Characteristics of african and european dance essay sample

African dance is a concept that conditionally combines original dances of the peoples living in Africa. That actually means that such dance is inextricably linked with life, religious beliefs and folklore of each nation having its historical and ethnic past. Dance culture in North Africa (Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia), developed under the influence of a common Arab-Muslim culture of the Mediterranean. Self-development takes place in the culture of the Ethiopian highlands and peoples of South-Eastern coast Africa (the latter has long maintained ties with South Asia). Tropical Zone, or so-called sub-Saharan Africa, despite the diversity of its ethnicity composition, can be characterized by an undoubted similarity of conditions and cultural development, in the tradition of African Studies, considered separately from the northern and eastern regions. By now dances of Central, Western and Southern Africa have been little studied.
African dance can be rightfully considered as the oldest form of the choreography in the world. Ethnic dances are still taught to children in the tribes from the earliest age. But what is most interesting – African traditional dances have spread far beyond the continent, and do not leave indifferent people all over the world.
There are some special features that differ African dances with most of types of Western dances. The most obvious one is in the lack of a partner to dance (at least in mixed pairs ” man-woman”). Instead, in most dance group performances the pairs are divided by gender. Men dance for women, and vice versa. They have their own dances for virtually any age group. This helps to strengthen the role of the tribal, both in terms of gender and in terms of group identity.
It is also one of the most striking features of traditional African dance is the nature of movements in them. African dancers are often able to ” isolate” parts of their bodies and move them in a different rhythm. So, during the dance dancer’s body moves in two or three completely different rhythms. This ideal self control is often complemented by a more abrupt movements such as kicks, jumping, and waving arms.
Musicians have much greater obligation than the usual entertainment as dancing and music is one of the things that helps to keep the tribe togeter as a whole. Drums reflect the mood of the tribe and performed dances and the way of playing on them can vary depending on the purpose of each dance. African Dance is nothing more than a continuous improvisation.
All the dances of the European dance program are completed with the advance of the line of dance (in a circle counterclockwise). Ladies should wear special ball gowns that would be meeting some special requirements. Partners should be dressed in a frock coat in black or dark blue and wearing a tie or a neckcloth. Instead coat dancing allowed in a tuxedo or a waistcoat, but for certain categories of performers. Dance costumes are different from day to day in the first cut. One of the features is that the shoulders in a tailcoat or tuxedo partner should remain straight while raising your arms to the sides.
European classic dances are performed by both amateurs and professionals. In European dance melody prevails over the rhythm. Rhythm is subject only to the lower half of the body: feet, knees and hips, and the body, shoulders and arms beat melody. European dances inherent grace. Movement therein begins at the top of the housing. Figures of European dances were strictly standardized and separated into categories corresponding to different levels of dance training.
All standard ballroom dances have different roots, causing a kind of rhythm, tempo and character of the movement. But they had a high degree of equivalence: for their implementation required a couple moving in a ” closed dance position,” the so-called ” cross.” This position assumed a tight contact between the partners during the dance, even the most difficult pas dancing as if doing a ” glued” to each other. And the role of the partner in these dances dominant, all that remains of the partner, it is sensitive to follow partner, catching fleeting change in his mood.