History of dances of the 20th century. Historical and everyday dances

Two dancing worlds on one scheme: the most fashionable dances of salons and discos and the most daring choreographic phenomena in 100 years

1900s
Matchish

Matchish performed by Vernon and Irene Castle. 1915

This is a fragment of an untitled silent film in which famous American actors and dancers Vernon and Irene Castle dance matchish. The music superimposed on the video is a matchish called "Dengoso" by Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth, recorded in the US around the same time the film was being shot.

Matchish (port. maxixe) was born in the Brazilian province in the late 1860s. The partners moved with a quick sliding step, circled and hugged every now and then - and the partner pressed the partner's back to himself. For that sedate era, the dance, based on Afro-Latin rhythms, seemed fiery, “voluptuous”. At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, matchish became popular in Rio de Janeiro, and on the eve of the First World War, a song in the rhythm of matchish was already played by all mechanical pianos in American saloons and European cafes. Fashion has also reached Russia - Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote:

And so
Today
since morning
In the soul
hit matchish lips.
I walked twitching
spread hands,
and everywhere on the roofs trumpets danced,
and each knee threw 44!

Forerunners of modern dance

Loie Fuller performs the Serpentine dance. 1902

It is customary to begin the history of modern dance with American modern dance. But it was preceded by the work of four independent dancers, each of whom has gone down in history as a harbinger (forerunner) of modernity. Their main goal was to prove that choreography can be a serious art form, and dance is not only a show. The most famous of them, Isadora Duncan, believed that dance should develop naturally, in accordance with the individuality of the performer - it is enough to listen to your body and its impulses. It became known as free dance. Her senior colleague Loi Fuller, who came up with dozens of ways to make light and color an important part of choreography, had a serious influence on the development of not only dance, but also stage graphics. Ruth St. Denis opened Denishawn in the United States, the first school to systematically teach different types movements, from ballet to yoga. Almost all future masters of modern dance are Denishawn graduates. In addition, her students were willingly taken to extras in Hollywood films, and some, such as Louise Brooks, became stars of silent films. The fourth harbinger is Maud Allan, whose Salome was a shock to the public of the time. In general, quite a bit is known about her style, the press of that time paid much more attention to those related to her. scandalous stories- for example, when she sued an English politician who accused her of homosexuality and connections with German spies.

1910s
Tango

Rudolph Valentino and Beatriz Dominguez dance the tango in Rex Ingram's The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. 1921

The film is silent, and the music that plays here is the tango "La Cumparsita", written in 1916 by the Uruguayan composer Gerardo Rodriguez.

Tango was born in the working class areas of Buenos Aires; one of its sources was the habanera, a Cuban folk dance. Tango quickly conquered the whole world. Not the last role in this was played by the connection of passion and violence, which was fully manifested in the "cruel" tango, or apache tango, where the macho partner bent and threw his lady, as if he wanted to kill her. Before the First World War, tango was tamed and refined in bourgeois salons, but it retained its eroticism, the image of barely restrained desire, “flame in ice”.

Tangomania captured Europe so much that the Pope issued a special bull forbidding tango. Nevertheless, the fame of tango grew, in no small part due to silent cinema, in which the beautiful tanguero Rudolf Valentino shone.

Expressionist dance

"Monument to the Dead" directed by Mary Wigman. 1929

In parallel with America, the dance developed in Europe, but according to a different scenario. The direction that arose in Switzerland and Germany at the beginning of the 20th century is called expressionist dance (Ausdruckstanz) or German modern. Dancers and choreographers, along with other philosophers and artists, were looking for ways to express a new perception of the world and new meanings through movement and interaction with space. Composer Emile Jacques-Dal-croz came up with rhythm: in solfeggio classes, he discovered that his students learn the material better if they move along with the music, and began to develop a system that correlates rhythm and movement. Rudolf Laban analyzed the movement of the body in space and invented a way to record the dance on paper, which is still used today (it is called labanotation). His students, Mary Wigman (creator of dance rituals like "Dance Song" to the words of Nietzsche) and Kurt Joss, developed expressionist dance, referring to the difficult post-war everyday life, themes of death, violence, despair.

1920s
Foxtrot

Foxtrot clip edited by dance historian Walter Nelson from archival footage from the 1920s and 30s

There are several versions of the origin of the foxtrot. According to one of them, it was invented by vaudeville director Charles Fox - and the dance is named after him. According to another version, the fox trot (English fox trot - “fox step”) refers to a group of so-called animal dances that appeared in America before the First World War. These are funny pair dances that dance-wa-li to ragtime (music of Afro-Americans from the southern states and the Mid-West), imitating the movements of animals and birds (there were, for example, the dances “Turkey Step”, “Rabbit Embrace” , "Grizzly Bear", etc.).

At the heart of the foxtrot is a simple step forward, backward, or sideways. Two "long" or "slow" steps are replaced by two short and fast ones. Therefore, the foxtrot is sometimes considered a combination of a slow one-step (one-step) with a fast two-step (two-step).

In the 1920s, the foxtrot became popular all over the world, moving to Europe and Russia - for example, the poet Andrei Bely in the early 1920s studied the foxtrot in dance classes in Berlin.

Modern dance

Aria on the G String by August Wilhelmy, choreographed by Doris Humphrey. 1934

Starting from the work of the forerunners, the creators of modernity were looking for a dance language in which one could speak not only about the feelings and phenomena of nature, but also about serious issues that worry the author and his contemporaries - about love, war , injustice, impotence.

The founders of modern dance are called four choreographers, the so-called great four. Three of them were graduates of the Ruth St. Denis "Denishown" school, but by the end of the 1920s they were already working on their own. And very successful. The most famous of them is Martha Graham. She created her own technique, which is based on the change of compression and relaxation ("contraction - release"), the release of the dancer's body, opened the most successful modern dance troupe in the 20th century and became the author of more than a hundred productions. The second, Doris Humphrey, developed a fall-recovery technique based on the principles of gravity and the natural gravity of the body. Humphrey worked with the third member of the Great Four, Charles Wademan. Hanya Holm is a student of Mary Wigman and the only German in this company; she ended up in America in 1931, when Wigman offered her to head her school in New York.

1930s
lindy hop

Whitey's Lindy Hoppers dance the Lindy Hop in John Klein's Take the Hit. 1939

Lindy hop is the most difficult form of swing, and swing (from the English swing - "swing") - common name dances to North American jazz, which appeared due to the emergence of large jazz orchestras: their playing was more sonorous than that of small jazz bands, and literally "swing-wa-la" of the dancers. It was such an orchestra that played, for example, in the Savoy Ballroom, the dancing heart of Harlem.

The Lindy Hop is the first social dance to feature acrobatic elements. Like other ragtime and jazz dances, it was quickly noticed by Broadway and Hollywood producers. Teams of musicians and dancers formed (one of the most famous is Whitey's Lindy Hoppers), who performed on stage and acted in films. So the Lindy Hop, born in Harlem, set off to travel the world.

Neoclassical ballet

"Serenade" performed by the New York City Ballet. Choreography by George Balanchine, music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Classical ballet reached its apogee in Marius Petipa's production of The Sleeping Beauty in 1890: it was no longer possible to create something larger and more luxurious. Mikhail Fokine set a new direction for classical ballet, turning to a small form and canceling the plot (as in "Chopiniana" in 1907). The next step was taken by Fedor Lopukhov with his plotless dance symphony “The Greatness of the Universe”. Young George Balanchivadze took part in this performance. A few years later he ended up in the West, became Balanchine on the advice of Diaghilev, and then, in 1933, moved to America, where he created a direction that eventually became known as neoclassical ballet. However, if you read European researchers, they call another emigrant from Soviet Russia, Serge Lifar, the father of neoclassical ballet. Both of them worked with the vocabulary of classical ballet, simplified costumes and scenery, gravitated towards small forms and the absence of a plot, so, perhaps, it is not so important which of them was the first, especially since their careers in the West developed at the same time. Another thing is important: neoclassical ballet is one of the most powerful trends of the 20th century. Maurice Béjart and Roland Petit have sometimes been staged in this style, but William Forsyth and Wayne McGregor have played a truly serious role in its promotion in the 21st century.

1940s
Samba

Carmen Miranda performs the song "Kai Kai" in the Irving Cummings film That Night in Rio. 1941
Brazilian rhythms conquered the world more than once: in the early 20th century it was matchish, and in the early 1940s it was samba.

The music-dance culture of ex-slaves from West Africa in Brazil was integrated quite early into the dominant Catholic culture. In practice, this meant that West African deities were replaced by Christian saints, and religious processions turned into a colorful multicultural carnival. Samba was born from a traditional ritual in which people (mostly women) fell into a trance, as if possessed by spirits. The dance first appeared in carnival processions in 1917 and quickly became an indispensable part of the festivities in Rio. Competing in this dance took place at special sambadromes the size of a good stadium. The dance achieved worldwide popularity thanks to the singer, actress and dancer Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), who was called the "Brazilian bombshell". Born in Portugal, she moved early to Brazil, and from 1939 lived in the United States, performed on Broadway and starred in Hollywood. Films with her participation, such as "That Night in Rio" (1941), "A Weekend in Havana" (1941) and "The Whole Gang Assembled" (1943), became an outlet for people during the war.

The samba is danced to a syncopated 4/4 rhythm with forward and backward steps and swinging, swinging movements.

Merce Cunningham

"Camera Beach Birds" performed by Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Choreography by Merce Cunningham, music by John Cage, video adaptation by Elliot Kaplan. 1993

Merce Cunningham is often called a modernist or a postmodernist, but rather he escaped from one and inspired the other, and he himself remained a separate figure in the history of American dance.

Cunningham began dancing with Martha Graham's troupe, but after six years of work, he hated both Graham's technique and her concept of movement - and already in the 1940s he left her and created his own company, where his partner, composer John Cage. In Cage, Cunningham posed the principle of randomness, or aleatorics: for example, in Cage, dice determined the order of periods in piece of music, and in Canning-gem - the order of the dance scenes and which of the performers will dance which part. This principle fully corresponded to Cunningham's idea of ​​the need to destroy habitual patterns, to abandon natural and learned movements. At the end of his life, Cunningham became interested in computer technology - he began to create choreography not in the hall, but in the Life Forms and DanceForms programs, and then offered his artists to embody it on stage.

