Things you can do with the cards:
use them as material to explore various dances and search for overlaps, differences and historical connections to contemporary dance.
combine them with cards from other focus areas. For instance, you can take a close look at the working methods of choreographers who mix different dance cultures with one another.
You can find examples for this here:
You can find ideas for developing assignments here.
The focus area “Dance Cultures” takes a look at the diversity and development of various dance cultures and techniques as well as their historical roots.
The broad spectrum of TRADITIONAL DANCES mirrors the respective cultural contexts in which they have arisen, just as historical and modern social dances or urban dance styles from pop culture do. All styles of dance convey their own body concepts and images and together make up the foundation for our examination of contemporary dance.
When we combine movement sequences from Western SOCIAL DANCES with dances from the Orient, new, surprisingly independent choreographies take shape. We can also transfer this approach to contemporary dance and URBAN DANCE STYLES, which each have their own different development histories. Contemporary dance for instance has its origin in early courtly dances and subsequently evolved via ballet and modern STAGE DANCE into the abundance of its various manifestations today. The roots of urban dance styles lie on the other hand in the traditional folk dances of various cultures. Finally, contemporary dance also draws on impulses from RITUAL DANCES and OTHER MOVEMENT CULTURES such as Brazilian capoeira.
The focus area “Dance Cultures” assists in making dance history immediately accessible from an active artistic perspective. In addition, it promotes students’ awareness for the cultural diversity of dance and its traditions.
Tarantella
18th century
Southern Italy
Flamenco
19th century
Andalusia
Schuhplattler
1824
Upper Bavaria, Tirol, Salzburg
Halay
traditional
Turkey, Balkans, Caucasus, Kurdish peoples
Dabke
traditional
Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Palestinian Autonomous Areas, Israel, Iraq
Attan
traditional
Afghanistan
Minuet
17th century
France
Waltz
around 1800
Central Europe
Polka
around 1830
Bohemia / Germany
Tango
around 1880
Argentina / Uruguay
Swing
around 1930
USA
Rock'n'Roll
1950s
USA
Twist
1960s
African-American origin
Salsa
1970s
Caribbean
Samba
20th century
Brazil
Cha-Cha-Cha
20th century
Cuba
Jive
1930s
African-American origin
Bossa Nova
1960s
Brazil
Disco
1970s
Europe / USA
Techno
around 1985
Europe / USA
Drum and Bass
1990s
England
Jumpstyle
around 2005
Belgium
Locking
1970s
Los Angeles
Popping
1970s
Fresno
Hip-Hop
blanket term
1970s
New York
Breakdance
1980s
New York
Freestyle
1980s
New York
Krumping
1990s
Los Angeles
House
1990s
New York
Streetdance Activism
2012
Los Angeles
Nihon Buyo
classical Japanese dance
Bharatnatyam
classical Indian dance
Ballet
15th and 16th centuries
Italy and France
Modern Dance
from 1900 on
USA
Expressionist Dance
20th century
Germany
Jazz Dance
1930s
USA
Postmodern Dance
1960s
USA
Dance Theatre
1970s
Germany
Contemporary Dance
blanket term
1980s
Western cultural sphere
Conceptual Dance
2000s
Western cultural sphere
Orisha Dances
Africa
Kathak
13th century
India
Dogon Dances
Mali
Sun Dance
19th century
North American indigenous culture
Haka Whakatu Waeawae
New Zealand
Dance of the dervishes
Turkey
Capoeira
Afro-Brazilian culture
Shaolin Kung Fu
China
Aikido
Japan
Circus artistry
from the 18th century on
in pairs
Connect sequences of steps from three traditional dances with three typical movements from different sports. You should end up with a little dance featuring a total of six movements. Focus particular attention on what kind of transitions work best to help you combine the movements into a whole.
Reflect on the process afterwards by explaining your decisions to your classmates.
individually, in pairs, group
Choose three society dances from the card set and use the Internet to research their histories. Find out what sort of occasions these dances are performed at. Off the top of your head, can you think of any differences between classical and modern dances? Do you see any potential parallels between them, and if so, where?
In the next step, come up with five questions that you could ask your classmates: whether they like dancing, and if so, for what sort of occasion, what it means to them, what they feel when they’re dancing, etc...
individually, in pairs
Decide on two dances from the card set for urban dances and compare them with one another. Did you select dances that you are particularly fond of? Then try to describe why, and share your feelings with your partner. Your argumentation can also include thoughts about rhythm, virtuosity, the dynamics of the movements and the style of music (for instance, is there a melody or does the rhythm dominate most of all?).
Make up a sequence of movements in which you connect diverse elements from different urban dances with one another. A brand new dance will emerge from this mixture.
group
This exercise focuses on choreography, which can be described as a kind of staging of movement in time and space.
To develop a good idea about what is really important here, compare the working methods of different choreographers described in the Choreographers Book and reflect on their differences and similarities in conversation with the others.
individually, in pairs
Explore three dances from the card set on ritual dances by watching videos, looking at pictures and asking the following questions, for example:
If you like the dances: what exactly appeals to you? If you don’t like them: what do you think is strange about them, or maybe even repellent? What era are the dances from? Are there particular social or political circumstances that can help to understand the dances? For what sort of occasions were they performed?
in pairs
Capoeira is a form of traditional dance from Brazil. It originally came from Africa and has its roots in physical altercations, which is why it is also sometimes referred to as a “war dance”. Characteristic for Capoeira are its dynamic attack and smooth defence styles.
Explore this principle and develop a duet by transferring this pair of opposites, attack and defence, to your dance.