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Dance History

Subjects : performing-arts, dance
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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  • Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Beginning of modern dance - danced with bare feet - wore flowing Greek-style robe - died being strangled from a long-flowing scarf caught in a car wheel






2. Reform Russian Ballet - choreographed Dying Swan 1905 for Anna Povlova (2 minutes long) - accused of being influenced by Isadora Duncan - teacher & choreographer rather than a refined dancer






3. Opened in 1948 - artistic director Balanchines. Distinguished choreographers: Tudor - Frederick Ashton - Robbins...Permanent home New York State Theater at Lincoln Center






4. Previous member of Denishawn (left late 1920's) - developed a comedic mime aesthetic - shared a school with Humphrey for years - pioneer of modern dance






5. About 1815 to 1848 - reaction against rationalism of Enlightenment - YOUR interpretations - religious nature - UNIQUE individual






6. Different styles: 1. hoofers: Gregory Hines - Savion Glover - intricate footwork 2. class acts: Fred Astaire - Ginger Rodgers - refined and elegant 3. flash acts: tap with acrobatics 4. soft shoe: skimming floor - producing soft & muted steps






7. Created the well-known Denishawn school with his wife Ruth St. Denis. They taught dancers diverse styles - With his wife they set up the foundations for the principal of Musical Visualization 'a concept that called for movement equivalents to the tim






8. (1819-1899) -Italian ballerina -Leading role in Giselle -Combined techniques of Taglioni & Elssler -Known for strength & lightness






9. (1931-1989) A New York City dancer who created an American Dance Theater which trains dancers and performs worldwide; most famous work was Revelations and piece named Cry - in honor of his mother; lost battle to AIDS in 1989






10. 1937 Founded by Ballet Russe's Mikhail Mordkin as Mordkin Ballet- Repertory company- features choreography of many artists such as Adolph Bolm - Michel Fokine - Leonide Massine - Bronislava Jijinska - Balanchine and Agnes de Mille






11. Martha Graham explored use of breath to contract & releases the muscles of the pelvis to create a powerful - grounded - percussive - angular dance






12. One of the major figures in the development of modern dance - an American dancer - choreographer and teacher who created more than 150 works on a wide range of subjects from ancient Greek to modern American; contraction and release






13. Star male dancer of Ballets Russes; became chief choreographer for one year - 1913 - Afternoon of a Faun - Rite of Spring - and Jeux. Rite caused a riot






14. Predominately black - but whites attended - social dances were done - had to change the floor every three years because of the intense dancing - many whites went to go watch Black People Dance






15. Choreographed by Petipa & Ivanov - Odette (under a spell) & Odile look alike - Prince Siegfried (Odette saves other swans & tells him her tale) - his mother throws a ball for him to find a wife - Odile shows up as Odette & Prince commits his love to






16. Any of several psychotic disorders characterized by distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and language and withdrawal from social contact; Nijinsky had this illness






17. A Colombian-American modern dance choreographer known for his politically-charged productions depicting the black experience - notable productions include Missa Luba in 1965 - Blues for the Jungle in 1966 (portraying life in Harlem) - Las Desenamorad






18. Outstanding for the way he combined expressive movements with dance steps; - choreographed the ballet Giselle






19. High energy act of two African american brothers - Fayard and Harold - had a 'flash act' consisting of an acrobatic tap style - were in movies - only African Americans encouraged to mingle with audience (by audeince demand)






20. Ballet premeried in 1870 - comic variation of La Sylphide and Giselle. Choreographed by Arthur Saint-Laon






21. Inspired by Gautier's novel The Story of the Mummy - very complicated - spectacular - successful ballet - Aspica is the daughter - English Lord in sand storm goes into tomb & gets put into an opium dream where he becomes Tahor and saves Aspico from a






22. 1st male dancer to make an impression in United States. Danced with Dane Margo Fontain in the Royal Ballet; died of AIDS






23. Capitals of Russia during various times of political influence; Leningrad during Bolsheviks and USSR - return to St. Petersburg pax-USSR






24. Nijinsky choreographed - means 'games' - about a trio (2 women - 1 man) - relief sexual tension through tennis






25. Actress - singer and tap dancer successful in early musicals...... '42nd Street'






26. French for 'big dance for two' - Entrae - Adagio duet - Male solo - Female solo - Coda - plot structure of Petipa






27. Most important figure in Russia in immediately pre-Romantic days. Did much to improve the repertory and teaching. 20 ballets - raised standards. Flying wires - pointe works.






28. Unsuccessful revival - Ballet Russes lose money






29. Petipa & Tchaikovsky - was not successful at the time it came out - no trace of sensible dramatic action






30. Choreographer of Parade & Three-Cornered hat - known for symphonic ballet - comedy satire - character dancing - and color






31. Waddling on their heels - legs straight - tap dance transition step - dances are about weight and being grounded - not defying gravity - jumps are about coming down - rather than going up - connection of Africanist dance & American modern dance






32. Choreographer of Coppelia - died the year of the ballet from exhaustion - discovered Bozzacchi






33. Means 'The Wedding' - arranged Russian Stravinsky wedding






34. French composer; uses harmony to reinforce stasis; Prelude to Afternoon of a Fawn (half man - half goat - simulated masturbation); concert work that became a ballet






35. Choreographed by Paul Taylor; Modern dance work in one act with choreography by Taylor - music by Handel - and lighting by T. Skelton. Premiered 4 Aug. 1962 at Connecticut College - New London - by the Paul Taylor Dance Company with Taylor - Elizabet






36. Associated with Danish-style ballet; equal roles for male and female dancers






37. Famous ballerina who formed her own company and toured 1910 - famous for portraying birds - insects - and plants - brought ballet (aristocratic art) to the common person (high schools - etc.)






38. The revolution that overthrew Russian Czar Nicholas I in 1917. Later established the Bolshevik government under Vladimir Lenin.






39. Workers who earned enough money to be able to become consumer of art and material goods following the Industrial Revolution; escapism became a huge hit when the Depression hit to escape harsh reality






40. Opera created that incorporated a ballet in the 3rd act called ballet of the nuns






41. Any of a variety of social dances performed by couples in a ballroom






42. Modern Dance Choreographer-- mixed media extravaganza's celebrating the electronic age; choreographed Tensile Involvement






43. Alwin Nikolais - had a lot of ribbons - very involved in the sounds - wearing skin colored clothes - drum music - elastic ropes and strings - all across stage






44. Dances have no linear development; no central focus on stage; a field of dancers where you can watch any dancer from any direction and decide for yourself where the focus of the dance is






45. A jerky American dance that was popular in the 1940s






46. Massine - parable about freedom - Picasso - aesthetic unity






47. Nijinsky choreographed - rustic - sacrifice a virgin by making her dance to death






48. Choreographed by Filippino Taglioni and performed by one of the greatest ballerinas of the 19th century Marie Taglioni. One of the most famous Romantic Ballets. - First true romantic ballet






49. African American social dance in the 1920s; spurred the Jitter Bug






50. Dancer - choreographer - teacher - born 1930 in NY - began dancing senior year of HS - scholarship to New Dance group. studied with Primus. Professional debut in 1948 - choreographed 1st pieces with group when 18 - 1951 founded contemporary dance gro