Facts about Dances
The earliest known archaeological evidence of dance is found in the nine thousand-year-old Indian cave paintings.
In Ancient Greek mythology, Nine muses were associated with each one of the Arts. Terpischore was the Muse of Dancing.
Religious ceremonies that narrated tales of mythological creatures and gods were among the first to employ structured danse.
In many Religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, Danse is a part of Worship and Dancing figures are often found in Shrines and Temples.
In Different regional forms of Classical Indian dance like Bharata Natyam, Kathak – Dansers wear Heavy anklets of multiple bells called Ghungroo which highlight and Emphasize the Rhythms of the Dancer’s feet. Dansers can wear up to 200 Bells – 100 on each Ankle.
Widely considered the “Mother of Modern Da’ce”, Martha Graham called danser’s “Athletes of God”.
Originating in the 1970s in the Bronx, Breakdancing was created as a ‘Less Lethal’ form of Fighting.
Since it was forbidden for African slaves brought from Brazil to practise martial arts, they invented a danse known as capoeira.
The word “rumba” comes from the Spanish verb “rumbear,” which means to party or have a good time. The slowest of the Latin danses, it has ceremonial and religious roots.
The lovely Korean fan dance, or Buchaechum, is a descendant of ancient nature ceremonies. The dancers create patterns that resemble waves, trees, or flowers using big fans that have been painted with flowers.
The Japanese engaged in a battle dance known as Onikenbai, or Demon Sword Dancee, for over a millennium. The danse involved stomping the ground to ward off evil spirits.
The “Gumboot” danse got its start in South Africa’s gold mines when the miners were forbidden from speaking. Instead, they had to stomp their feet and slap their boots to communicate, which turned into a kind of danc’e.
The “Whirling Dervishes” are well-known for their distinctive whirling danses, which represent the universe’s rotation in God’s presence.
Waltzen, which means “to glide or turn” in German, is where the word “Waltz” originates. The Danse was first deemed shocking and sinful.
One of the most well-known religious and ceremonial danses in China and the neighbouring nations of Taiwan, Korea, and Japan is the lion dancee. This danse can be used to ward off bad luck, bring good fortune, and demonstrate one’s mastery of martial arts.
The most Sensual danse of modern times is Tango. It originated from 1890s Argentina but it quickly became very successful in Europe.
Why is it that before a danser enters the stage, people say, “Break a leg”? The dance community is rife with folklore. Before a show, when someone says, “Break a leg,” they are expressing exactly the opposite of what they hope will occur on stage.
Jules Leotard, a French acrobat who executed the first flying trapeze act in 1859, is the man behind the Leotard’s name. He displayed his muscles by donning his form-fitting apparel.
Some Pop singers Create their own Dancees to fit their Songs. For example, Michael Jackson created the ‘Moonwalk’ for his hit ‘Thriller’ in 1982.
Dansers perform on stilts as high as six feet in certain regions of Southern and Western Africa. Their dance represents the idea that striking the right balance is the key to human wisdom.
The world’s highest paid dancer is Michael Flately of Riverdance, who makes $1.8 million a week at his Prime. The $44.7 million insurance covered his legs.
In Stuttgart, Germany, 6,952 tap dansers recorded the largest tap danse on record in 1998.
When David Meenan tap dansed over 23 miles (37 km) in 1996, he broke the record for the furthest dancee.
Following the 1964 Swan Lake performance in Vienna by Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fanteyn, the record number of Curtain Calls for a Ballet was 89.
In Swan Lake, ballerina Pierina Legnani performed 32 fouettes, or lightning-fast turns on one foot. She has not had a record broken.
