Sufism and Bharatanatyam are two dance forms that involve skillful movement and lots of history. Although this is a controversial topic, the actual birth of Sufism arose during the 8th and 9th century in the Middle East from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, the last messenger and prophet of God. Muslims believe in one God, Allah, and knew that the Prophet was helping deliver that message. Prophet Muhammad became an important source of guidance for all the believers and set the agenda for the codification of Sharīʿah law, teachings of the Quran and the Hadiths and Sunnas—words and actions, respectively—of the prophet. Sufis emphasize the direct personal experience of God through dance in a repetitive circular movement, while standing on
Sufis are typically called the ‘Whilring Dervishes’ because they spin at an angle in circles as a form of prayer and connecting. They start with dhikr, the remembrance of God, by frequent repetitions of his [God’s] name. Then comes the dance: the interior remains a shady atmosphere and a soft melodious flute tune is heard. In the tall, circular hats, the men form a big circle and start moving. Simultaneously, they start crying because of the state and level they are in. Their movements are so minuscule and concentrated, that it is hard to tell the movement is present. Slowly, they point their arm to the Earth and move slowly around themselves. At this point, the self-ego is nearly gone and the oneness that they aspired to reach is something they are all finding while rotating.
On the contrary, Bharatanatyam is a dance that originated in Southern India in Tamilnadu approximately 2000 years ago. Initially, it started out as a temple dance tradition called Dasiyattam, the dance of the maid-servants. It involved into a dance form of all classical Indian dances. The word “Bhar” is related to “Bhakti” which means devotion. This specific dance form combines expressive expression with a feeling of spirituality. This form of art has been handed down by nattuvanars, teachers, and devadasis, ritualistic
Tayob, A & Jeppie, S & Shaikh, S. eds. 2006. “To Love Every Life as Your Own: An Introduction to Engaged Sufism” in Journal for Islamic Studies: Thematic Issue: Engaged Sufism. 26. Cape Town: University of Cape Town. pp 1-11.
Considering descendants’ effort to bring this culture back in society, this entire dancing performance, masks, and the idea of interacting with the outside world must not have been merely correlated to their religious and spiritual ritual. It might have been their identity; a symbolic of their society which their ancestors had built and passed down to them.
The possession of dance goes to emphasize the idea that gaining a sense of control through dance comes by being possessed by a deity or spirit that processed to speak or act using the possessed person’s body. Being possessed by a deity relates back to some cultures in foreign countries such as Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean, in which the people recognize a person’s poo...
By educating the masses and deepening the spiritual concerns of the Muslims, Sufism has played a critical part in the arrangement of the Muslim society. The Sufi movement consists of rituals and practices include writing and reciting poetry and hymns. For example, Sufis participate in an assortment of custom practices planned to offer them some assistance with realizing union with God, for example, particular types of custom supplication to God include the recitation of God 's names, and substantial ceremonies, for example, "Whirling Dervishes," a Turkish Sufi arrange that practices reflection and thought of God through turning. (Religion and Ethics
Learning about Dance: Dance as an Art Form and Entertainment provides visions into the many features of dance and inspires scholars to keep an open mind and think critically about the stimulating, bold, ever-changing and active world of dance. Learning about Dance is particularly useful for those who do not have a wide and diverse dance contextual, such as students in a preliminary level or survey dance course. This book consists of twelve chapters. Chapter one dance as an art form focuses on the basic structures of dance. Dance is displayed through the human body, it has the control to communicate and induce reactions. Dance can be found in many different places, it enables the participants and seekers to touch and knowledge the joy of movement. Dance is discovered as being one of the oldest art forms worldwide. Dance existed in early cultures was recognized in a sequence of rock paintings portrayed dance. Since this discovery of rock paintings, several other forms of art have been found that depict dance. People used rituals in order to worship the gods and believed that the rituals held magical and spiritual powers. During the ancient period civilizations sentient decisions began to be made with regard to dance. Other periods that had an impact on dance were the medieval period, the renaissance period, and the contemporary period. Chapter two the choreographer, the choreographer is a person who comes up with the movements created into a dance routine. The choreographer expresses themselves through choreography because this is their way of communicating with the audience. In order to be a choreographer you must have a passion for dance. Each choreographer has their own approaches and ways of making up a routine. Choreographers ...
This dance they get into nature by way of rhythm and it can make your body
Dance has been a part of human history since the earliest records of human life. Cave paintings found in Spain and France dating from 30,000 -10,000 BC. have vivid drawings of dancing figures in association with ritual illustrating the pesents of dance in early human society. Many people around the world see life as a dance from the movements of the heavens and the turn of the seasons to the unique dance of every creature. The history of dance reflects the changes in the way people see the world, relate to their bodies and experience the cycles of life. In India among the Hindus, the Creator is a dancer who dances the world through the cycles of birth, death and rebirth. In the early churches of Europe, Christian worship included dance while at other times in western history dancing was outlawed and banned. In Ancient Egypt, ceremonial dances were enacted by the pharaohs as a dancing priest- king representing his people. These dances, culminating in ceremonies representing the death and rebirth of the god Osiris became more and more complex until ultimately they could only be performed by a highly valued professional class of dancers. In Ancient Greece, Egyptian dance influences were carried over by Greek philosophers who went to Egypt for general study. The dance rituals of the Gods and Goddesses of ...
Every dance that is created by a choreographer has a meaning and or purpose behind it. The dance choreographed could be used to send a political, emotional, or a social message. Regardless of the message being sent, each dance created possesses a unique cultural and human significance. This essay will examine and analyze two dance works from history and give an insight into what each dance work provided to the society of its time.
The Indian Classical Kathak dance and the Spanish Flamenco have striking similarities even though the location and culture of their origins greatly differ.
Bollywood film has opened the gates to Bollywood dance, creating a popular style that spread throughout the world. This style would not have been able to spread so quickly if it not had been for the familiar themes and culture found in the genre. Because of this diverse make-up, Bollywood dance is being questioned, for it cannot be seen as traditional Indian dance if it is made up of so many different cultures and styles. Due to the creation from a wide assortment of cultures and practices, Bollywood dance has been the subject of a controversy focusing on its authenticity. Although it is not pure Indian movements, it has become the face of Indian dance due to accessibility and familiarity.
...o allow dancers to make contact with gods or demons, or allow the dancer to be filled by the spirit of an ancestor or deity (Cross 37). So, although we cannot identify every specific dance in Balinese culture, we are able to conclude that dance as an art is critical and definitive to the culture as a whole.
The origins of the kathak style lies in the traditional unfolding of Hindu myths by Brahmin priests called kathiks, who used mime and gesture for dramatic effect. Gradually, the storytelling became more stylized and developed into a dance form. With the arrival in northern India of the Mughals, kathak was taken into the royal courts and developed into a sophisticated art form; through the patronage of the Mughal rulers, kathak took its current form. The emphasis of the dance moved from the religious to the aesthetics. In cooperation with the aesthetics of Islamic culture, abhinaya which is defined as the use of mime and gesture, became more delicate, with emphasis placed on the performer's ability to express a theme in many different ways.
Like many Indian arts, Indian dance also has its root in religion. Without the religious and cultural background of India, the growth and beauty of Indian dance is not possible. In ‘Natya Shastra’, there is a small story about the origin of Indian dance. According to Hindu mythology, dance first existed in heaven. There was always a constant conflict between the Asuras and the Devas for wealth and power. The Devas were tired of the Asuras’ greediness and jealousy.
Dance is an ancient human practice, however the earliest record of human dance remains a mystery. By