Tap dancing is one of the most interesting dances to me. As a child I can recall watching movies with my grandparents and being amazed by the way shoes can produce a pattern of sound that is almost musical. For this journal I enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane enjoying the videos from Fred Astaire clear through to Sammy Davis Jr. It is so hard to choose just the one artist from all of the great dancers, I decided to go with Fred Astire. The title of the musical is " Puttin on the Ritz ,http://my.mail.ru/mail/dostali312xyu/video/52/161.html?time=0&from=videoplayer. Fred Astaire performed a contemporary tap dance which he choregraphed himself. The tapping coming from the shoes balances in between the words of the song, bit by bit it builds up to a full dance routine. The sound of what is called tap dancing comes from the feet and shoes the dance itself come with the whole body. It is a combination of high energy includind; swinging, swaying and bending of the upper body, kicking and jumping from the legs, also movement from the head. I had my pick of many sole video performances or duets he danced in with other great dancers but I chose "Puttin on the Ritz" because Fred is dancing with many other dancers. When performimg any dance routine perfection is important, when doing a duet both dancers have to be in the same step. Towards the end this peice shows how imperitive it to be in the same timing with …show more content…
George praised Fred for his dancing, Astaire was Balanchine's favorite dancer...............and he admired him as a choreogtapher". (http://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/american-contemporary-ballet-takes-on-george-balanchine-and-fred-astaire/.
This is another link that I found with great writing about Fred Astire, something you might enjoy reading. This would have been a great bio essay.
Before the Lindy-Hop became popular and long before tap dance was established in the United States, Black Bottom dance was popular among both Blacks and Whites in Harlem, New York. The dance craze, appropriated from the blacks in Harlem’s nightclubs, became a big rage when brought to the white community and put on stage. Black Bottom dance, also known as “Swanee Bottom” was an popular dance among lower class African Americans in the early 1900s. Beloved to be introduced by Alberta Hunter, a popular blues singer, Black Bottom was a dance that emerged from African American culture. Although Black Bottom is not a family recognizable dance today, the popularity of the dance at this time caused a great ripple in the dances that came later on down the line.
...’s work. Although dancing Taylor’s choreography, Grossman was allowed the freedom to experiment and this factor allowed him to develop as a performer. Grossman has admitted that he had some fear in dancing in Taylor’s Company; however he has further added that in doing so his fears were gradually diffused and he in fact reached “a sense of peace or calm”.
Well, tap dancing is not just dancing. It is a form of dancing. While, most people think that tap dancing is not emotional, on the contrary tappers express themselves through their footwork. The heel of the tapper’s shoes act as a drum, creating
...ical and close together. This dance involved a lot of spinning and pelvic motion, which added to the flirtatious mood; all of these movements were done in sync with the tempo of the music. Furthermore, Rhoden did a wonderful job of conveying trust in the relationships. Rhoden did this by having the danseurs catch the ballerinas in motion while in the air. The female dancers did a lot of leaps and sashays, which also added to the happy mood.
There are many performers, choreographers, and artistic movements that have greatly impacted and influenced today’s American entertainment industry. One man in particular led a revolution of modern dance which created the dance style as it is now known and recognized today; this man is Ted Shawn. As an innovator of modern dance, Ted Shawn impacted today’s American entertainment industry through his emphasis on masculine rather than effeminate qualities in male dancers, and the creation of his nationally renowned dance festival and institution known as “Jacob’s Pillow.”
Another scene that depicts the way some view of breakdancing and hip hop is when James has a party and he invites Ozone and Turbo, as well as Kelly. There are a lot of wealthy people there and when they see the two males from the trio, the looks on their faces turn into those of shock. Kelly’s former dance coach is also at this party, and when he finds out the grou...
The freedom of the American life and culture of the 1970’s overflowed to make a major impact on music and dance during this period. American culture flourished. The events of the times were reflected in and became the inspiration for much of the music, literature, entertainment, and even fashion of the decade. Choreographers wanted to motivate the dancers to leap into the unknown and experience the contact of dance in their own way.
