Yo.. =]
This is my fantastic blog.. about origins of dance and different styles from all around the world.
In all my posts I will be talking about different topics to do with dancing.. -from weird styles, to the history of the dance itself.
The reason why I choose this topic is because I adore dancing and thought it would be interesting to learn about and compare different styles of dance from all around the world.
Dance is found everywhere! The list of dance styles from all different countries is endless..From Disco to Salsa, everyone is bound to find a style that suits them, I decided to find out about weird, traditional, interesting or/and unusual styles from all around the world and to share them with you.. =]
It just proves that geography does affect dancing.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Polish Dancing..?
Did you know Poland has it's own dance style..!?
The Mazurka is the most commen type of Polish folk dancing and was created during the 17th century!
The dance soon spread to neighbouring countries and became very popular, mostly at Western salons in the 1830s and 1840s!
This style is danced in couples, rotating around the room...and personally.. I think the costumes are really cool, especially from the picture above of the two Mazurka dancers.. =]
Example of Polish Dancing.. ^
It is fasinating and just so unusual, I had no idea Poland had it's own dance style.. well just proves.. you learn something new everyday eh..?! =]
Again, another example of a great costume.. what I would do for one of those! :PSources:
{Images} -
1) http://www.worldartswest.org/plm/guide/program/images/lowiczanie.jpg
2)http://tommcmahon.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/25/polishdancers2.jpg
{Video) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDry8ZQUS9I
{Information} - http://www.fiu.edu/~kneskij/mazurka/
Monday, September 15, 2008
Ready.. OK!
American Dancers..
America..? Well.. when I think of America and dancing, I think of the common Hip Hop styles.. But then I thought of cheerleading.. and yes some may put cheerleading as a 'sport', but I would also classify it as dancing too as it OBVIOUSLY has dancing steps, so therefore to me- its dancing. And yeah, other countries have cheerleading, but no other country takes it as seriously as America! So.. I bring you .. cheerleading =]
It is performed at matches/ games to cheer for their team.. or even to compete in
cheerleading competitions..
The outfits generally are the same, with a short skirt, top and pom poms.. =]
It's always been something I would love to do but it just looks so complicated and difficult. The routines are amazing to watch with all the flips and stunts that are performed. It's so cool to watch and it would be amazing if it competed in Ireland.
^ This is a perfect example of a cheerleading outfit..
Video of Cheerleading.
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://www.csmd.edu/Athletics/cheer/Pictures/Pictures_2006-07/06Cheerleading7738.jpg
2)http://www.robbinssports.com/sporting-goods-store/images/alleson-stock-figure-fit-womens-cheerleading-uniform-shell.jpg
{Video} -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyckY2BbLec
{Information) -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerleading
America..? Well.. when I think of America and dancing, I think of the common Hip Hop styles.. But then I thought of cheerleading.. and yes some may put cheerleading as a 'sport', but I would also classify it as dancing too as it OBVIOUSLY has dancing steps, so therefore to me- its dancing. And yeah, other countries have cheerleading, but no other country takes it as seriously as America! So.. I bring you .. cheerleading =]
It is performed at matches/ games to cheer for their team.. or even to compete in
cheerleading competitions..The outfits generally are the same, with a short skirt, top and pom poms.. =]
It's always been something I would love to do but it just looks so complicated and difficult. The routines are amazing to watch with all the flips and stunts that are performed. It's so cool to watch and it would be amazing if it competed in Ireland.
^ This is a perfect example of a cheerleading outfit..
Video of Cheerleading.
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://www.csmd.edu/Athletics/cheer/Pictures/Pictures_2006-07/06Cheerleading7738.jpg
2)http://www.robbinssports.com/sporting-goods-store/images/alleson-stock-figure-fit-womens-cheerleading-uniform-shell.jpg
{Video} -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyckY2BbLec
{Information) -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerleading
Indian dancing
Next.. we head to India..
I'm sure everyone has heard about and seen some sort of Indian Dancing, but here's a video and few pictures to just show you how original and fun the dancing and music actually is.
