere, but also a huge step forward in culture, art and the development of society as a whole.
Salsa is one of the most popular types dance in the 20th century. This Latin American dance originated in Cuba back in the 20s and has been the most popular choreographic composition ever since. Salsa has won such worldwide love thanks to its incredible fiery, graceful and amazing rhythm. This dance can make you enjoy life and see the world only in bright colors. Salsa has several directions: cha-cha-cha, rumba, bocacha, mambo and others.
Salsa
Tango is incredibly beautiful and passionate dance with Argentinean roots. Since its inception, namely in the 19th century, it has become the most popular and beloved choreographic production throughout Argentina, London, Paris, New York, etc. This dance soon “lit up” all of Europe, America and the whole world. Tango in the 20th century was even a kind of cult - entire ensembles were created, parties dedicated specifically to it, and musical compositions written specifically for tango.
Tango
Another fantastically popular and unique dance of the 20th century is rock and roll. This choreographic performance made a real revolution in culture, art and social life. Rock and roll appeared in the 50s in America. Its origins, first of all, began with music, which gave impetus to the emergence of this type of dance. Rock and roll has conquered young hearts all over the world with its drive, “spark” and incredible dynamism. This dance is characterized by very complex lifts, jumps, throws and a certain careless attitude of the partner towards the partner. The slogan of rock and roll sounded like “sex, drugs and rock-n-roll”, therefore, due to excessive frankness and even vulgarity, this type of dance was considered immoral and forbidden. But this did not stop him from remaining extremely popular in the 20s and even in our time.
In the early years of the 20th century, before the outbreak of the First World War, there were two obvious trends in the development of dance. As if somehow they became aware of the impending catastrophe, the rich societies of Europe and America indulged in entertainment, one of the main ones being such fast dancing like waltzes and gallops. At the same time, attempts were made to revive such medieval dances as the minuet, gavotte and pavane, although this turned out rather poorly. However, almost never has there been such a frantic search for new forms, such a radical change in meanings that were previously taken for granted, such a passion among the youth of all countries for individual expression and a more dynamic lifestyle. All arts have been deeply influenced by the rapid accumulation of discoveries in physical and social sciences, as well as a growing awareness of social issues.
Overall, it was an incredibly exciting time for the development of dance: never before had so many new ideas been generated and so many people attracted to dance. The ballet was completely revamped under the direction of the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929). Ballet has inspired some of the most outstanding composers and artists of that time, becoming the main base for most works in dance art. Proponents of another modern dance reform movement, based on the dances of the American ballerina Isadora Duncan, began to try to move away from the conventions that had become mandatory during the Romantic ballet.
This new movement developed especially energetically in Germany, where its expressionist forms were called Ausdruckstanz (“expressionist dance”). Ballroom dancing has been changed quite a lot by adding fresh influences from South American, Creole and African cultures. After strong growth popularity of African-American jazz, the whole spirit and style social dancing changed radically and in subsequent decades they became much more free, calm and “intimate”.
There was also a renewed interest in folk dances, which were self-expression ordinary people in past centuries. This was partly facilitated by special folk dance societies, as well as various youth movements, which saw that these dances could help in the formation of new social feelings. Theatrical dances of all types, which were formed from the stylized centuries-old dances of the East, reached new heights of popularity.
During the 1830s and 1840s, the Romantic Movement led to the ballet stage becoming overrun with nature spirits, fairies, and sylphs. The cult of the ballerina replaced the cult of the dancer, the last and greatest representative of which was the French dancer Italian origin Gaetin Vestris (1729–1808). Women's dance techniques were greatly improved. The length of the skirt was shortened even further, and ballet shoes were introduced, which allowed dancing on the toes. Choreographers continued to strive for more expressive movements and emphasizing the individual qualities of their dancers.
The ballet La Sylphide (1836) perfectly demonstrated the main subject of romantic ballet - the struggle between real world and the spiritual world. This theme was expanded in Giselle (1841) and Ondine (1843). At that time, Paris and London were tastemakers, and it was in London in 1845 that the premiere of “Pas de quatre” took place - a badet production, for the performance in 4 acts of which the French choreographer Jules Perrault invited four of the greatest ballerinas of that time: Marie Taglioni (1804 –84), Carlotta Grisi (1819–99), Fanny Cerrito (1817–1909) and Lucile Gran (1819–1907).
