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. Radically new or original






2. Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1920) extended the right to vote to women in federal or state elections.






3. Broadway production choreographed by Garth Fagan; eventually turned into an award winning family film






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






5. 1st male dancer to make an impression in United States. Danced with Dane Margo Fontain in the Royal Ballet; died of AIDS






6. 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






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






8. Sharp powerful movement; angle






9. 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






10. 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






11. 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






12. 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






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






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






15. 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






16. 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






17. 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






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






19. Studio behind the stage at the Paris Opera which is now used as a rehearsal stage and a reception venue but which was notorious in the 19th century (during the reign of Dr Varon) as the salon where members of the Jockey Club could meet dancers.






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






21. Scene where Odile shows up to the ball & dances with Prince Siegfried - very famous dance






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






23. 1st principal dancer with Royal Ballet - choreographer-in-residence during the second year (1941) of Ballet Theater






24. 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






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






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






27. 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






28. Hungarian choreographer who developed Labanotation (1879-1958); Established the Choreographic Institute in Zurich - Founded branches across Europe - Kinetographie Laban=labanotation - primary movement - notation stilled used today in dance - Conte






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






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






31. Work written at a time when one of Jones' company dancers - Demian Acquavella - nicknamed D-Man - was suffering from AIDS; a celebratory - affectionate work about the company defiantly remaining joyful - loving - productive - and cohesive in the face






32. An African American section of New York City. Many A/A writers and artists gathered in Harlem






33. 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






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






35. 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






36. 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






37. United States dancer and choreographer (born in Russia) noted for his abstract and formal works (1904-1983); Apollo and Agon






38. 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






39. Nijinsky choreographed - in the forest - nymphs shows up to flirt with the Faun - one of them drops her scarf - they all leave - and he masturbates into the scarf






40. Were top musical stars of the '30s; appeared in musicals that were considered old-fashioned when they were made; displaced their characters' sexual desire into fighting with each other






41. 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)






42. Concerts organized by Dunn continued here until 1968; concert in 1962 considered to have begun the postmodernist movement






43. American leader of the movement to legalize birth control during the early 1900's. As a nurse in the poor sections of New York City - she had seen the suffering caused by unwanted pregnancy. Founded the first birth control clinic in the U.S. and the






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






45. 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






46. 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






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






48. 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






49. 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.






50. A diversion or amusement; a short ballet or other entertainment performed between the acts of a play