I just wanted to show you how different this style is to the rest.. This is a typical pose for Indian Dancing =]
The music and costumes are really fun and the dancing is so entertaining to watch. It also actually looks really hard.
^ Typical hand movements during the dance.Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/maps/india.new.delhi.jpg
2)http://www.indtravel.com/tamil/graphic10/bhara1a.JPG
3)http://www.ragamala.net/templetotheater.jpg
{Video} -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HVQrO_OT6c
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Is maith liom bheith ag damhsa!
Yeaah.. you probably guessed it - I'm gonna bring it back to Ireland and talk about Irish dances.
Irish dances can be divided into social dance and performance dance. Ceili and set dancing are examples of social Irish dances. Both are usually danced by formations of couples, often in squares of four couples.
Today most women and girls curl their hair or wear a wig for a competition or feis, as you can see from the picture above. Men just wear matching trousers and a shirt. The music is very traditional and very original and instantly recognisable. The dance is actually much harder than it looks.. and it would not be one of my favourites =]
Below is an example of Set Dancing, very similar to the Ceili.
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://www.crawfordirishdance.com/photo_gallery/WGWB%20GSL/5_jpg.jpg
{Video}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj13osgy2M0
{Information} -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_dance
Irish dances can be divided into social dance and performance dance. Ceili and set dancing are examples of social Irish dances. Both are usually danced by formations of couples, often in squares of four couples.
Today most women and girls curl their hair or wear a wig for a competition or feis, as you can see from the picture above. Men just wear matching trousers and a shirt. The music is very traditional and very original and instantly recognisable. The dance is actually much harder than it looks.. and it would not be one of my favourites =]
Below is an example of Set Dancing, very similar to the Ceili.
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://www.crawfordirishdance.com/photo_gallery/WGWB%20GSL/5_jpg.jpg
{Video}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj13osgy2M0
{Information} -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_dance
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Bon Dancing.. ?
Ever wondered about Japanese Dancing..? Well, I have, so yes.. I decided to do my next post on Japanese Dance, as I honestly have no clue about it =] So.. here goes..
In Japan, there are many traditional dancing, but the one of the most famous and common dances is the Bon dance, called "Bon Odori" in Japanese. People dance the Bon Dance during the Bon Festival, held every summer in districts and neighbourhoods in every city in Japan.
The dress worn in the picture is called a kimono, which is worn in many traditional Japanese dancing.
Bon week is held every year in August. The Bon Festival is held during Bon week. People gather in every city in Japan to dance to the traditional music. Everyone celebrating tries to create a happy,welcoming mood to try and make the ancestors come. The whole point of the Festival is to hold a memorial service for their ancestors and spend time with your family. Bon means welcoming ancestors' souls and holding memorial services for them.
As many Japanese people think that their ancestors will come during the night, The Bon dance is sometimes held during the night, like in the picture.
Bon Odori is usually danced by repeating the same pattern of a dance. As you can see from the video. It is very fascinating to watch.
Again, another interesting dance style.. from another region.. =]
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://culturalacts.com/pictures/perform/1204528337_Kabuki%20and%20Japanese%20Dance_240x180.jpg
2) http://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia34/images/feature/20_05.jpg
{Video} -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du_2AqKzJN4
{Information} -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_in_India
In Japan, there are many traditional dancing, but the one of the most famous and common dances is the Bon dance, called "Bon Odori" in Japanese. People dance the Bon Dance during the Bon Festival, held every summer in districts and neighbourhoods in every city in Japan.
The dress worn in the picture is called a kimono, which is worn in many traditional Japanese dancing.Bon week is held every year in August. The Bon Festival is held during Bon week. People gather in every city in Japan to dance to the traditional music. Everyone celebrating tries to create a happy,welcoming mood to try and make the ancestors come. The whole point of the Festival is to hold a memorial service for their ancestors and spend time with your family. Bon means welcoming ancestors' souls and holding memorial services for them.
As many Japanese people think that their ancestors will come during the night, The Bon dance is sometimes held during the night, like in the picture.
Bon Odori is usually danced by repeating the same pattern of a dance. As you can see from the video. It is very fascinating to watch.