After this, Romantic Ballet quickly declined, at least in these cities. However, in Copenhagen it continued to flourish in the early 1860s thanks to choreographer Auguste Bournonville, whose repertoire was adopted by the Royal Danish Ballet in the second half of the 20th century. Russia at that time, thanks to the French-born choreographer Marius Petipa (1819–1910) and his Russian assistant Lev Ivanov (1834–1901), managed to create a world-famous ballet culture of its own. Initially, Russian theatrical traditions were closely connected with Paris, but gradually their own ballet culture developed. Finest hour classical ballet in Tsarist Russia was achieved in St. Petersburg productions like The Sleeping Beauty (1890), The Nutcracker (1892) and Swan Lake"(1895), the music for which was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, as well as "Raymonda" (1898) by Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936). While ballet flourished in St. Petersburg and Moscow, it declined in Paris. Ballerinas began to appear even in male roles, for example in “Coppelia” (1870).
The 19th century also saw an unprecedented increase in travel and cross-cultural influences. Thanks to this, many “exotic” dance styles appeared on the Western stage. Troupes from India and Japan came to exhibitions in Paris, which aroused keen interest in folk and ethnic dances. Ballerinas of the Romantic Ballet toured all over European cities: from Milan and London to Moscow. Austrian dancer Fanny Elssler made a two-year tour of North and South America in the early 1840s. Great choreographers also traveled to all cities. The language of dance became a real way of international communication, because it did not depend on the country or the language spoken in it.
Dancing in the USA in the 19th century
During the 19th century in Europe, other dance entertainments that were “lighter” than classical ballet also gained enormous popularity. In Paris, the women's cancan became the height of fashion. His crazy energy, fervor and flirting to the point of foul became a real revelation for the public. After 1844, this dance became a feature of music halls, revues and operettas. The genre was developed by the operetta composer Jacques Offenbach (1819–80) and vividly depicted by the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901).
In London at this time the Alhambra and Imperial Ballets flourished, which mainly staged classical ballets on various topics. But the widest variety of dances was provided by America, where after the war, against the backdrop of a patriotic wave after the War of Independence, they began to appear en masse various dances on the theme of freedom, as well as reviving dances from the era of the colonization of America.
Separately, it should be noted that minstrel shows, extravaganzas, burlesques and vaudevilles became popular in America in the 19th and 20th centuries. They represented a fusion of a wide assortment of dance and theatrical influences, especially drawn from black culture. White people began to dance “black dances”, while painting their faces black, and dark-skinned men bleached their faces and danced white dances. IN theatrical productions All kinds of dances began to appear, from ballets imported from Europe to completely authentic female dances of local Indians, which were on the verge of striptease. American dancers began to enjoy a good reputation in both America and Europe. Ballerina Augusta Maywood (1825–1876) was the first American dancer to perform at the Paris Opera.
The 19th century also saw a huge increase in the number of public dance halls and other dance-related establishments in the rapidly growing cities of the Western United States. Here, native American rural dances began to be revived, a very fast two-step performed to marches, and cakewalk. For the first time, Europe found something new in the New World to learn from for its dance scene. Also at that time the tempo of dances accelerated significantly, perhaps reflecting the accelerating pace of life and large social change century.
Dances of the early 20th century
In the early years of the 20th century, before the outbreak of the First World War, there were two obvious trends in the development of dance. As if they had somehow become aware of the impending catastrophe, the rich societies of Europe and America indulged in entertainment, one of the main ones being such fast dances as waltzes and gallops. At the same time, attempts were made to revive such medieval dances as the minuet, gavotte and pavane, although this turned out rather poorly. However, almost never has there been such a frantic search for new forms, such a radical change in meanings that were previously taken for granted, such a passion among the youth of all countries for individual expression and a more dynamic lifestyle. All the arts were deeply influenced by the rapid accumulation of discoveries in the physical and social sciences, as well as by the growing awareness of social problems.