Cunningham believed that on the stage, all types of art should coexist on equal terms, and not be subordinate to one thing - dance. He worked with avant-garde artists: Cage wrote the music, Warhol often invented the costumes, and Robert Rauschenberg created the set design. At the same time, each worked, not knowing what the other was doing. All together for the first time gathered already in the presence of the public. Even artists often found out what movements and in what order they were to perform only a few minutes before the premiere, and the music was first heard only on stage.

At first, the Cunningham troupe gave one performance a year. Of course, this did not bring enough money. Then friends and like-minded people came to the rescue - for example, Rauschenberg could quickly organize an exhibition, sell all the paintings, and give the money to the development of the troupe.

1950s
Rock'n'roll

Rock 'n' roll from Fred F. Sears' "Don't Knock the Rock." 1956

After the war, a whole galaxy of musicians appeared, playing something like an accelerated blues. But the first recordings were not yet called rock and roll, but were considered a variant of rhythm and blues, which in conservative America was strongly associated with the music of Afro-Americans. According to popular belief, the word "rock and roll" in this sense was first used by radio host Alan Fried to put on the air, including for a white audience, songs by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis (ironically, in African American slang, “rock and roll” was called sex).

They danced to the new music, using all the movements of swing dances, but more energetically and with more improvisation. The Hollywood films Rock Around the Clock, Don't Knock the Rock, and The Girl Can't Help It (all released in 1956) finally turned the post-war generation into a rock'n'roll generation. Neither in Europe nor in the USSR could resist the driving rhythms: even the ensemble of Igor Moiseev danced rock and roll - however, in the form of a parody of "bourgeois mores" and under the ironic title "Back to the Monkey".

Maurice Bejart and Belgian choreographers

The Rite of Spring directed by Maurice Béjart. 1959

Maurice Bejart is the most important figure for both ballet and modern dance. He worked in France, Belgium and Switzerland and, despite the closeness of the USSR, collaborated with Maya Plisetskaya, Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasilyev. He lived in Belgium for 30 years starting in 1959, when, desperate to wait for recognition and help from the French authorities, Bejart accepted the invitation of the director of the Theater de la Monnaie to create a ballet troupe in Brussels. His first premiere at the new location was The Rite of Spring, now legendary.

We can say that thanks to Maurice Bejart, modern dance arose in Belgium: in 1970, he created the Mudra interdisciplinary school of choreography in Brussels, where they taught classical ballet, music, singing, martial arts, and acting. . Her graduate Anne Teresa de Kers-Maker became one of the strongest contemporary Belgian choreographers, and in 1995 she opened another cult school, P.A.R.T.S. (Performing Arts Research and Training Studios). In P.A.R.T.S. they also train "synthetic" artists, adding to the set of "Mudra" the repertoire of choreographers of the 20th century - from William Forsythe to Pina Bausch.

Today, Belgium is one of the centers of modern dance, whose troupes and schools dream of getting into artists from all over the world. At the same time, there is no Belgian dance school as such - each choreographer has his own style. For example, Anne Teresa de Kersmaeker studies the connection between music and choreography, as well as the geometric patterns of dance; Wim Vandekeybus brings dance to film, leading the way in the film dance world; Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui combines eastern and western cultures in her works.

1960s
Twist

T whist to "Let's Twist Again" performed by Chubby Checker

Twist began to dance at the very end of the 1950s, but after 19-year-old African American Chubby Checker (real name Ernest Evans) performed the song "The Twist" with the American Bandstand in 1960, America literally went crazy ( this phenomenon - the instantaneous and short-term popularity of dance - was even given the name dance craze), and behind it the whole world. Three years later, Checker cemented his success with the single "Let's Twist Again".

The twist completed a long evolution of club dances, which gradually moved from dance in close contact with a partner to an individual dance. Even in rock and roll, a couple held hands (even if only touching each other with their fingertips), and in a twist, a partner is no longer necessary in principle. And, most importantly, the dance was unusually simple to perform: with the supporting leg, you need to make a movement, as if crushing a cigarette butt with your sole; while the other leg swings. The hips are included in the movement, and the hands work as if rubbing the back with a towel after a shower. Among other things, these movements do not need much space: the twist could be danced in your own bedroom or in a cramped nightclub.

postmodern dance

"Water Motor" by Trisha Brown. 1978

Unlike many other phenomena in art, postmodern dance has a date of birth. It is July 6, 1962, the day Judson Memorial Baptist Church held the " dance concert()", in which students of Robert Dunn's composition class showed their works created over two years of classes. They called themselves postmodernists, thus renouncing the hated modern dance, which, in their opinion, replaced the old rules with new ones, instead of abandoning them altogether. The famous “No Manifesto”, written by one of the most prominent representatives of this trend, Yvonne Rainer, speaks of liberation: you don’t need to dance for the audience, you don’t need to learn and be able to dance to express your feelings, you don’t need to play princesses or heroes, don't dance to tell stories. Live with yourself, here and now. Dance in the park, react with dance to what is happening around, experiment.

1970s
Hustle

Clip "The Hustle" by Van McCoy. 1970s

Musical dance style disco (from the English disc - “vinyl record”) took shape in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when instead of jazz bands and rock bands playing live music, clubs began to play vinyl -ki. A nightclub in Paris, on Rue Yuchette, where a whole library of discs was collected, began to be called "Disco". The disco style absorbed many different influences: jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, gospel, Latino, so that as a result everyone could find something to their liking in it. The generation of loners, "atomized individuals", could not help but like the fact that disco can be danced without physical contact and that the dancer is given complete freedom of action. The musicians who created the style are Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Van McCoy, the Bee Gees.

Van McCoy's disco hit "The Hustle" gave rise to the dance of the same name (which, however, is usually danced in pairs). Hustle has incorporated Latin American rhythms and its rhythmic structure is similar to two-step or lindy-hop - dances in which two steps are taken for each measure. The basic structure of the steps is complemented by improvised movements, which makes any dancing couple unique, unlike any other.

Pina Bausch

Café Müller directed by Pina Bausch. 1980s

Pina Bausch is probably the most famous choreographer of the 20th century. She was a student of Kurt Joss and later a soloist with his Folkwang Ballet. There she began to independently invent choreography for herself (according to her, she was not going to become a choreographer, but she wanted to dance more), and in 1969 she became artistic director theater. In 1973, she was invited to lead the ballet troupe opera house in Wuppertal, and soon the troupe separated into a separate dance company - the Wuppertal Dance Theater. Dance theater is a genre invented by Kurt Joss that mixes ballet, opera and drama on stage. In the performances of Pina Bausch, the artist can dance, and in a minute pick up the accordion and sing. Or smoke and start talking about your childhood. Pina often asked her artists to think about something and show their story at the next rehearsal. From such scraps, she could put together a whole performance.

Pina Bausch's Dance Theater became famous for The Rite of Spring, a ballet that she staged at the very beginning of the troupe's existence (choreographers usually come to him only at the peak of their careers). In her version, the clash between man and society is explored: in the scene of sacrifice, the Chosen One, unlike the classical version, is not ready to give her life for the sake of the fertility of the earth, but fights to the last for her right to have a voice. Of course, the audience could not help but be impressed by one of the scenographic solutions: the actors of the Dance Theater are dancing literally smeared in the ground.

In 2011, Wim Wenders released the film Pina, which made her the most famous modern dance choreographer to date.

1980s
Hip-hop

Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force with "Planet Rock". 1982

In the 1970s, DJs started not just playing records on turntables, but using turntables to create music (for example, by repeating some musical fragments from discs). There were DJs on the radio; new, electronic music sounded. In New York, in the South Bronx, the first hip-hop style arose - breakdance, break. This athletic dance combined fast footwork with acrobatic spins on the head, back and arms. They were joined by intermittent robotic movements of freezing (from the English freeze - “freeze-freeze”) and locking, as well as smoother poping movements - as if an electric current were passing through different parts of the body. Following the b-boys (Crazy Legs, Prince Ken Swift, Orko), b-girls appeared (one of the first was a native of Japan, Masami).

In the 1980s, along with popular rap, the so-called old school of hip-hop came to the dance floors - more inclusive, with more emphasis on footwork, rather than acrobatics; new pas appear: robocop, roger rabbit, running man.

New French dance and non-dance

The Annunciation by Angelin Preljocaj. 1996

In France, modern dance appeared very late: the influence of classical ballet was too powerful. Until the 1970s, non-classical dance was practiced almost secretly, in gyms, after the main work. In 1968, student strikes shook Europe, forcing them to reconsider some values ​​​​in art, and modern dance was suddenly able to enter the real scene. And in the 1980-90s, the so-called dance decentralization began in France: professional dance centers were created throughout the country, headed by young choreographers: Dominique Bague, Angelin Preljocaj, Magy Marin, Joseph Naj and others. The task of this cultural policy was to eliminate the division between provincial and metropolitan art, which is considered more professional.

In addition, in the 1980s and 90s, another direction grew out of the new French dance, which is often called the French analogy of the American postmodern - the so-called non-dance (or non-danse). Almost all of its representatives (primarily Jerome Bel, Boris Sharmats, Xavier Le Roy) are students or students of students of the creators of the new French dance, who have an excellent choreographic base, but dance for them is no longer the main means of artistic expression: they are moving further and further they are moving away from choreography, using dramatic acting and improvisation, singing and stand-up, video projections and computer graphics in their performances and performances.

1990s
Lambada and macarena

"Lambada" performed by Kaoma. 1989

1989, when the Berlin Wall collapsed and began to crack Soviet Union, turned out to be colored with the sounds of a lambada performed by the band Kaoma. This Latin American dance is a direct descendant of the matchish: the same fast pace, just as if not more erotic movements. Like the "Brazilian tango", the lambada came from Rio. And her melody, like the melody of a match, was quickly played to the point of soreness.

A similar story happened in the mid-1990s with macarena. First, the Spanish pop duo Los del Río sang a song about a girl named Macarena (Magdalena). Written in musical rhythm clave, typical of frantic Afro-Cuban music, the song instantly gained popularity. And not just the song: the video featured a simple dance with a set of moves ideally suited for all to perform together in the cramped disco.

