Dance in the United States
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There is great variety in dance in the United States of America, it is the home of the Lindy Hop and its derivative Rock and Roll, and modern square dance (associated with the United States of America due to its historic development in that country--nineteen U.S. states have designated it as their official state dance) and one of the major centers for modern dance. There is a variety of social dance and concert or performance dance forms with also a range of traditions of Native American dances.
The reality shows and competitions "So You Think You Can Dance"[1] and Dancing with the Stars it has popularized dance.
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[edit] African American dance
- See also: Lindy hop and Hip hop dance
African American dances are those vernacular dances which have developed within African American communities in everyday spaces, rather than in dance studios, schools or companies. African American vernacular dances are usually centered on social dance practice, though performance dance and concert dance often supply complementary aspects to social dancing.
Placing great value on improvisation, African American vernacular dances are characterised by ongoing change and development. Because they exist in social spaces and their main 'purpose' is self-expression, they are continually changing to reflect the needs, interests and personalities of their participants. They are also often characterised by their 'stealing' or 'borrowing' from other dance traditions and any particular African American vernacular dance shows clear evidence of its relationship to other, earlier dances.
Alvin Ailey and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is an important example of African American involvement in performance or concert dance.
[edit] Ballet
In the early 20th century U.S. audiences also were introduced to classical ballet by touring companies of European dancers. The first American ballet troupes were founded in the 1930s, when dancers and choreographers teamed up with visionary lovers of ballet such as Lincoln Kirstein (1907-1996). Kirstein invited Russian choreographer George Balanchine (1904-1983) to the United States in 1933, and the two established the School of American Ballet, which became the New York City Ballet in 1948. Ballet manager and publicity agent Richard Pleasant (1909-1961) founded America's second leading ballet organization, American Ballet Theatre, with dancer and patron Lucia Chase (1907-1986) in 1940.
Paradoxically, native-born directors like Pleasant included Russian classics in their repertoires, while Balanchine announced that his new American company was predicated on distinguished music and new works in the classical idiom, not the standard repertory of the past. Since then, the American ballet scene has been a mix of classic revivals and original works, choreographed by such talented former dancers as Jerome Robbins (1918- ), Robert Joffrey (1930-1988), Eliot Feld (1942- ), Arthur Mitchell (1934- ), and Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948- ).
[edit] Modern dance
American modern dance developed in the early 20th century alongside American music. . Among the early innovators were Isadora Duncan, the dance company of Ruth St. Denis and her husband-partner, Ted Shawn, her pupils Doris Humphrey, Martha Graham. Modern dance is more of a way to express your feelings and emotions in a deep dance. Sometimes it can be choreographed and other times it can be your freedom of expression. Many of Graham's most popular works were produced in collaboration with leading American composers -- "Appalachian Spring" with Aaron Copland, for example.
Later choreographers, Merce Cunningham introduced chance procedures and composition by field, and Alvin Ailey incorporated African dance elements and black music into his works. Recently, Mark Morris and Liz Lerman have shown that graceful, exciting movement is not restricted by age or body type.
[edit] American folk dance
- Cajun Jig
- Cajun Jitterbug
- Contra dance
- Cotton-Eyed Joe
- Country/Western Two-step
- Country/western dance
- English Country Dance
- Modern Western square dance
- Square dance
- Troika (dance)
- Virginia Reel (dance)
- Whip (dance)
- Zydeco (dance)
[edit] Dancers
- Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
- Fred Astaire
- Ginger Rogers
- Gene Kelly
- Donald O'Connor
- Gregory Hines
- Savion Glover
- Mr. Wiggles
- Michael Jackson
- Janet Jackson
- James Brown
[edit] Ballet companies
- Alameda Ballet Academy
- Alameda Civic Ballet
- American Ballet Theatre
- American Ballet
- American Chamber Ballet
- Ballet Magnificat!
- Ballet Rejoice
- Ballet San Jose
- Folsom Lake Civic Ballet
- New York City Ballet
- New York City Center
- New York Theatre Ballet
- Placer Theatre Ballet
- San Francisco Ballet
- The Mendocino Ballet
- The Sacramento Ballet
[edit] Dance companies
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- American Indian Dance Theatre
- Columbia City Jazz Dance Company
- Dance Theater Workshop
- Dance Theatre of Harlem
- Rock Steady Crew
- Duquesne University Tamburitzans
- Ice Theatre of New York
- Judson Dance Theater
- Pacific Northwest Ballet
- Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
- Snappy Dance Theater
- Studio Maestro
- The Rockettes
- Ziegfeld Follies
[edit] Dance education
[edit] Festivals
- Jacob's Pillow is a home for dance in the United States founded by Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis, were America’s leading dance couple. It is a National Historic Landmark located in the town of Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. It encompasses an internationally acclaimed summer dance festival (the first and longest-running in the United States), a professional school, rare and extensive archives, an intern program, and year-round community programs.
- Fall for Dance Festival
[edit] Venues
[edit] Regional dance
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Fox Renews So You Think You Can Dance and Hell's Kitchen, Movieweb.com. (Accessed July 28, 2006)
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