Overall, it was an incredibly exciting time for the development of dance: never before had so many new ideas been generated and so many people attracted to dance. The ballet was completely revamped under the direction of the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929). Ballet inspired some of the most prominent composers and artists of the time, becoming the basis for much of the work in dance art. Proponents of another modern dance reform movement, based on the dances of the American ballerina Isadora Duncan, began to try to move away from the conventions that had become mandatory during the Romantic ballet.
This new movement developed especially energetically in Germany, where its expressionist forms were called Ausdruckstanz (“expressionist dance”). Ballroom dancing has been modified quite a bit by adding fresh influences from South American, Creole and African cultures. Following the strong rise in popularity of African-American jazz, the entire spirit and style of social dancing changed radically and became much freer, calmer and more intimate in the following decades.
There has also been a renewed interest in folk dances, which were the self-expression of ordinary people in centuries past. This was partly facilitated by special folk dance societies, as well as various youth movements, which saw that these dances could help in the formation of new social feelings. Theatrical dances of all types, which were formed from the stylized centuries-old dances of the East, reached new heights of popularity.
In the 20s of the 20th century, the Charleston dance became especially popular. It is believed thatCharleston(Charleston) has African-American roots and is originally from the city of Charleston (South Carolina).Whether this is so is not known for certain. The rhythm of this dance was so fiery that the whole world began to dance the Charleston. The dance did not catch on immediately, many of its movements were even considered indecent, but over time it gained enormous popularity, in 1926. director Ernest Lubitsch, who shot the film “This is Paris,” inserted a grandiose number into it - “Ball in Masquerade,” where 2,500 participants in the filming danced the Charleston.
In the 30s A wave of new dances is emerging on the American continent and in Europe. One of them isLindy Hop(Lindy Hop). This ballroom dance with jumps got its name in honor of the famous pilot Lindbergh, who was the first to fly across the Atlantic. Under the influence of jazz, Lindy hop gradually turned into swing, and temperamental black melodies marked the beginningboogie-woogie. In America this dance was called more oftenjitterbug(Jitterbag), in the British Isles -jive. Now we know this dance asrock and roll.The jitterbug itself, combining the movements of the Lindy Hop and the Charleston, gave rise to the emergence of disco as a dance style.
In the early 50s, rock and roll fever broke out in the world.^ In 1954 The films “Rock Around the Clock” and “Seed of Violence” with the participation of Bill Haley were shown on European screens, which contributed to the growth of the popularity of the dance. By the early 60s, the first wave of rock and roll had died down. The time has cometwist, neck, bitand other dances. The return of dance began in 1968, and was associated with the work of the Beatles. Since 1974 -1975, rock and roll has been considered one of the fashionable dances and is now called modern sports dance.
In the 70s gaining popularitydisco dance. The emergence of electronic instruments could not but affect the nature of the music and the manner of performance.. A real disco boom was caused by the film released in 1977. movie "Saturday Night Fever". In it, John Travolta dances disco with all the elements characteristic of that time. In the movie "Glory" in the 80s, fifteen hundred people danced disco in the street. In our country, the great popularity of the disco style was facilitated by the performances of the GDR television ballet “Friedrichstadt Palace”.Today, disco movements are used by almost all pop and modern dance performers.
The richer and more diverse music became with the advent of new electromusical instruments, the more different musical trends arose, and with them various styles dance.
In the late 80s and early 90s, with the advent of video, certain styles gained popularity. The work of Michael Jackson, who was then known as the king of pop music and the king of dance, gave rise to a new type of performance - “a la Jackson". His most famous videos from the albums “Thriller”, “Bad”, used disco, break, hip-hop movements.
Popularity Latin American dances gave birth to such mass dances Howlambada And Macarena. Incendiary melodies with a characteristic manner of performance gave birth to a certain set of movements, which became very popular dances - Lambada and Macarena.
