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






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






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






4. A ballet company established in 1909 by the Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev. It created a sensation in Western Europe because of the great vitality of Russian ballet compared to French dance. The Ballets Russes became one of the most influential b






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






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






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. 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






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






10. Choreographed 'Lion King'; worked with untrained dancers and combined AFrican and Caribbean with ballet and modern






11. 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






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






13. 1896-1976 - American - Choreographer - Developed 1930's film fantasy with his daredevil and genius dance design - developed the stage style musical film into a more involved multi-shot fantasy film style with overhead shots - use of tiered set desig






14. 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






15. 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






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






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






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






19. American composer - 'chance music' - music not expressive or communicative because it says nothing - invented prepared piano






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






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






22. French cabaret singer who became a famous designer - costumes - color pink (patented)






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






24. One of the artistic giants of the twentieth century. Helped found the Cubist and Abstract movements. During his life - 1881-1973 - he worked in various media and is noted for scores of important works. His painting Guernica is one of the most powerfu






25. 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






26. 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.






27. Founded the Gus Solomons Company/Dance - whose repertoire consisted of detailed and analytical compositions that were conceived as 'melted architecture' - drawing from experience as an architecture student at MIT






28. 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






29. A serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles






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






31. 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






32. 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






33. (1819-1899) -Italian ballerina -Leading role in Giselle -Combined techniques of Taglioni & Elssler -Known for strength & lightness






34. 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






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






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






37. (1822-1910) created the first ballet that would later be classified as classical ballet. He also held the position of Ballet Master in Chief to the Imperial Tsar in 1869. created Don Quixote and La Bayadere and many other works. Though he did not cho






38. The transformation from an agricultural to an industrial nation; industrialization allowed for stable incomes and allowed for centralized support of art in cities






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






40. 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






41. 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






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






43. St. Petersburg Ballet School 1738 - Director of Imperial Theater - Official Patronage 1766 & Moscow 1806; - first dancing master that was brought to russia - from france






44. Started in NYC by Robert Joffrey - small company - repertoire was eclectic and contemporary - reconstructed works from Diaghilev's Ballets Russes - Financially weak - often folded - moved to LA then chicago






45. Arthur Mitchell founder and artistic director -1st black dancer to break color barrier for classical ballet -America's 1st outstanding ballet company of black dancers -started school with Karel Shook -shaped by Balanchine -Dancers known for warmth an






46. Wrote Discourse on the Origins of the Inequality of Mankind; wrote The Social Contract; wrote Confessions; believed that emotions as well as reason were important to human development but sent his own children to orphanages






47. Dance class at Dartmouth taught by Alison Chase - stunts - contortions - balance and leverage - men signed up for the class on a dare






48. Based on Bill T. Jones' seminar workshops; swirling with arms out to side - spinning - stomping feet - flying






49. 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.






50. 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