Gaga

"Deca Dance" directed by Ohad Naharin. year 2000

The Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv was founded by Martha Graham and Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild back in 1964, but it became a real center of modern dance in the 1990s, when it was headed by Ohad Naharin. Naharin is probably the most influential contemporary choreographer, with whom both ballet and modern dancers dream of collaborating, and his work is shown in all the largest theaters in the world.

Ohad Naharin created his own choreographic language called Gaga. According to the choreographer himself, eider is not a style of choreography, but a way of movement. Gaga practices in a hall without mirrors (although mirrors are usually necessary for the world of dance as an element of self-control), outsiders are not allowed to practice, and the teacher dances, merging with her students. There are classes "Gaga / Dancers" (Gaga / Dancers), where professionals are engaged, and "Gaga / People" (Gaga / People), where you can come with any dance training. The gaga's task is to feel his body, to feel every molecule of his body, to be both in his body and outside it, without losing self-irony. This is one of the most popular tech-nick today.

The end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th century is marked by a variety of cultural and artistic phenomena, styles and trends. African-American culture has a huge impact on world art, primarily due to music and new musical genres and trends, such as jazz, blues, ragtime. Based new music and African movements, new dances and dance styles are emerging - 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 directions and subspecies subsequently arise. For example, the emergence of some types of professional ballroom dancing - foxtrot, jive and quickstep, are closely related to the dances of cakewalk, two-step, shimmy ( Shimmy) and Black Bottom (Black Bottom). The dance style of the beginning of the 20th century is found in the ballet "The Golden Age" by D. Shostakovich, in the operetta "La Bayadere" 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 it can also be seen in cinema, in various shows and dramatic performances.

Choreographer and director Bob Foss has a great influence on the development of Broadway jazz. His films "Cabaret", "Sweet Charity", "All That Jazz" and others, as well as dances for them, are still very successful today. The plot of the film-musical "Sweet Charity" was created on the basis of the film "Nights of Cabiria" by F. Fellini. Bob Foss reveals the characters of people from high society, which are not characteristic spiritual world- they are close to the world of things and material assets. This idea is conveyed through very precise dance moves that reveal the characters' personalities.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Art Nouveau style and free dance also took shape. The first dancer to oppose the strict forms of classical ballet was the American Isadora Duncan. Her dances were distinguished by freedom, lightness and had elements of ancient Greek postures and gestures. Gordon Craig, an English director, wrote about her: “What was in it besides this, no one will ever be able to determine. She was a forerunner. Whatever she did, everything was done with great ease - or so it seemed. That was what gave her the appearance of strength. She released the dance into our world in the firm belief that she is doing great and true "

free dance 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 performances was the ballet "Radha" to the music of L. Delibes (1906), in which the motives of the Indian temple dance were used. Here is how she spoke about the dance: "I see the Dance as a way of communication between soul and soul, through the expression of everything that is very deep, very subtle for words." In 1915, Ruth St. Denis, together with her husband Ted Shawn, organized the Denishawn troupe and a dance school in Los Angeles. Many of the leading figures of modern dance have studied at this school, including Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman.

Distinctive features of dance and modern style is the rejection of straight, classical lines and forms in favor of more natural, "natural", as well as an interest in everything new. This style was popular not only in dance, but also in painting, sculpture, architecture, and even in fashion 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. Diaghilev's ballet "Russian Seasons" made a splash in Paris and around 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, Vatslav Nijinsky, Serge Lifar, and others shone in the Russian Seasons. Choreographers Mikhail Fokine, Leonid Myasin, and others flourished in the Russian Seasons troupe. Innovative costumes and scenery were created Benois artists, Bakst, Serov, Picasso, and the music for the ballets was written by Igor Stravinsky, Eric Satie, Sergei Prokofiev, Claude Debussy and others.

"Russian Seasons" Picasso. Costume for the ballet "Cocked Hat"

Coco Chanel also collaborated with the Diaghilev troupe - she created costumes for the Blue Express ballet. These were classic tracksuits, striped sweaters and golfs, tennis tunics. Naturally, the "Russian seasons" were the personification of everything new, fashionable and progressive, and therefore the French public went crazy with enthusiasm and shock.

Ballet "Blue Express" Portrait of Diaghilev (artist V. Serov)

Collaborated with Diaghilev and the outstanding choreographer of the 20th century George Balanchine. He staged for the Russian seasons the ballets "Apollo Musagete" to the music of Igor Stravinsky and " Prodigal son to music by 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 well-known artist, Balanchine creates an American ballet school, and then a professional team, now known to everyone as the New York City Ballet . Here he staged his famous ballets - "Serenade" to the music of Tchaikovsky, "Concerto Baroque" to the music of a concerto for two Bach violins, "Symphony in C" to music. Bizet's symphonies, "Brilliant Allegro" to music. 3rd concerto for pianoforte by Tchaikovsky, "Caracol" to music. Mozart, "Episodes" to 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 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 the choreographer and director Rostislav Zakharov. Zakharov's ballets are complete dramatic works, competently built in terms of directing. The ballet "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai" to the music of Asafiev, performed by two legendary ballerinas - Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya, deserves special attention. The ballet contrasts the imperiousness and passion of Zarema (Plisetskaya) with the tenderness and spiritual refinement of Maria (Ulanova). The nature of the 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 "Fountain of Bakhchisarai"

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", "The Legend of Love" and others make up the golden collection of performances of the Bolshoi Theater. Grigorovich's ballets are characterized by fortitude, scale, heroism, which is reflected in the choreography, scenery and music. Grigorovich collaborated with theater artist Simon Virsaladze, who designed all of his ballets. Grigorovich pays more attention to music. In his ballets, not only the content of the plot is conveyed, 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 artistic design of Grigorovich's ballets: Grigorovich achieved an unusually organic synthesis of the arts. It is difficult to name other stage creations where music, choreography, visual arts, ballet master and performing skills would be in such an amazing merger, as if everything stems from a single source and poured out from one creator, as if in one breath. Deepening the synthesis of the 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 the performances of Grigorovich, the new type a dancer-actor who can embody a deep dramatic and psychological content in a complex dance part. It is not technical virtuosity outside the image and not the image outside the expressiveness of dance, but the organic fusion of acting creativity with a developed and rich dance that characterizes the performing style in Grigorovich's ballets.

Ballet "Spartacus"

Sketch of scenery for the ballet "Ivan the Terrible"

The ballets of the modern Russian choreographer Boris Eifman are distinguished by the scale and depth of the choreography. His ballets, created on the basis of works by Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov and others, are real works of art. The ballets are imbued with deep philosophy, and Eifman is called the "philosophical choreographer." The choreographic poses invented by Eifman can be compared with the paintings and sculptures of great artists, and the plasticity has its own unique style, combining the classical dance basis with modern trends. The technical abilities of the dancers amaze and delight connoisseurs of ballet art. “Eifman the teacher (and his merit is no less than that of the choreographer) brought up a new type of universal dancer who can do everything. Eifman's dancers float in the air, as if devoid of gravity. They know no boundaries in the possession of their body. They can handle the most complex acrobatic stunts and the most unimaginable steps. The dance involves not only arms and legs, but the whole body. Eifman's ballerinas are boneless and ethereal: in duets they wrap themselves around a partner like creepers; famously dancing the Charleston, like real cabaret dancers; they stand on pointe shoes, and, with downcast eyes, float across the stage as if they had never danced anything except Swan Lake, ”writes Bella Yezerskaya.

Ballet "Red Giselle". Choreographer B. Eifman, photo: Vera Arbuzova (Photo: Nina Alovert)

Ballet "Anna Karenina"

Eifman pays special attention to the corps de ballet, as Bella Ezerskaya writes: “Eifman created a corps de ballet that is rare in terms of synchronism, expressiveness and refinement of each movement. Extras in his performances acquire either a grotesque sharpness, as, for example, in the scene of a demonstration of the revolutionary plebs in Red Giselle, or a sculptural expressiveness, as in Mozart's Requiem, or a classical completeness, as in Tchaikovsky. The final scene of the Anna Karenina ballet is striking, 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 Kilian, John Neumeier and others. 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 contemporary choreography.

I would like to pay special attention to the work of Jiri Kilian. In his choreography, there is lightness, accuracy of poses and drawings, and incredible musicality. As Rudolf Nureyev wrote, “There is Jiri Kilian, 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 movements. This can be seen in his productions of "Six Dances", "Symphony in D", "Birthday", etc. This is a great advantage for a choreographer, because humor is necessary and necessary for a person and art. There is a place in creativity and children's ballet "Child and Magic" and serious dramatic work"The Story of a Soldier" to the complex music of Stravinsky..

Ballet "Child and Magic"

"Six Dances"

The concepts of postmodernism that arose in the second half of the 20th century had a great influence on the art of dance. The main and only value of postmodern art is the unrestricted freedom of self-expression of the artist, freedom of thought and creativity. All this was also characteristic of the dance art, which absorbed the basic principles of postmodernism. Without restrictions and clear boundaries, postmodern art has given 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 and others. Theatre). The Judson Church Theater brought together a group of experimental dancers who performed in New York City at the Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, 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 fond of Zen Buddhism and defended the principle of chance in the creative process.

Merce Cunningham defended the same principle, believing that when composing compositions, this allows you to get rid of the plot and stereotypical decisions (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, Judson collaborated with the theater concept artist Robert Morris: "We met with a small group of dancers, painters, musicians, and poets on Sunday evenings and experimented with sound, light, language, and movement in a workshop. This was my first involvement with dance-related research. When I moved to New York in 1961, these studies were still fresh in my mind, so Judson's open meeting reached out to me - though I don't remember exactly how I became associated with them" (R. Morris).

Robert Morris, Lucinda Childs, Steve Paxton, Yvonne Reiner, Deborah High, Tony Holder, Sally Gross, Robert Rauschenberg, Judith Dunn and Josef Schlichter.

Further, similar groups were formed that adhered to similar principles, such as Grand Union, Living Theatre, 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 members of the group was Steve Paxton, the creator of the style of contact improvisation, the idea of ​​which lies in the spontaneous contact of human bodies.