^ Break (Break dance) And Hip-Hop (Hip- hop) styles. The dance, which is very similar to breaking, was known during slavery. In New Orleans they called it Kongo square dance. He received this name from the name of the square - Kongo square, where slaves once gathered. There they not only communicated and relaxed, but also competed in the art of dance. There were slaves different nationalities: Africans, Latin Americans, etc. The division into “teams” based on ethnicity gave particular urgency to the competition. Elements of acrobatics in dance are found among many nations. The break contains elements of African dances, fragments of Brazilian martial art slaves - “capoeira”, and much more.
The history of the break itself began in 1962. in the South Bronx. The founder is considered to be DJ Cool Herk. He came to the Bronx from Jamaica and brought with him the best traditions of Kingston street dancing. He came up with it in 1969. the term "B-Whoa" is from the abbreviation "break boy", which means "guy, break dancing" From the crowd of dancers, the best of the best dancers came out onto the stage and showed their skills. The so-called “break fights”.
Around the same time, in 1969. DJ Africa Bambaata coined the term “Hip-hop” as a designation for an entire culture younger generation. He included not only dance, but also the art of reading text to music (rap) and graffiti (painting on walls with spray paint).
In the late 60s, breaking existed in the form of two dance styles: New York acrobatic style (bottom or breaking) and Los Angeles mime style (top or "electric boogie"). With changes in musical trends, break dancing techniques change and become more complex.. In the 80s films about break and hip-hop are coming out: “Wild Style», « Style Wars», « Beat street», « Graffiti Rock" A year later, the San Francisco Ballet Theater opened the season with a gala concert of 46 breakers. Hundreds of breakers danced at the closing ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics.
Breaking came to Russia in the late 80s - the films “How to Become a Star”, “Courier”, etc. Break dancing festivals were held in Sochi, in the Moscow region, etc. Then the fashion for breaking subsided. In 1995 - 1997 Breaking has become fashionable again: more energetic, full of acrobatic and power elements, fast gaits and jumps. International battles - team competitions - began to appear.
Hot Top Technician (Hot
top-
techno)
translated from English slang this is a hot movement technique. The style appeared in the 70s - early 80s. Formed under the influence of modern jazz and other schools. Is street style dance, includes elements of disco, flash, street jazz. (Bonnie M, Afrique Simon, Milli Vanilli, etc.)
If you look closely at modern styles and techniques of dancers, you can easily see in them movements that have analogues in folk dance. Each style, during its formation, absorbed the peculiarity that is characteristic of the national environment or the nationality of the performer.
It cannot be said that all dance styles have already been fully formed. Every performer, choreographer, director brings something to them all the time. The popularity of the dance is ensured by the performance of a large number of groups and individual dancers. Professional and street dancers had a huge influence on the formation of many styles. Modern dance- This is not only a fashionable dance, but also a street dance.
Modern dance is synonymous with the expression - “ popular dance", "pop dance". Modern dance can be pop, but pop dance is not always modern.
The term “pop dance” is a product of secular art history and reflects, first of all, the place where the performer enters. That is, not a theater stage, but a variety show venue or concert hall. The concept of "pop dance" also includes stylizations of folk dances, sports dancing, demi-classical, dances in the styles of everyday choreography, step, currently on the stage we see quite a lot of productions performed using the means of jazz dance or modern dance. Thus, the concept of “pop dance” unites quite a lot of areas of choreographic art. However, at present, many universities and institutes of culture and art have departments of “pop” dance. Unfortunately, nothing can be done about this terminological confusion.
To summarize, there are currently 4 main SYSTEMS of dance; classical dance, modern jazz dance, modern dance and folk dance. These are those areas of dance that have their own history, their own school, their own system of training performers, their own vocabulary.
At the same time, directions of dance art exist and develop. These include ballroom dance, step dance, flamenco, social or everyday dance.
However, in recent years There are more and more mixed dance techniques that combine all the main systems. Choreographers in their productions try to find, first of all, something new and unusual, regardless of lexical affiliation. A choreographer thinks with movement, and since professional choreographers master many dance techniques, the process of borrowing and combining is inevitable. And in recent years, a term has emerged - CONTEMPORARY DANCE, a dance direction that cannot be attributed to any style or system. And this natural process integration.