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Conculion of irish culture
Essay on irish dancing
Origin of irish dancing
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Every one of us has a family history that is rich with traditions, practices and ethnic foods. Most of the United States is made up of immigrants that came from many different lands. My family is no different. Both of my parents have strong lines of Irish ancestry. These strong ties are what made Irish celebrations a regular occurrence in my family. St. Patrick’s Day was almost as important as Christmas when I was growing up. Irish (Gaelic) dance is a dying style of dance that has survived for so many centuries. The history of Gaelic Dance reaches back several centuries. There is no firm evidence to support the exact date of when this form of dance began. Many believe that Gaelic dance had its beginnings by druids in various religious …show more content…
Queen Elizabeth was one of the first of royalty to have Irish dance performed in her court. The Most common dance to be performed in royal court by the Irish in the Sixteenth century was called the Trenchmore. This dance which was an improved version of an old peasant dance became the basis of what developed into Gaelic dancing. The dance involved the female dancers winding around their partners. There would always be some kind of musical instruments being played. The common choice was bagpipes, fiddles and harps. Sometimes the Irish would use dance to mourn the deaths of loved ones. They would usually dance around the coffin in ring formation, while somebody played the bagpipes. Irish dancing needed to become entrenched in to the daily lives of the Irish. This happened in the Eighteenth …show more content…
It was a big deal if another dance master trespassed onto someone else’s territory. It was not uncommon to see a dance master kidnapped by another dance master. Some were tortured or even killed. Often a dance master would meet other dance masters at fairs or carnivals and hold insane dance offs. These would literally go on for hours until one or all of them literally collapsed from fatigue. The Dance Master usually wore bright clothes. The color of choice was usually green, and they often carried a staff. The outfits or costumes of today’s Irish dancers borrow costume ideas from the wardrobe of the dance master. The costumes of men consisted of a normal looking kilt, with a jacket to match. The final piece of clothing was a folded cape that was draped over one arm. The women wear dresses with an amazingly fantastic Celtic design on it. The woman’s cape was draped in such a way that required it be held in place by a beautiful brooch. As the popularity of Gaelic dancing grew, it soon became obvious that some rules are order were need if this form of dance wanted to
The concept that belly dance is a constantly evolving dance might surprise most people, as the static Orientalist image of the belly dancer is the one that pervades American popular culture. I and other scholars attempt to remove belly dance from the ridged framework of Orientalism and the harem fantasy. By the following how belly dance arrived in America, and how images of belly dancers and harems became part of the visual culture of the West I have attempted to demonstrate that there are aspects of power and a different reading of images of belly dance is possible. Through continued scholarly inquiry and research I look forward to the emergence of a new image of belly dance, one that represents the power and beauty of this dance, an image that is respectful of the many cultures that it represents.
It was a great time of despair for the Native American people as the defeat of their nations by the ever westward expanding United States and subsequent placement onto reservations disrupted their culture and way of life as it had existed for hundreds of years. The decade leading up to 1890, which was a main focal point in the history of Native Americans, saw the passing of the 1887 Dawes Severalty Act which called for the breaking up of reservations and offering the Indians an opportunity to become citizens and giving them an allotment of land to farm or graze livestock on (Murrin 628). This breaking up of the different tribes’ social structure was just one of the many causes which led to the spiritual movement known as the Ghost Dance (or Lakota Ghost Dance) that swept across what remained of the Native American people in their various reservations. Other reasons for the Indian’s dysphoria at this time in their history included: lack of hunting, decease of the buffalo, forced abandonment of their religion, nearly forced conversion to Christianity, westernization, and having to farm for the very first time.
The origin of Mexican Folklorico dances originate from Mesoamerican days when the Mayas and the Aztecs
“Momma! Daddy! It’s time for the Grand Ole Opry!” In the early twenties, during the Great Depression, it was a time when the family would gather around the radio to listen to music of all types. It was a small piece of happiness brought into the lives of people who were living thru hard times. There was gospel music, rock and roll, jazz, and yes, country music being played on a simple radio.
