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






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






3. 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






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






5. 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






6. Considered one of the greatest of African American choreographers - and also bears the titles dancer - educator - and dance company director. After studying under Katherine Dunham and Martha Graham - went on to do solo work and choreograph his own wo






7. Russian ballet impresario who founded the Russian ballet and later introduced it to the West (1872-1929)






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






9. Pilobolus - human jousting horses






10. 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






11. Works to question the complexities of real life






12. 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.






13. Taglioni's rival -Her dancing was 'warm and passionate' -Dance was earthy - temperamental - fiery - vuluptuous -Labeled Pagan -Danced folk dances - most famous was Cachucha - Spanish using castanet - twists and turns; Known for her flair and theatric






14. Choreography Deeply There






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






16. Embraces conflict - polyrhythmic - pelvis off centered - high affect juxtaposition (intenseness of feeling) - ephebism (power - vitality) - cool (intensity) - improvisation






17. Music that combines spoken street dialect with cuts (samples) from older records and bears the influences of social politics - male boasting - and comic lyrics carried forward from blues - R&b - soul and rock and roll






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






19. Wrote 'The Art of Making Dances' in 1931 - Fall and Recovery - inspired by Bach and used his work in many piece - choreographed pieces without music - Passacaglia and fugue in C minor (showed fall and recovery)






20. Was inspired by a cigarette poster featuring the Egyptian goddess Isis to begin investigation Asian art and dance - Founded the Denishawn School of dancing and Related Arts with her husband Ted Shawn in 1915 in Los Angeles - California - Believed tha






21. 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






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






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






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






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






26. In charge of new Paris Opera; under his direction - Paris Opera made a profit for the only time in its existence; slashed salaries of ballerinas to force them into mistresshood for fellow Jockey's






27. This is a dynamic way to use the space of the dance floor to a fuller extent






28. 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






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






30. 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






31. Fokine - starred Nijinsky - about a sad puppet who wanted his soul to come to life - belonged to evil sorcerer






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






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






34. United States choreographer (1930-1988) - reconstructed pieces of ballet russes in America died of aids






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






36. Famous for her incredible technique - lightness - and ethereal presence -(1804-1884) -Introduced new costume design (bare neck/shoulders - tutu) -Perfected dancing en pointe -La Sylphide`






37. Most eligible bachelor - do a wiggle before putting in golf






38. 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






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






40. 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






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






42. 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






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






44. 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






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






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






47. Petipa's assistant that takes over - choreographs Snowflakes Act I of the Nutcracker - dies in 1901 - didn't produce anything more of importance except Swan Lake






48. 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






49. 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






50. Fokine - commoner wanted to have sex with Cleopatre - she said yes as long as He was put to dead the next day - she did