Test your basic knowledge |

Dance History

Subjects : performing-arts, dance
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

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






2. 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






3. Student of Mary Wigman. Opened a Wigman school in NYC in 1931 - brought German modern to U.S. but Americanized her technique. Choreographed Broadway musicals- 'Kiss Me Kate' based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew






4. Height of Romantic Ballet - Star: Carlotta Grisi - Choreographer: Jules Perrot (Carlotta's lover) & Jean Coralli - Written by: Gautier (Who was in love with Grisi) - Act I (sunlit) - Act II (moonlit)






5. About a group of friends and neighbors during a final decline of a man






6. First book of choreography; published posthumously in 1959






7. Performed with New York City Ballet under Balanchine - later founded Dance Theatre of Harlem - first African American principle dancer






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






9. Gentlemen's club which indulged in fencing - horses - and mistresses; often took ballerinas with low incomes as mistresses






10. 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.






11. 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






12. Choreographer of Robert le Diable (1831) father of marie - Marie was a dancer and always looked like She was floating when dancing






13. By Martha Graham - focuses on technique - used technique as her own language - inspired by when she moved to Santa Barbara as a child - choneo - straight out of technique class - running on the cliffs of Santa Barbara and the development of her techn






14. Danced in - - raw emotion - stark - harsh - disturbing - medieval themes - dance with masks - really started working with time - space - and energy - taught Hanya Holm






15. Child actress could dance and sing very well - was able to keep up with Bill Robinson in tap dancing - was seen as the hope during the Great Depression.






16. Peter the Great wants respect from the west and imports fashion and dance from France






17. A signature piece of Taylor's in which he and his pianist remain motionless for the duration of the music-less score by John Cage.






18. A pioneer of modern dance - established importance of the male dancer - created masculine movement style - founded own company in 1947; died of prostate cancer






19. 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






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






21. Called the most poetical of ballets of the 20th century. Premiered during first ballet russes season (1909)






22. Allowed people to dim lights; allowed for lighting changes; used for special effects in background of plays and dance such as ghosts






23. 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






24. Famous tennis player who took ballet (lover in Le Train Bleu)






25. 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






26. Innovative United States dancer and choreographer (born in 1941)






27. Different names but same theater under different political influences






28. Nijinsky's sister - choreographer - dancer - became leading dancer and choreographer in diaghliev's company






29. Fokine - starred Nijinsky - about a woman who comes home from a ball and puts a rose on a table - falls asleep and dances with the spirit of the rose - the rose jumps out the window; most famous jump in dance history






30. Russian dancer and choreographer; considered one of greatest male ballet dancers; became artistic director of American Ballet Theatre






31. Comedy - has sport movements - about a train taken to the beach where a plane flies over - spoof about Frenchman who wants to be very shallow American






32. From its very beginning the ballet was entirely dependent upon this individual; it was his ballet - under the direct supervision and guidance of a court minister appointed by this individual and answerable to him






33. Was listed as the choreographer because He was widely respected - was known Perrot (more gifted) was collaborating with him; Choreographed the corps for Giselle






34. Confirmed that Balanchine was an experimentalist - Africanist principles in his rhythmic scores - turns not resolved as in ballet - they just stop - take 'one' counts rather than 'and' counts






35. Human Immunodeficiency Virus - the virus that causes AIDS






36. Last member of the group that helped found the modern dance movement - Amassed a growing collection of 133 dances - His work created the Paul Taylor Dance Company - Known for his innovative and sometimes controversial choreography - Still considered






37. Choreography Deeply There






38. 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






39. 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






40. 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






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






42. Known particularly for his long associations as musical director with Denishawn and Martha Graham.






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






45. Inspired by afro-carribean movement and anthropolgy - dancer - choreographer - anthropologist - teacher - and writer; founded Ballet Negro; 20th century






46. 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






47. Robert Joffrey - 59 - Alvin Ailey - 58 - Christopher Gillis - 42 - Rudolph Nureyev - 54 - Ulysses Dove - 49






48. Music by Stravinsky - ancient Greek contest debate between forces.






49. In Moscow - very flamboyant & expressive (opposite of Kirov Theater)






50. Born in NY - raised in Boston - first exposure to dance in 1920 - witness Diaghilev funeral - worked with Balanchine - established NYC ballet - passion for Japenese culture