Steve Paxton

As for hip-hop dance, it originates in the African American disadvantaged neighborhoods of New York in the late 60s. Initially, hip-hop culture and dance focused on parties and relaxation (scratched music by Jamaican DJs and recitative), later hip-hop culture was imbued with aggressively defiant texts of social rap, reflecting the harsh reality ( gangsta rap 90s) and gradually seeped into the masses, going into show business. Hip-hop dance, respectively, is divided into old school (old school of hip-hop) and new style (new school). The old school is popping, locking, breakdance, and the new school is more commercial hip-hop with a variety of choreographic styles added - jazz dance, contemporary dance, variety dance etc. Hip-hop is characterized by freedom, rhythm, movements directed to the ground, as well as relaxation of the knees and swaying of the body, the so-called “kach”. Hip-hop dance is very popular in our time and can be seen everywhere - in various shows , music videos, performances, etc. Based on complex tricks and acrobatics, it is quite difficult to perform. Now the best hip-hop dancers are the dance duo Les Twins, and you can also name the French dancer Dedson and the American singer Chris Brown.

old school hip hop

The dance culture of the 20th - early 21st century 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. Throughout the century, the perception, vision and approach to dance and choreography has changed. Continues to live, develop and classical dance, enriched contemporary movements, while maintaining the classic style and the foundation laid down by centuries of history. And this is right, because it is possible and necessary to keep up with the times, not forgetting 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."

During the study, we traced how the dance has changed over the centuries, what features it has acquired and what role it has played in people's lives. Each period of history has left its 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 for those who dance and for those who look ... When you dance, you accumulate energy, you renew yourself. 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 defined 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 not have been possible if music had not come to the aid of plasticity. 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 art forms.

Dance art is constantly enriching and moving forward, absorbing all the main moods of society, as well as reflecting important historical events, socio-cultural and political life. It was interesting for me to follow the development of dance, deciphering its meaning and meaning throughout history.

List of used literature:

1. Tuano Arbo "On dance and music"

2. V. Vanslov "On Music and Ballet"

3. Y. 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/

Historical and everyday dances are considered to be those dances of past centuries that have become widespread far beyond the boundaries of their era and place of origin. They are named historical as dances of the past, as well as dances that have gone down in history.

The emergence of dances is associated with labor processes, games, ancient rituals, and religious holidays. Each locality had its own characteristics. Household dances, which have become historical, are a processing of folk dance material and reflect the characteristics of a particular era or environment. The characteristic features of culture are manifested in the construction and style of the dance, in its music, the clothes of the dancers, their manners, etc.

The main positions of the legs in historical and everyday dances are I-I and III-I, intermediate - II-I and IV-I.

In the XVI century. Italian and French dance masters, creating dance techniques, paid special attention to the style of performance and manners of the dancers. The performer was required to have an important posture, a slow, measured tread, prim and elaborate mutual greetings - bows and curtsies. Compliance with all these rules, not only in dance, but also in everyday life, was considered a sign of noble origin and high social status. The lively and spontaneous movements of folk dances were considered bad manners.

The costumes also corresponded to the ceremonial established in the society. Men wore camisoles, cloaks (which were not supposed to be removed) and hats, which they took off, rearranged and put on again during the dance. Ladies wore dresses with very long trains (up to 5 meters), with many folds and elaborate headdresses. General style the costume was lush and heavy, it tied and did not allow freedom of movement.

In past centuries, one of the main forms of entertainment for the nobility were balls and masquerades in the form of balls. Naturally, these dances were more of a fashion show, a display of wealth and nobility, than a dance. But the solemn nature of these dances, the desire for variety, even in the movement of the columns around the hall, introduce various jumps, jumps, and sliding steps into the dance. The mass interest of the "bored" nobility in dancing as a form of recreation and entertainment was awakening. Dance as an aesthetically developed form of leisure is now a vital necessity higher strata society. Honor and praise to those French kings who, by their own example and power, calculation and wealth, managed to pass on to us the best aesthetic and ethical traditions of the “gallant age”.

History knows brilliant balls and masquerades during the reigns of Charles IX, Henrys III and IV, Louis XIII and XIV. The department of folk and court dances began already at the end of the 15th century, first in Italy, then in France. The first treatises on dances appear, attempts are made to describe steps and jumps. In the XV-XVI centuries. fashionable bassedances, branles, processions with bows and salutes.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries. in the dances of aristocrats (minuet, quick minuet, gavotte), the naturalness of movements disappears (it was at this time that the laws of setting arms and legs appeared, the regulation of body movements - everything that was included in classical ballet). At the balls of the XVII century. ideas about the beauty of lines were reduced to the principles of ballet - gracefulness at the balls was considered eversion of the legs, hands had to be kept rounded: raised or lowered, they had to be equally rounded at the elbows, the hand was collected, the thumb was placed under the palm opposite the middle finger.

At the beginning of the XIX century. new lively, light and more relaxed dances (polonaise, waltz, ecossaise, quadrille, cotillon, polka, mazurka) are gaining popularity, which become pan-European ballroom dances.

Many dances that appeared in the twentieth century. (Krakowiak, two-step, tango, waltz-boston, foxtrot, charleston, blues, rock and roll, rumba, samba, twist, salsa, mambo, etc.) are still popular today.

Here is a selection of historical dances from different nations. For your convenience, the dances are listed in alphabetical order. Aleman

Ballroom dance - a waltz for three, performed by a gentleman and two ladies. The musical size 3/4 was popular in the 19th century. at family balls. Movements consist of light gliding steps. Special meaning has a pattern of dancing hands, changing gracefully and smoothly.

Allemande

Allemande - (from the French allemande, letters - German), an old (from the 16th century) French court dance of German origin, smooth, moderate pace, belongs to the bassedans. Musical size 4/4. It was in this dance in the XVIII century. the hands of the dancers from their usual position along the body for the first time rose up. This freedom of hands was a characteristic feature of the allemande. She prepared the main positions of the gavotte, in which the hands become even more danceable. Ball

Ball - (from Latin ballare - to dance and French bal), a big dance evening. In Europe, the tradition of secular balls was formed in the 14th century, and soon balls became an integral part of court festivities. In the XV-XVII centuries. manners, rules of conduct and all dance etiquette were subject to strict regulation. The festivities were attended by special ceremonial masters of the ball, indicating who should open the ball, who and with whom should dance, observing the behavior and movement of the dancers. Deviations from the rules were reprehensible.

In pre-Petrine Rus', the so-called "salon dances", as in Western Europe did not have. Women's round dances were performed in the towers, and dances flourished among the people. In general, the attitude towards "dancing and revelry" was wary. The turning point occurred under Peter I, who sought to introduce maximum amount people to achieve European civilization, wished "not just to borrow, adopt, but to create his own, original, uniting the original with the Western." Thanks to the transformations of Peter, the ban on dancing in the framework of secular communication was lifted. Peter himself, his wife Ekaterina and daughter Elizabeth took part in the dances and, according to contemporaries, they danced very gracefully.

In 1718, a decree was issued on the introduction of assemblies, that is, meetings-balls. The main entertainment at the assemblies was dancing, in which the elderly also took part. Cavaliers could invite any of the ladies present to dance, it was not accepted to refuse.

According to the new rules of the Petrovsky assemblies, each owner of a noble house was supposed to make space from time to time for dancing, games and entertainment. The inability to dance becomes shameful, and therefore the boyars write out for themselves teachers of dances and "secular courtesies", whose duties were very extensive. The dance master had to teach dances (minuet, polonaise, country dance, pavane, courant, anglaise) and at the same time teach good tone.

By the end of the XVII - beginning of the XVIII centuries. such a form of pastime as balls is finally taking shape. Dance is recognized by everyone as a very pleasant, indispensable entertainment. The ball becomes one of the most important parts of social life. It is a place of meeting and communication. After all, home visits impose a lot of restrictions on behavior, and besides, some business is certainly needed for a visit. And at balls you can meet just like that, and it will be “decent”.

Of all the possible pastimes, the ball turns out to be the most popular. After all, a walk of an aristocrat does not provide an opportunity for communication, because, as a rule, it takes place in a carriage; hunting is also inconvenient, because. associated with riding a horse. The theater is an excellent invention, everything is possible there - demonstrating toilets, having conversations in deep boxes, flirting, flirting, but, unfortunately, all this must be done in addition to the main occupation - contemplation of the spectacle. And only the ball allows at least a little to show their dexterity and grace, as well as to freely “go out into the world”.

Peter's reforms made the life of society more harmonious; no longer needed to hide the desire to have fun. After all, a ball is not only dancing, but also games - first chess, then Russian society very fond of card games. This is a kind of club where you can chat with friends; it is also a marriage office, where the fate of the most prominent dynasties of Russia was decided. Communication was no less important component of the ball than dancing. At the balls, acquaintances were made, questions of service and career were decided, and public opinion was formed.

Baroque dance (XVIII century) takes on the role that sport later took on: to maintain the culture of the body on a par with the culture of the spirit. From the Baroque era, we inherited ballet - a complex art, regulated by the beauty of plastic lines, which required special long-term training. IN late XVIII- early 19th century dance culture becomes the most important component secular life, and balls - an indispensable attribute of noble life. Dance was a compulsory subject in various educational institutions.

At that time, in enlightened Europe, dancing was everywhere and so much that it can be assumed that there was no business at all, only dancing at all hours of the day and night. Balls differed officially-court, public, family. For the sake of the ball, they sewed the most fashionable outfits, invited the most famous musicians and organized sumptuous dinners, because of it they rebuilt the entire daily routine.

It was unthinkable for a secular person of that time, and even more so for a lady, not to dance. “The ability to dance and choreographic talent were a valuable quality and success not only on the floor, but sometimes in the field of a service career.” The ball was a great entertainment, but it required great physical and emotional strength. At the ball, it was required to look impeccable, control every movement and word, and at the same time seem natural, friendly and cheerful. The science of ballroom communication required many years of study. Therefore, ballroom culture entered a person's life as early as childhood in the form of dance lessons and attendance at children's balls.

A huge role at the ball was assigned to the manager, it was an honor and responsibility: it depended on him whether the ball would be a success. The manager tried to show maximum imagination and virtuosity in order to diversify the dance figures and bring joy to the guests. He was supposed to "enliven society with personal gaiety and disposition of the spirit." (1895) His duties included making up pairs, and distributing the ballroom space, and maintaining order in the hall.