...e are a lot of lifts and partnering in this piece that have the same feeling of gravity and weight. The relationship of the dance to the music in Esplanade is also parallel. I think that you can take the movements and gestures from both this dance and several of Paul Taylor’s works and relate them to everyday life, such as: walking, running, crawling, hugging, thrusting, groping, and lifting. The costuming would not be typical of a Taylor work, because it is not gender specific, but I believe that the gestural/pedestrian feel of the dance lines up with Paul Taylor’s inspirations.
New Dance is described as a developing art form; this dance was articulated in the early 20th century. According to Chapter 8 in History of Dance book, “the new dance emerged as a response to the ballet that populated the variety shows and music halls, which had a rigid formula of steps and poses” (Kassing). The New Dance was a product of several strands that interlaced together dancers’ studies and backgrounds; these strands and others were woven together in a historical, political, and societal framework. For instance, one strand of New Dance consisted of the concepts, techniques, costumes, and stage settings from around the world. These strands influenced major dancers and choreographers, such as, Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn.
Famous choreographer George Balanchine once said, “He is the most interesting, the most inventive, the most elegant dancer of our times” and noted dancer Rudolph Nureyev also said, “He was not just the best ballroom dancer, or tap dancer, he was simply the greatest, most imaginative, dancer of our time.” These famous dancers were referring to Fred Astaire, who has been known as one of the greatest dancers of all time. His light, artistic joyful style of dancing has impacted dance in an extremely unique way. Astaire used techniques in films as well as in dance that have shaped society. Astaire was mostly prominent throughout the 1930s during the Great Depression. Everywhere, Americans were looking for some joy in their lives, and Astaire was able to give them hope in a period of history that lacked optimism. Fred Astaire’s carefree dance movement style and techniques, specifically in the films Swing Time and The Gay Divorcee, help America through the Great Depression and signifies the importance of art in this time period.
When it came to his dancing he had fantastic technique and rhythm. His dance numbers were known to be elegant, smooth, unique and precise. He got his inspirations from tap, classical dance and the styles of Vernon and Irene Castle to make his own distinct style. Even though he got his inspirations from others, he contined to be an inspiration for others. Fred’s style was an inspiration for the American Smooth style of ballroom dance and set standards for which succeeding film dance musicals would be judged upon.
The success in Pal Joey started his numerous cooperation with Stanley Donen. Kelly and Fred Astaire were considered as the brain and heart of the drama. His success in Singin’ in the Rain made him known to the world. He was remembered by his excellent dancing skills and natural humor in his performance. He received many awards from Hollywood for his contributions to the performance industry.
Gene Kelly once described his career by stating, “I never wanted to be a dancer... I wanted to be a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates” (IMDb). The events of Kelly’s life and career would almost reflect this sentiment if it were not for the incredible impact Kelly had on the history of cinema. Though he claims in an interview found in He’s Got Rhythm:The Life and Career of Gene Kelly by Cynthia Brideson that his career was more incidental than anything, it was his innovative style, charisma, and challenge of classism in the dance industry that proved him to be a true revolutionary in the world of musical cinema. Gene Kelly challenged the style of studio musicals in not only his form of dance. He challenged the way dancing was viewed by society. Gene Kelly’s legacy can be detailed by his influence on the dance styles found on stage and screen, in modern cinematography and editing, and in the his challenge of the stereotypes
Irish dance is known all around the world for its music, style, and costumes. What once started as a cultural folkloric dance has now turned into a worldwide phenomenon because of many contextual factors on the three defining characteristics. In this paper I will attempt to show how the Gaelic League, An Coimisiún, and Riverdance influenced and changed the posture, movement, and appearance of the dance form. The story of Irish dance thus far is one of a constant changing dance that reflects the influences around it. Each of the changes in the style, costuming, and meaning of the dance has molded it into the globally accepted and loved dance form seen today.
“Dance, the art of precise, expressive, and graceful human movement, traditionally, but not necessarily, performed in accord with musical accompaniment. Dancing developed as a natural expression of united feeling and action.”