Irish Step Dancing started around 1750, when the appearance of dance masters came about. Dance Masters would travel from town to town teaching their dances to people that were interested and that could pay for it. They would teach in barns, kitchens, crossroads, and hedge schools. These teachings went on in secret due to Penal Laws that were enacted in the late 17th century. The English were determined to suppress Irish culture and abolish Christianity so these laws banned the education of catholic children, which was why the Irish created hedge schools. The Dance Masters would start with dances like the Reel and the Jig. Each dance master had his own collection of dance steps and would also create their own over time, which lead to Step Dancing. 8 measures or bars or music is one step, thus the name “Step Dancing”. Often competitions were held where Dance masters would show off there steps and perform on small areas like a table top, top of a barrel, or a small stage. Dancing in these small areas showed great talent. The greater number of steps that were preformed or known the more respect a dance master received. Some Dance Masters would even compete at Feisianna, which was a combination of a trade fair, political gath...
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.
The first dance was held by Wovoka in 1889. The ritual lasted five successive days, being danced each night and on the last night continuing until morning. Hypnotic trances and shaking accompanied this ceremony, which was supposed to be repeated every six weeks. The ceremony also had rhythmic drumming and introduced many new musical instruments into Indian religious ceremonies. In addition, both men and women participated in the dance, unlike other Indian religions in which men were the primary dancers, singers, and musicians.
At the beginning tutus, pointe shoes and tights were not familiar (Muller). They dressed in wigs and bloomers for men. Women dressed in long skirted gowns and hard shoes (Beales). Much different what what we wear today during performances. Costumes have evolved as the level of difficulty in dance has changed. Dance was taken very seriously in Renaissance Europe (Mcowan 1). Competitions were held, employing dance masters to create new choreographies (Mcowan 1). There are still dance competitions all around the world today, but obviously they were much different during the renaissance. Dance masters were considered the best dancers. They created choreographies and new steps for dances (Muller). There were many different types of dance during the renaissance time just as there still is today. Masquerades were one of the most popular types of dances. Performers normally dressed in gold and silver with masks over their faces (Homans 4). Masquerades were performed in large ball rooms or venues (Homans, 6). People or “players” performed for kings and patrons every sunday with occasions of court performances (Homans, 6). Other places that masquerades were performed at parks or palaces for kings and queens (Homans, Jennifer 10). This shows how kings and queens loved performances so they had them come to their palaces. Dance was not as popular during this time period so some people did not enjoy these masquerades
...ike that for Scots, as a tuxedo is for other culture. The bagpipes are played in Scottish parades like America has their brass bands that go in Parades.(Bagpipe History)
During the Renaissance Era musical instruments were used primarily to accompany dance. The most famous court dance style in the Renaissance Era was the basse danse, where couples would gracefully and quietly move across the dance floor. The couples used a gliding motion as they gracefully moved across the floor. This style was popular in the 15th and 16th centuries. Another famous style is the Calata, a 16th century Italian line dance in the measure of 3/4. With this style, couples would move across the floor using quick and elaborate movements. The last style which will be covered in our program is the ronde, also famous in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries, the ronde took place outdoors and participants moved in a circular pattern.
...ntry, but also positive traditions and influences. The most famous Irish holiday celebrated in America, today, is Saint Patrick’s Day. This holiday celebrated on March 17th displays the culture and heritage of the Irish. The Irish immigration has also brought famous figures, such as the painter Georgia O'Keeffe, and novelists Edgar Allen Poe and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Henry Ford, a successful leader in the vehicle industry is a man of Irish heritage. The most celebrated Irish American sports figure is George Herman “Babe” Ruth who dominated the American baseball league and is remembered as a baseball legend. These famous events and people have helped the nation to thoroughly respect the Irish. Irish immigrants traveled to the United States with so much courage and managed to get by all of the harshness of the new world, leaving a major influence in the country.
Irish dance has evolved over the years and is unique compared to other dance forms.
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