The ball opened with a polonaise; in the solemn function of the first dance, it replaced the medieval minuet. They could not do without the mazurka, which has become an international ballroom dance. Waltz became an indispensable attribute and the king of balls! How much delightful freedom in smooth movement! The waltz became a way of liberation from the conventions that were still the basis of social life. At the same time, another dance appeared, the success of which overshadowed the popularity of many others - the polka. The ball ended with a dance-game of cotillion, a kind of final performance of all participants. They danced at that time a quadrille and other various types of country dancing.

Balls and dance evenings of the XIX century. are reflected in many classic works of Russian literature, especially in "Eugene Onegin" by A. S. Pushkin and "War and Peace" by L. N. Tolstoy.

A dance evening is not only ladies and gentlemen flying in a dance, but also low-cut dresses, fans, tailcoats, kid gloves, scarves, masks, smiles and a gentle look, a bow and a kiss on the hand ... The dance space was intended not only for dancing, but also for fashion show. Ball gowns were not used more than once or twice and were supposed to look "in the latest fashion."

At the end of the XIX century. with changes in public life, ballroom culture is gradually fading away, court balls are held less and less. The last balls and dance meetings were held in 1914.

In the early years Soviet power ballroom dancing was declared philistine and inconsistent with the new cultural policy. There was a tradition of Soviet mass holidays, with living pyramids and sports parades. The place of dance evenings in the sphere of leisure has become very modest. "Soviet" everyday dances were created, and dances popular in the world were banned for being "bourgeois". The complex pattern of many dances has become simpler and has become like a simple trampling on the spot, which does not require special training.

However, in European countries V high society the tradition of holding balls was preserved. In the Soviet Union, the very idea of ​​such balls seemed impossible, but even here the cultural memory made itself felt: graduation dance evenings were invariably called “graduate balls”.

Today, the culture of secular balls is reviving again; dance evenings, salons and balls are becoming more and more popular. As before, they meet, get acquainted and communicate (you can even come to them alone). Dances that shone in past centuries and historically performed at balls are again interesting and fashionable, largely due to their accessibility, "undemanding", elegance and beauty. ballroom dancing

Ballroom dance (salon, household) is a dance that serves for mass entertainment and is performed by a couple or a large number of participants at dance evenings (balls). Originated in the 14th century. in Italy during the heyday of this country, the rules of the then ballroom dance, the dance recording system, were also developed there. Balls in Florence XV - XVI centuries. - an example of splendor, colorfulness, ingenuity. Then, in the XVI - XVII centuries. France becomes the legislator of ballroom dancing, the dance technique becomes more complicated. Created in the 60s. 17th century The Paris Academy of Dance for many years regulated the style and manner of performing "ballroom choreography". In the 17th century ballroom dancing spread throughout Europe.

At that time, “low” dances or bassedances (pavan, courant, allemande) prevailed - with bows, curtsies, salutes, often in the form of processions with candles and torches, accompanied by the singing of the dancers themselves. Gradually, folk dances penetrated the balls and accordingly adapted to the stiffness and etiquette of the court and the aristocracy.

In Baroque France, it was fashionable to perform stage dances at balls, i.e. latest news of operas and ballets. (Can you imagine the average level of choreographic training of the society of that time?) In the 18th - 19th centuries. France was a trendsetter for all of Europe. The Russian nobility of that time adopted the fashions of Paris. This fully applies to dancing, which was facilitated by choreographers, dancers, teachers, tutors who were invited from France at that time.

Fashionable dances of the 18th century (minuet, gavotte) are built on smooth and soft movements of the hands and body, small graceful steps. At the end of the XVIII - beginning of the XIX century. the famous minuet is losing its popularity and is more a means of educating good manners, developing posture, grace and smoothness of movement. The prim dances of past centuries are being replaced by stylized folk dances from England, Germany, Austria and other Slavic countries. Mass ecossaise, quadrille, polonaise, waltz, polka, mazurka become all-European ballroom dances. They are more lively, laid-back and light, faster paced. The development of free, jumping and rotational movements was facilitated by a change in fashion and lightweight costumes.

In the second half of the XVIII century. ballroom dancing is firmly established in Russian life, and in the 19th century. Russia becomes one of the largest choreographic centers in Europe. Many ballroom dances created abroad have found a second home in Russia.

Starting from the Petrine era, dance was a compulsory subject in all public and private higher and secondary educational institutions, military schools, and foreign boarding schools. In Russia, not only were all the latest and old ballroom dances well known, but they were also able to perform them in a noble manner. This was due to the fact that ballroom dance teachers were most often the largest masters of the Russian ballet scene, famous choreographers and artists (A. Glushkovsky, A. Novitskaya, L. Stukolkin and many others.)

Wanting to bring variety and novelty to the program of the evening, the dance masters invented mixed forms, combining the movements of the most common dances. This is how the polka-mazurka, waltz-mazurka, etc. appeared. Some national dances - krakowiak, chardash, tarantella - were performed at the balls of high society through "cultivation".

After the disappearance of balls as a form of mass pastime in the 19th century, their function was partially replaced by restaurants that combined cuisine, a dance floor, and a theater.

At the end of the XIX century. European dance is enriched by African American and Latin American culture. America - the New World, embodying the idea of ​​freedom, dances rock and roll, jazz, step, modern, tango, salsa, rumba, etc. The influence of African and Latin American dance covers the entire twentieth century. Variety dance develops.

In recent decades, with the development of dance in the West and the holding of many championships, ballroom dancing has moved from an aristocratic life to a competitive sport. And although historically the concept of "ballroom dancing" unites many dances of different eras, in recent decades, when talking about ballroom dancing, they usually mean only 10 competitive dances, grouped into two programs - Western European and Latin American (respectively: slow waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, slow foxtrot, fast foxtrot and samba, cha-cha-cha, rumba, paso doble, jive). Like any other competitive form, sports dance is a very difficult task that requires great dedication. These are serious physical activities and individual lessons, spectacular and complex learned schemes, costumes and special shoes that are brilliant in every sense, strict judges and points scored to move to the next class.

Ballroom dancing is a kind of dance literacy and calligraphy. Currently, they have absorbed a huge number of different types of choreography, from folk to modern dance.

Today, the dances of past centuries, historically performed at secular balls, are again interesting and fashionable. The culture of balls is in demand again, and the phrase "ballroom dancing" takes on its original meaning. Bassedances

The so-called "low" court dances, in which there were no jumps and the legs almost did not rise above the floor: pavane, chimes, allemande. In the "high" dances, the dancers twirled (volta) and jumped (galliard).

Bassedances are often referred to as "walking" dances; they made up, as it were, a small choreographic composition in which the dancers showed themselves to the assembled society and demonstrated their wealth, splendor of outfits and nobility of manners. The column of courtiers moved smoothly through the ballroom, crouching in deep bows.

The most common among the bassedances was the ballroom branle: a mass dance often associated with game moments.

branle

Branle - (from the French. branler - move, swing), an old French dance, originally folk, round dance, appeared in the Renaissance. In various provinces, characteristic types of folk branle developed, with the name after the place of his birth or a distinctive feature (branle of laundresses, Breton branle, etc.). Branly were simple, double, cheerful, imitative.

Later, this peasant form penetrates into the halls of feudal castles and a ballroom, court branle appears. It was distinguished by a large number of bows, it had more smoothness, rounded movements, ceremony, while in the folk dance there were more taps. Lush court clothes gave the dance stiffness.

The word "branble" characterizes not only the type of dance, but also one of its movements - the swaying of the body. The simple branle is the source of many later salon dances. Despite the dance poverty of the branle movements (4 small steps, the last one with a foot), the combination of costumes, music, stately manners made the branle extremely interesting. In the province of Poitou, the minuet gradually arose from branles. Waltz - Boston

Waltz - Boston (named after the city of Boston, USA) - popular in the 30s. 20th century American pair dance, precursor to the later slow waltz. Boston waltz music is characterized by a lyrical sound, a clear rhythm, and an emphasis on the first quarter of the muses. size 3/4.

An excellent example of the Boston waltz is in R. M. Gliere's ballet The Red Poppy.

Waltz - gavotte

Ballroom dance, created in the 20th century, when combined compositions enjoyed great success. Consists of two parts: gavotte and waltz. Bow is the link. Muses. the size of the first part is 4/4, the second - 3/4. Performed at dance parties and balls.

waltz mazurka

Ballroom dance of the 19th century, like the polka-mazurka, created according to the fashionable at that time principle of combining movements of different nature in one dance; certain song for 32 measures. Muses. size 3/4. It consists of two parts: mazurka and waltz. Performed at dance parties and balls. Hungarian ballroom dance

A ballroom dance based on stylized Hungarian folk dance movements available for mass performance. The clarity of movements, restraint and at the same time temperament, many peculiar transitions, change of pace, heel strikes and the general playful nature of the dance make it enjoyable and loved by many.

became popular in Soviet time, is performed at dance parties to this day.

Gavotte

Gavotte - (from the French gavotte), an old French dance, originally folk, round dance, bipartite size, has been known since the 16th century. Muses. size 4/4.

In the XVIII century. receives a rebirth, but comes to the ballrooms not from rural holidays, but from the stage, arranged by an experienced, professional hand. Along with the minuet, it became a favorite cutesy and mannered dance. It consisted of light, small steps on half-toes and very refined curtsies. All this was combined with graceful, but pretentious poses and soft hand movements. The main pas of the gavotte - the “Hungarian step” - consists of moving the foot twice to the IV air position, forward or backward. The leg moves, gently and smoothly unbending, which requires special training.

Thanks to the combination of excellent music with original dance content, the gavotte is rightfully considered a historical dance. Painting, poetry, sculpture, trying to convey the spirit of the gallant 18th century, often turned to the image of this particular dance.

