Musical Theatre And Dance: A Movement And Music And Dance

Musical theatre and dance have been merged together for centuries. is a movement and dance in musical theatre is a stylized movement used to evoke emotions and add on to a narrative. But what is dance in theatre, when did it start and what is its history? Modern dance performed in musicals has its origins in the beginnings of theatre itself. The first dramas that included music and dance were performed by Grecians in the 5th century BCE. Those dramas served as models for the Romans, who valued Greek art in all forms including theatre. Roman theatres held large amounts of people, their plays were music-laced comedies included dance routines for major characters.. The first musical theatre performance that was held in the American Colonies

Choreographers often spend weeks even months perfecting each number. From the actual movements, the dancers do where the dancers/actors are placed and what costumes would work best with the number. The dance often is choreographed to fit the narrative of the musical and will often be focused on whatever emotion the musical is trying to make the audience feel. For instance, if the scene is sad the music will be sad and the dancers will perform a slower heavier dance whereas if the scene is written to be happy the dancers will perform a light-hearted number with light upbeat movements. Dance plays a significant role in musical theatre by allowing there to be vibrance in the show. Imagine going to see "Mamma Mia" but instead of kinetic actors, you had placid singers standing in the same spot for a whole song. That is what dance has and continues to do for musical theatre, it allows there to be motion whether it be in large dance numbers or in small solos. Dancer allows the actors to express the song through more than just singing. Of course, theatrical dance is still performed and will be until theatre is dead but the style of it has evolved. It has gone from being an extra part in theatrical performances to actually being part of the narrative. Dance in musical theatre may have indirectly influenced modern through its exaggerated and emotional movements. In fact, Bob Fosse is credited with influencing Michael Jackson's style of