Again, another interesting dance style.. from another region.. =]
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://culturalacts.com/pictures/perform/1204528337_Kabuki%20and%20Japanese%20Dance_240x180.jpg
2) http://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia34/images/feature/20_05.jpg
{Video} -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du_2AqKzJN4
{Information} -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_in_India
Friday, August 29, 2008
Dance.. Grass..... Same Sentence?
Grass Dancer
As I was doing research for my blog, I came across Grass Dancing.. yes I know.. 'Grass Dancing'.. The instant I saw it, I needed to find out more. I was so fascinated by it that I'm gonna start one of my many posts, with a little introduction about this style, as I couldn't believe what I was reading..:)
The Native American Grass Dance style is a very old dance rich in history that has become very popular. It was the job of the grass dancers to flatten the grass in the arena before a pow wow, in the old days. The name 'grass' does not come from the stomping of grass, but it comes from the old method of tying braids of sweetgrass to the dancer's belts, making a swaying effect. Today, Grass Dancers can be described as a multicoloured swaying mass of yarn on the dance floor. The Grass Dance is a very fluid and flexible style, with the dancers trying to move their fringe in as many places as possible at once. The Grass Dance style was born in the North, but it has spread South, and now this beautiful style is available for everyone...The picture at the top of my post is a perfect example of a Grass Dancer.
[Would you of ever thought that this would would have been an actual dance style..? Or that anything like this even existed..? Well now you know it does exist.. and has become very highly-competitive.]
Below is a video of Men's Grass Dancing at Salt Lake City Pow-wow. July 24th, 2006 afternoon session.. :)
As you watch the video, you realise the amount of work that must of been put it for every outfit. Each one is different in it's own way and would be classified a masterpiece. It's weird to think that I had no idea that this style existed. This is the reason for my first post, to make people see that styles like this do exist. I am truly fascintated every time I watch the video.. The music is so entertaining, along with the dancing and which is spectacular. It's crazy to look at the difference between this style and more commonly known styles like, Hip Hop. The contrast between them is huge.
My posts just proves that geography, does affect dance.
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://sicc.sk.ca/saskindian/images/97061701.jpg
{Video} -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPv-7QZ63J0
{Information} -
http://www.powwows.com/info/?p=41
As I was doing research for my blog, I came across Grass Dancing.. yes I know.. 'Grass Dancing'.. The instant I saw it, I needed to find out more. I was so fascinated by it that I'm gonna start one of my many posts, with a little introduction about this style, as I couldn't believe what I was reading..:)
The Native American Grass Dance style is a very old dance rich in history that has become very popular. It was the job of the grass dancers to flatten the grass in the arena before a pow wow, in the old days. The name 'grass' does not come from the stomping of grass, but it comes from the old method of tying braids of sweetgrass to the dancer's belts, making a swaying effect. Today, Grass Dancers can be described as a multicoloured swaying mass of yarn on the dance floor. The Grass Dance is a very fluid and flexible style, with the dancers trying to move their fringe in as many places as possible at once. The Grass Dance style was born in the North, but it has spread South, and now this beautiful style is available for everyone...The picture at the top of my post is a perfect example of a Grass Dancer.
[Would you of ever thought that this would would have been an actual dance style..? Or that anything like this even existed..? Well now you know it does exist.. and has become very highly-competitive.]
Below is a video of Men's Grass Dancing at Salt Lake City Pow-wow. July 24th, 2006 afternoon session.. :)
As you watch the video, you realise the amount of work that must of been put it for every outfit. Each one is different in it's own way and would be classified a masterpiece. It's weird to think that I had no idea that this style existed. This is the reason for my first post, to make people see that styles like this do exist. I am truly fascintated every time I watch the video.. The music is so entertaining, along with the dancing and which is spectacular. It's crazy to look at the difference between this style and more commonly known styles like, Hip Hop. The contrast between them is huge.
My posts just proves that geography, does affect dance.
Sources:
{Images} -
1) http://sicc.sk.ca/saskindian/images/97061701.jpg
{Video} -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPv-7QZ63J0
{Information} -
http://www.powwows.com/info/?p=41
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