Nowadays, it is performed at balls as part of the combined waltz-gavotte dance. Gallop

Gallop - (from the French galor), a ballroom dance at a fast pace with jerky movements, as well as music for such a dance. Muses. size 2/4. The gallop appeared in Hungary in the 18th century, and became widespread in the 30s and 40s. 19th century The gallop often serves as an integral part, often the conclusion of the dance. They began and ended the last figure of the quadrille. Used in operas, operettas and ballets. The character is very dynamic, the movements are light and gliding, they are extremely simple and quickly learned, which explains his significant success.

galliard

Ancient Italian dance of the Renaissance, fast, cheerful, music. size 3/4. Initially, it was danced at a moderate pace and was usually performed after the pavane. Galliard is a bright, lively dance with technically complex jumps. In it, more than in other court dances, folk movements have been preserved. The ease and liveliness with which the dance was performed did not exclude a certain sophistication, which had to be maintained even with quick turns. Galliard performers could alternate, change and complicate movements at their discretion, as if competing with each other in dexterity.

The galliard contains many movements that have passed into new dance forms. As a variation of the popular galliard, the Romanesque or Five Pas dance is known.

Quadrille

Quadrille - (from the French quadrille - four), folk mass and ballroom dance of the 19th century, mobile, musical. size 2/4, refers to country dances. England is considered the birthplace of this dance, from which it was born at the beginning of the 18th century. got to France. The square dance owes its spread and popularity to Paris. The French changed the dance to their liking, not forgetting to add the word "French". In the 70s. 19th century becomes fashionable English quadrille Lancier.

In a traditional quadrille, 4 or 8 couples participated, which formed a quadrangle - carre. If there were more pairs, they were arranged in several squares. (In the Middle Ages, a quadrille was a small detachment of riders participating in a tournament, located on four sides of a place reserved for a duel). Probably, the military origin of the quadrille explains its popularity among officers at the beginning of the 19th century. Later, two lines lined up, and each line of couples danced each quadrille figure in turn.

There were 6 figures in the quadrille, they included chasses, half-toes, gallops, transitions. The quadrille figures required a lively, graceful and elegant performance. The manager of the ball could, at his own discretion, create various dance formations. The dance technique of the quadrille was brought to perfection, and the movements were perfectly finished.

The old French quadrille was the center of attention and the basis of every ball. In one evening it could be performed several times. The quality of the performance was a serious test for the dancers, all the eyes of the audience followed the quadrille! The quadrille also had an educational value: it taught good manners, the ability to move musically, clearly and naturally.

Over the course of two hundred years, the dance has undergone many changes: figures have become simpler, ordinary everyday steps have appeared. The quadrille has evolved into a dance of relaxation, indispensable among the fast waltzes, gallops and polkas.

Among the people, the square dance has been modified for decades, improved and created anew. She acquired original movements, drawings, manner of performance, taking from the salon dance only some of the features of the constructions and the name. The Russian people made the quadrille varied in design, introducing into it many figures of Russian round dances and dances. Quadrille is distinguished by square, linear, circular. Performed at dance parties and balls.

Country dance

Counterdance is a collective name, it united the same type of dances - quadrille, anglaise, ecosseuse, grossvater, lancer - built along a square or along a line where an even number of couples stood against each other.

They first appeared in England in the 17th century. and from there were borrowed by all European nations. "Country dance" - in English "country dance" - means "rural, country dance". Like many other dances, it has folk dances as its primary source. Country dance movements were built on pas chasse, balance, pas de basque and gradually became more complicated. The number of their figures reached several hundred.

The success of country dances is explained by the fact that everyone could perform it at the same time (if only there was an even number of couples), while the old dances (pavane, minuet) were performed by a limited number of couples. Country dances in their type and dance content were more interesting and livelier than many ceremonial dances. Hence the great success of the country dances, which for almost two centuries were invariably performed at balls of all countries and all classes.

Cotillion

Cotillion - (from the French cotillion), a ballroom dance of French origin, known since the 18th century, gained popularity in the 19th century. The complication of his composition and the appearance of a huge number of figures belong to the same time. Not a single ball in the XIX century. did not pass without a cotillion.

Cotillion was first performed at the end of the ball as a farewell performance of all participants in their favorite dances, and then became the center of the dance evening. Cotillion is very reminiscent of a mass dance game, led by one couple, who assigned the order of the pieces.

The dance included waltz, mazurka, polka movements. Sometimes the cotillion was performed between the quadrille figures.

The hosts of the balls brought into fashion the cotillon with accessories (various items). The variety of these items and the fantasy of the ball manager created many new figures, or rather entertainment and games with things, combined with dances. Some sources mention more than 200 cotillion figures, for example, "Chairs", "Flowers", "Cards", "Pyramid", "Mysterious Hands", "Butterfly Game", "Mutual Favor", etc.

“Cotillion is the king of dances, an invaluable inspirer, without which a ball is not a ball, without which the dancers look in vain for what they came for: variety, gaiety, the absence of any technique, a good joke, unexpected effects. This is a dance game where not only legs work, but wit is especially refined ”(Petrova M. Yu.“ Petersburg’s latest self-instruction manual for all public dances ”St. Petersburg, 1883).

Krakowiak

Polish folk, then ballroom dance, named after the city of Krakow. Muses. size 2/4, lively, proud dance. The movements of the dance are simple but energetic, which indicates its folk origin. At first, only men danced it: the “knight” and his “squire”. Then they began to dance in tandem with the lady: she - smoothly and gracefully, he - with sharp footsteps. In Krakowiak, the main movements are similar to the movements of the mazurka - with three alternate tapping of the entire foot on the floor; moreover, the first and third inflow should be stronger than the second.

The most famous dance composition today was built by the teacher N.L. Gavlikovsky and combines the characteristic elements of Polish dance with the waltz. In accordance with the musical size, the waltz part (second) is performed not in 3/4, as in the usual waltz, but in 2/4.

Performed at dance parties and balls.

Courant

Courante - (from the French courante - running, flowing), French ballroom court dance, music. size 3/4, belongs to bassedances. During the 16th and early 17th centuries, along with the pavane, the couranta was the most beloved salon dance. It was "a slow, important dance, more noble than any other dance." He was distinguished by complex, intricate figures.

The chime has a peculiar character, consisting in the "eternal flow forward", which means the very word "chime". At the end of the XVII century. it was supplanted by other, less solemn and more mobile dances.

Mazurka

He's completely French

Could speak and write;

Easily danced the mazurka

And bowed at ease;

What do you want more? The world decided

That he is smart and very nice.

A.S. Pushkin

Mazurka - (from Polish mazurek - the name of the inhabitants of Mazovia) - a swift and incendiary ballroom dance.

The origins of the mazurka are in the Polish folk dance mazur, which appeared as early as the 16th century, remarkable for its beauty and variety of movements. In Europe, the mazurka becomes famous by the beginning of the 19th century. (dance masters gave the folk dance a salon character) and is most widespread in Russia. Nowhere (except Poland) was the mazurka danced with such brilliance and skill as in Russia. Its study required much more time, patience and skill than the study of other dances.

Russian mazurka. From a French lithograph of the 19th century.

Everything in the mazurka supports the image of a brilliant cavalryman: a special bearing, and a springy step, and the gallantry of a courteous gentleman. It was on him that the successful performance of the dance depended. He chooses pieces and changes the tempo. Mazurka is a dance of dashing riders and their gentle ladies. The elements of the male party were strong heel strikes (spurring the horse), sharp waves of the hand above the head (pulling on the reins), “lame step” (a reminder of injuries), while the ladies had a light run on half-toes and a general demonstration of weakness and fragility. The lady should be able to easily fly around the hall, be able to grasp the movements and transitions offered by the gentleman. During the dance, the men knelt on one knee in front of the lady, as if wanting to help her get off the horse. Cavaliers flaunted in front of their ladies, enchanted and conquered them.

By the way, describing the performance of the mazurka, the authors works of art spurs are mentioned - a piece of equipment for a rider. It was not customary to appear at the ball in boots with spurs (because they could damage the lady's outfit). But there is something poetic about the spurs, and there was a lot of romance in the image of the brave military, jingling spurs.

The figures of the dance were varied and numerous, and the free improvisation of the movements made the dance bright and exciting. Mazurka has always been at the center of every celebration, they were waiting for it, preparing for it.

After the mazurka received a permanent "registration" in the ballrooms, dance masters came up with more and more new figures and even types of mazurka. A waltz-mazurka and a quadrille-mazurka appeared, it was combined with a polka, used in a cotillon. In the pas de trois, the mazurka forms an entire part of the dance. One of the figures of the mazurka - "Zazdravnaya" - was performed with a glass of Champagne in hand. The mazurka usually ended the first part of the ball.

It is difficult to say whether the mazurka would be so well known today if it were not for the special role that the Polish composer Frederic Chopin played in the development of its musical form. He wrote over 50 beautiful mazurkas. What Chopin did for the mazurka is comparable only to the role of Johann Strauss in the waltz.

Minuet

Minuet - (from the French menu - small) - an old French folk dance. Muses. size 3/4. Appeared in the 17th century. from folk branle, which consisted of small steps (pas menus). Branl's movements are stylized, embellished; measured small steps are combined with smooth squats and prim curtsies. Reign Louis XIV and XV can be called the real era of the minuet. In Russia, it was performed at the assemblies of Peter I and at noble balls under Catherine II.

Not a single dance of the 16th - 17th centuries. did not enjoy such popularity as the famous minuet, which is a universally recognized example of salon dance art.

“The minuet is the dance of kings and the king of dances,” this is how historians of dance art called it. It was believed: "who dances the minuet well, he does everything well."

In the XVIII - early XIX century. many dance teachers believed that in order to straighten your posture and develop graceful manners, you need to for a long time teach pupils exactly the minuet and not rush to learn new dances until the minuet is performed flawlessly. One of the greatest Russian choreographers and teachers, A.P. Glushkovsky, said that the minuet “teaches you to deftly bow, walk straight, extend your hand gracefully, and the student receives a perfect alignment of the whole body.”

The main feature of the minuet performance is ceremoniality, gallantry and solemnity. The step of the minuet - pas grave - is very smooth, each movement follows from the previous one without interruption. This is not easy to achieve. But we must not forget that in those days it was customary to study dance skills for a long time; one bow of the minuet was learned for a month, years passed before they decided to perform the dance at a court ball. The hands of the dancers - soft, plastic, completed the poses of the minuet.

Lush clothes obligated to slow movements. “There were few dancers, because the minuet was a sophisticated dance; every minute now and then either sit down or bow, and then carefully; this is not enough, take care of your tail so that it is not cut off, and see that you yourself do not fall into someone else's tail and do not get confused. ("Russian Messenger", 1878)

The minuet was not danced around the hall, its pattern varied in smooth rounded lines in the form of the letters S and Z, the numbers 2 and 8.

