Dance Discussion

Dance and

Religion

Ritual Dance – Purposes  Communicating with the Gods

 Usually portray ideas that are important to a specific culture

 Religion

 Moral values

 Work ethic

 Historical information

 Today the many of the dances no longer contain the ritual significance as they have been absorbed into contemporary society

Dance and Religion  Watch the track: Dance of the European

Church

From: Dancing Program 2: Lord of the Dance (DVD 2): Dancing: Lord of the Dance. Prod. Jane Alexander, Geoff Dunlop, and Rhoda Grauer. ArtHaus Musik, 1993. Academic Video Online: Premium Database. Web

https://search-alexanderstreet- com.ccbcmd.idm.oclc.org/view/work/bibliogra phic_entity|video_work|442343

Dance and Religion

 Judeo-Christian Tradition

 As Christianity spread through the remains of the

Roman Empire and into the Middle Ages dance was

either absorbed into religious ceremony or remained

outside the church and survived as folk dances.

 Dance of the Seises (The Dance of the Innocents) The

religious dance performed in Seville Cathedral (Spain)

during the celebrations of Corpus Christi and the

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

 Liturgical Dance is coming back in several different

denominations – but not all churches accept dances

performed within the walls of the church

Dance and Religion  Watch the track: Dance of the Nigerian Osun

Worship

 From: Dancing Program 2: Lord of the Dance (DVD 2): Dancing: Lord of the Dance. Prod. Jane Alexander, Geoff Dunlop, and Rhoda Grauer. ArtHaus Musik, 1993. Academic Video Online: Premium Database. Web

https://search-alexanderstreet- com.ccbcmd.idm.oclc.org/view/work/bibliogra phic_entity|video_work|442343

Dance and Religion

 Yoruba speaking peoples of West Africa – Nigeria

 Dance opens a direct channel of communication to the gods (Orishas)

 Spirits of ancestors are know as Egungun

 Osun-river goddess

 Offspring of Yoruba traditions

 Candomble-Brazil

 Vodun-Hati

 Santeria-Cuba, New York and Miami

Dance and Religion  Watch the tracks: Dance of the Indian Snake

God, Dance of Indian Religious Festivals and Dance of the Indian Bharata Natyam

 From: Dancing Program 2: Lord of the Dance (DVD 2): Dancing: Lord of the Dance. Prod. Jane Alexander, Geoff Dunlop, and Rhoda Grauer. ArtHaus Musik, 1993. Academic Video Online: Premium Database. Web

https://search-alexanderstreet- com.ccbcmd.idm.oclc.org/view/work/bibliogra phic_entity|video_work|442343

Dance and Religion

 India – Hinduism  Suggests two realms (body and spirit are in

essence one)

 Hinduism is an umbrella term for an ancient and varied tradition of religious inquiry.

 It embraces many groups with different approaches to worship.

 Kalaripauattu – a martial art – daily devotional exercises to the deities

 Ottan Tullal – “running and jumping”

 Kathakali – visual poetry, centuries old dance drama

 Bharata Natyam – evolved from sacred temple dance

Folk Dance

 Evolved from the Ritual dances – they

became more social in nature and

influenced by other cultures

 A portrayal of the unique lifestyles of

different people

 Usually done by the lower classes of a

society as court dances began to evolve

from ritual dances