All outstanding composers used the minuet as a fertile theme for their work. Outstanding choreographers created new minuet pas. There were "King's Minuet", "Queen's Minuet", "Court Minuet". In the 18th century, with the speeding up of the tempo, a quick minuet appeared.

The minuet was written by almost all composers instrumental music, in particular, the minuet received artistic processing from Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. Of the Russian composers, Glinka and Rubinstein wrote outstanding minuets. Minion

Mignon - (from the French mignonne - pleasant), paired ballroom dance of the late 19th century, a certain composition for 16 bars, music. size 3/4. It is built on the characteristic movements of the waltz, close in character to the figured waltz. Introduced into use by the famous dance teacher N.G. Gavlikovsky. Includes movements: balance, track and waltz minion (glide step and waltz turn). Performed in a soft and calm manner. pavana

Pavane - (from lat. ravo - peacock), a ballroom dance of a majestic and solemn nature, belongs to bassedans, slow pace, music. 2/4 size, one of the oldest historical dances known to us. Along with the chime, it was distributed in Europe in the 16th century. Appeared in Spain as a parade procession, ended up in France, where, remaining exclusively courtier, it changed and became more complicated. The dance was intended to show the society the majesty of the dancers, the grace of manners and movements, the richness of costumes. The movements of the pavane are the move of the flaunting pava. Various ceremonial processions were held to the music of pavanes.

Pavane was danced simultaneously by one or two couples. The strict order in the alternation of couples depended on the origin and social status of the dancers (first the king and queen, then other noble persons). The pavane enjoyed great popularity until the middle of the 17th century, when it gave way to the minuet.

padegras

Padegras - (from the French pas de grase), a pair ballroom dance with calm, graceful movements, music. size 4/4. Like the patrois, it was composed in Russia at the end of the 19th century. Russian choreographers E. M. Ivanov and A. P. Bychkov. And the “foreign” names are explained by the fact that in the 19th century French terminology in dance culture was as traditional and generally accepted as Latin in medicine and Italian in music.

The dance is characterized by small steps, squats and fixed postures. Padegras is popular at dance parties and balls. Padequatre

Padekatre - (from the French pas de quatre), a rather elegant ballroom dance that was one of the most common in the late XIX - early XX centuries. Improved and updated, it was put into use by the soloist of the St. Petersburg Ballet and the famous dance teacher N. L. Gavlikovsky. The padekatre consists of glide steps and a waltz turn. A feature of the padekatre is the performance of the waltz in 4/4 time (i.e., faster). The dance takes 4 measures. The first and second measures each consist of four steps, which gave the name to the dance. The dance is very short, but extremely elegant and beautiful. Pa-marshmallow

It belongs to the group of classical ballroom dances, composed of dance steps, light, sliding movements and postures. Performed at dance parties and balls. padepatiner

Padepatiner - (from the French patineur - dance of skaters), paired ballroom dance of an established composition, moderately fast pace, music. size 2/4. Light, sliding steps and dance poses imitate the movements of ice skaters. padespany

Padespan - (from French pas d`Espagne), paired ballroom dance of an established composition, moderately fast pace, music. size 3/4. For several decades, created in 1898 by the artist of the Bolshoi Theater, the Russian choreographer A. A. Tsarman, padespan was one of the most beloved Russian dances. Built on simple elements of Spanish dance.

Performed at dance parties and balls. pas de trois

Pas de Trois - (from the French pas de trios - dance for three), in classical ballet - a dance of three performers, as well as a ballroom dance of a certain composition for 24 measures. It consists of three parts, different in character and tempo: minuet, mazurka and waltz. Muses. size 3/4.

Like padegras, it was composed in Russia at the end of the 19th century. Russian choreographers E. M. Ivanov and A. P. Bychkov. The dance enjoyed well-deserved success along with other dances that brought up good manners, grace, grace and musicality.

Polonaise

"Polonaise" ("polonaise") in French means "Polish". This is a Polish solemn dance-procession, originated from folk mass dances - walks. Muses. size 3/4. He became famous in the 16th century. as a ceremonial court dance. In those ancient times, it was rather "represented" than danced. The ladies of the court, when presented to the king, formed a procession, which was accompanied by majestic music; such a procession became a tradition and began to open all state ceremonies, and the procession itself grew into a dance. In Russia, it was called "walking conversation", because during the dance, the performers could carry on a conversation. Unlike most salon dances, the 1st floor. 18th century The Polonaise did not give up its position in subsequent eras and firmly took the place of the first, "imperial" dance at all balls.

With this dance, the owner of the house opened every ball. The cavalier of the first couple (with the most honored lady) was the leader and was distinguished by exceptionally refined movements. The first pair set the movement, which was repeated by the entire column. Starting in the palace, the dance continued in "a thousand whimsical twists" through all the apartments, in the garden or in distant living rooms, where the movements became more relaxed. Polonaise “was not at all a meaningless walk, the whole society enjoyed its contemplation, seeing itself so beautiful, noble, magnificent, courteous. The dance was a constant exhibition of brilliance, glory, meaning." (F. List)

The polonaise was created (a characteristic exception!) in order to draw attention to a man, to emphasize his dapper appearance and proud posture. Even the name of the dance in the original - Polski - is masculine. At that time, magnificent fabrics, jewelry and bright colors were as common among men as among women. A special skill was required to remove the headdress during the polonaise, shift it from one hand to the other, touch the hilt of the saber, etc.

The beginning of the polonaise was marked by a ritornello. The dance step is soft, graceful and unchanging (despite the quirkiness and complexity of the entire composition), with a deep, smooth squat in the third quarter of each measure. The joined hands of the gentleman and the lady did not rise high. The body of the dancers is slightly turned towards the partner, the faces of the partners are also facing each other, and this position is maintained throughout the dance. The body should remain strictly taut, posture proud, steps alternate with smooth squats and bows. Everything is performed with a sense of great inner dignity and tact. There are no fast or intricate movements in the dance, but at the same time, no dance requires such strict concentration as the polonaise. Here you can clearly see the slightest clumsiness, the slightest uncertainty in the legs, the slightest mismatch. Pass with nobility, grace and simplicity, when they look at you from all sides! ..

After the master of the house solemnly opened the evening, each of the guests had the right to take his place with his lady and thus become the head of the cortege. The ladies, changing gentlemen as many times as the first of them invited new gentlemen, followed in the same order, the gentlemen succeeded each other, and it happened that the one who was in front at the beginning of the dance could be the last. The cavalier, who became the head of the column, tried to surpass his predecessor with unprecedented figures, which he forced to do.

The role of the polonaise was not only to introduce the guests to each other, but also to create a certain atmosphere: “Polish” helped to tune in to the dance evening, which required great choreographic skills.

The ceremonial dance of aristocratic balls has also immortalized itself in music; brilliant polonaises by Chopin, Glinka, Oginsky! Polonaise is found in Tchaikovsky's opera "Eugene Onegin", "Ivan Susanin" by Glinka. Unlike other dances whose melodies are sung, the polonaise has always been an instrumental genre.

Polka

An old Czech dance, not Polish, as the name suggests. Muses. size 2/4. The word "polka" comes from the word "pulka", which means "half" in Czech. Indeed, the main movement of this cheerful dance consists of two half-steps connected by a prefix.

Ballroom polka was born from Czech folk dance and retained its features in many ways. Not a single holiday in the Czech Republic is complete without a perky and cheerful polka. In the first half of the XIX century. The polka was brought to France by the Czech choreographer Josef Neruda.

40s of the XIX century. were a time of rapid enthusiasm for the Polish throughout Europe, including in Russia. Her success was overshadowed even by the waltz. "Everything - from clothes to dishes - came to be called polka." Cheerfulness, playfulness, lightness, not typical for the dances of that time, contributed to the triumphal procession of the polka around the world. The polka combines the waltz's embrace with incredible energy and vitality. Carelessness and lightness are her nature. New dance allowed to dance spontaneously and only for pleasure. Subsequently, some varieties of this dance appeared, however, the original polka outlived all its heirs.

Like all ballroom dances created on a folk basis, the polka adapted well to the new conditions of performance in the dance hall. All its charm is unchanged - in a cheerful rhythm, in fast and light bouncing movements and turns of dancing couples. The polka uses different figures, which the dancers can vary as they wish.

The music of this dance was appreciated by many composers. Polka themes are heard in operas, symphonies and chamber works. Johann Strauss-son, the undoubted "king of the waltzes" also became the "king of the Poles" (163 compositions). Tchaikovsky has beautiful polkas, Rachmaninov's "Italian Polka" is unique.

Polka has firmly entered the dance art of many peoples. It changed, acquiring a national flavor, but it always retained a combination of the mobility and strength of a male dance with the coquettish grace of a female dance. Serbs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Poles have a folk dance polka. Most of the Baltic dances are based on the polka. This also played a big role in the spread of ballroom polka around the world. There are German, Finnish, Swedish and even Brazilian polkas.

Polka is still popular, it is danced at competitions, balls, dance evenings.

Ballroom dance must be performed in pairs. Such dances today are commonly referred to as standardized sports dances performed at dance competitions and ceremonial events. Today in the world of dance there are two main classifications, in the aggregate consisting of ten dance styles: European and Latin American programs. Read more about dancing below.

History of ballroom dancing

The origin of the concept of "ballroom dance" comes from the Latin word "ballare", meaning "to dance". In the past, such dances were secular and were intended only for the highest persons, and folk dances remained for the poorer segments of the population. Since then, such a class division in dances, of course, no longer exists, and many ballroom dances are actually ennobled folk dances. In particular, the culture of the African and Latin American peoples had a great influence on modern ballroom dancing.

What to call a ballroom dance also depends on the era. Various dances were presented at balls at different times, such as polonaise, mazurka, minuet, polka, quadrille and others, which are now considered historical.

In the 1920s, the Ballroom Dancing Council was founded in Great Britain. Thanks to his activities, ballroom dance then acquired the format of a competition and began to be divided into two groups - into sports dances and the so-called social dances. The program included: waltz, tango, as well as slow and fast types of foxtrot.

During the period of the 30s - 50s, the number of dances increased: such paired Latin American dances as rumba, samba, cha-cha-cha, paso doble and jive got into the program. However, in the 60s, ballroom dancing ceased to be an ordinary entertainment, since it required a certain technical training, and was supplanted by a new dance called the twist, which did not need to be danced in pairs.

Dances of the European program

The program of European dances, or the Standard, includes: slow waltz, tango, foxtrot, quickstep and Viennese waltz.

Slow waltz

In the 17th century, the waltz was a folk dance in Austrian and Bavarian villages, and only at the beginning of the 19th century was it presented at balls in England. Then it was considered vulgar, since it was the first ballroom dance where the dancer could hold his partner so close to him. Since then, the waltz has taken a lot different forms, but each of them is united by a unique elegance and romantic mood.

A feature of the waltz is the musical time signature in three quarters and a slow tempo (up to thirty beats per minute). You can master its basic figures at home on your own.

Tango is a ballroom dance that originated in Argentina at the end of the 19th century. At first, tango was part of the Latin American dance program, but then it was transferred to the standard European program.

Perhaps, having seen the tango at least once, subsequently everyone will be able to recognize this dance - this assertive, passionate manner cannot be confused with anything. A feature of tango is a sweeping step on the whole foot, which distinguishes it from the classic "flow" from heel to toe.

Slow Foxtrot

The Foxtrot is a relatively simple ballroom dance that provides beginners with a great foundation to build upon. Foxtrot can be danced in slow, medium, and fast tempo, which allows even beginners to move gracefully on the parquet without any special skills. The dance is pretty easy to learn from scratch.

The main feature of the foxtrot is the alternation of fast and slow rhythms, but the smoothness and lightness of the steps are necessary, which should give the impression that the dancers are fluttering over the hall.

Quickstep

Quickstep appeared in the 1920s as a combination of foxtrot and Charleston. Musical bands of that time played music that was too fast for foxtrot movements, so they were modified in quickstep. Since then, as it has developed, this ballroom dance has become even more dynamic, allowing dancers to show off their technique and athleticism.

Quickstep combines many different elements such as chassis, progressive turns and steps, to name a few.

The Viennese waltz is one of the oldest ballroom dances, which is performed at a fast pace, which characterizes the first waltzes. The golden age of the Viennese waltz in Europe came at the beginning of the 19th century, when the famous composer Johann Strauss was still living and working. The popularity of this waltz rose and fell, but it never went out of fashion.

The size of the Viennese waltz is the same as that of the slow waltz, it is three quarters, and the number of beats per second is twice as much - sixty.

Dances of the Latin American program

The following sports ballroom dances usually represent the Latin American dance program: cha-cha-cha, samba, rumba, jive and paso doble.

Samba

This ballroom dance is considered the national dance of Brazil. The world began to discover samba since 1905, but this ballroom dance became a sensation in the USA only in the 40s thanks to the singer and movie star Carmen Miranda. Samba has many varieties, for example, the samba danced in Brazilian carnivals and the ballroom dance of the same name are not the same.

Samba combines many movements that distinguish other Latin American ballroom dances: there are circular movements of the hips, and "springy" legs, and measured rotations. However, it is not very popular to learn: the fast pace of performance and the need for physical training often deprive beginner dancers of enthusiasm.

The name of this dance is a reference to the sounds the dancers make with their feet as they dance to the rhythm of the maracas. The dance evolved from the rumba and the mambo dance. Mambo was widespread in the USA, but its fast music was very difficult to dance to, so the Cuban composer Enrique Jorin made the music slower - and the cha-cha-cha dance was born.

A feature of cha-cha-cha is the so-called triple step for two counts. This feature made cha-cha-cha a separate dance, distinguishing it from mambo, although the rest of the movements are quite similar to this style. Cha-cha-cha is also characterized by minimal movements around the hall, basically, this ballroom dance is performed almost in one place.

Rumba has a rather rich history - it emerged both as a musical genre and as a dance style with roots in Africa. Rumba is a very rhythmic and complex dance that has spawned many other dance styles, including salsa.

Previously, this Latin American dance was considered too vulgar because of its uninhibited movements. It is still called the dance of love. The mood of the dance can change during its execution - from measured to aggressive. The performance style is reminiscent of mambo and cha-cha-cha styles. The main measures of the rumba are QQS or SQQ (from the English S - "slow" - "slow" and Q - "quick" - "fast").

"Paso doble" is Spanish for "two steps", which defines its marching nature. It is a powerful and rhythmic dance, which is characterized by a straight back, a look from under the eyebrows and dramatic postures. Among many other Latin American dances, paso doble is notable for the fact that you will not find African roots in its origin.

This Spanish folk dance was inspired by bullfighting, with the man invariably portraying the matador tamer and the woman playing the role of his cape or bull. However, during the performance of paso doble at dance competitions, the partner never depicts a bull - only a cloak. Due to its stylization and large number of rules, this ballroom dance is practically not performed outside of dance competitions.

Jive

Jive originated in African American clubs in the early 40s. The word "jive" itself means "misleading chatter" - a popular slang term among African Americans of the time. The US military brought the dance to England during World War II. There jive was adapted to British pop music and took the form it has today.

A characteristic feature of jive is the fast pace of the dance, due to which the movements come out springy. Another feature of jive is straight legs. You can dance this sports ballroom dance both on a six-bar count and on an eight-bar count.

During the 1830s and 1840s, the Romantic movement saw the ballet scene teeming with nature spirits, fairies and sylphs. The cult of the ballerina replaced the cult of the dancer, the last and greatest exponent of which was the Italian-born French dancer Gaetin Vestris (1729–1808). Women's dance techniques have been greatly improved. The length of the skirt was shortened even more, and ballet shoes were also introduced, which made it possible to dance on the toes. Choreographers continued to struggle 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 the real world and the spiritual world. This theme was expanded upon in Giselle (1841) and Ondine (1843). At that time, Paris and London were trendsetters, and it was in London in 1845 that the premiere of “Pas de quatre” took place - a badet production, for which the French choreographer Jules Perrot invited four of the greatest ballerinas of that time to perform in 4 acts: Marie Taglioni (1804 –84), Carlotta Grisi (1819–99), Fanny Cerrito (1817–1909) and Lucille Grand (1819–1907).

After that, the Romantic ballet quickly declined, at least in these cities. However, in Copenhagen it continued to flourish in the early 1860s thanks to the choreographer Auguste Bournonville, whose repertoire was taken over 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-renowned ballet culture of its own. Initially, Russian theatrical traditions were closely associated with Paris, but gradually developed their own ballet culture. The finest hour of classical ballet in Tsarist Russia was achieved in St. Petersburg productions such as The Sleeping Beauty (1890), The Nutcracker (1892) and Swan Lake (1895), the music for which was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, as well as " Raymond" (1898) Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936). While ballet flourished in St. Petersburg and Moscow, it waned in Paris. Ballerinas began to appear even in male roles, for example in Coppélia (1870).
The 19th century also saw an unprecedented increase in travel and cross-cultural influences. This has brought many "exotic" dance styles to the Western scene. Troupes from India and Japan came to exhibitions in Paris, which aroused a keen interest in folk and ethnic dances. Ballerinas of the Romantic Ballet toured all European cities: from Milan and London to Moscow. The Austrian dancer Fanny Elssler made a two-year tour of the Americas in the early 1840s. Great choreographers also traveled to all cities. The language of dance has become a real way of international communication, because it did not depend either on the country or on the language spoken in it.

Dancing in the USA in the 19th century

During the 19th century, other dance entertainments, which were more "light" than classical ballet, also gained immense popularity in Europe. In Paris, the women's cancan was at the peak of fashion. His insane energy, arrogance and flirting on the verge of a foul became a real revelation for the public. After 1844, this dance became a feature of music halls, revues and operettas. This genre was developed by the operetta composer Jacques Offenbach (1819–80) and vividly portrayed by the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901).

In London at this time, the Alhambra ballets and the Imperial Ballet flourished, which were mainly staged classical ballets on a variety of topics. But America provided the widest variety of dances, in which, after the war, against the backdrop of a patriotic wave after the war for independence, various dances on the theme of freedom began to appear en masse, as well as dances from the era of colonization of America were revived.
Separately, it should be noted that minstrel shows, extravaganzas, burlesques and vaudevilles, which became popular in America in the 19-20 centuries, should be noted. They represented a fusion of a wide range 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 performances began to appear all sorts of types of dance from ballets imported from Europe to completely authentic women's dances local Indians who were on the verge of striptease. American dancers began to enjoy a good reputation both in America and in Europe. Ballet dancer Augusta Maywood (1825–1876) was the first american dancer who began performing at the Paris Opera.

The 19th century also saw a huge increase in public dance halls and other dance-related institutions in the rapidly growing cities of the Western United States. Native American rural dances, very fast two-step, performed to marches, and cakewalk began to revive here. For the first time, Europe found something new in the New World to draw on for its dance scene. Also at that time, the pace of dances accelerated significantly, reflecting, perhaps, the accelerating pace of life and the great social changes of the 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 dances. As if somehow they had become aware of the impending catastrophe, the wealthy societies of Europe and America indulged in entertainment, one of the main of which was 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 it turned out rather poorly. However, there has almost never been such a frantic search for new forms, such a radical change in meanings that were previously taken for granted, such a fascination among the youth of all countries in individual terms and more. dynamic way life. All the arts have been deeply influenced by the rapid accumulation of discoveries in the physical and social sciences, as well as the growing awareness of social problems.

All in all, it was an incredibly busy 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 renovated under the direction of the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929). Ballet inspired some of the most important composers and artists of the time, becoming the main base for much of the work in dance art. Supporters 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 trend developed especially vigorously in Germany, where its expressionist forms were called Ausdruckstanz (“expressionist dance”). Ballroom dancing has been heavily modified by adding fresh influences from South American, Creole and African cultures. After the strong rise in popularity of African-American jazz, the whole spirit and style social dancing changed radically and in the following 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 folklore dance societies, as well as various youth movements who saw that these dances could help in the formation of new social feelings. Theatrical dances of all kinds, which were formed from the stylized centuries-old dances of the East, reached new heights of popularity.