Defining Dance: Concepts, Categories, and Perspectives

Defining Dance

• There is no single agreed-upon definition of dance; there are as many definitions as there are people writing about dance.
  • The disagreement centers on how broad the definition should be and what aspects should be included or excluded.
• Opening questions to frame the topic:
  • What is dance? Why do we dance? Do you dance? If so, why or why not?
  • Can you name someone you know who dances and what about them classifies them as a dancer?
• The speaker notes that there are as many definitions as writers, highlighting the breadth and subjectivity of the term.
• The questions continue with analysis of what makes something dance, inviting personal opinions.

Key Questions and Reflections

• Would you consider the first video a dance? Why or why not?

  • Some argue that for something to count as dance, movement must carry symbolic meaning or express emotion.
  • Questions to analyze: Was it the music, the movement, or the facial expressions that define it as dance?
  • When discussing the dance, which aspects should be included (music, movement, emotion, symbolism, context)?

• Animal motion debate:

  • Some contend that animals can express emotions through movement, potentially qualifying as dance.
  • After viewing, is this imagined to be dance? What elements classify it as dance, and what similarities or differences exist compared to human dance?

• A clip from a popular 1980s movie features a strip tease/performance; is this dance? Is it the same kind of dance as the previous videos?

• All-encompassing definitions:

  • Some definitions include all human activity as dance. If we included all human activities, would that be considered dance?

• Pina Bausch documentary excerpt:

  • Would you consider this dance?
  • Webster’s dictionary limits the definition to rhythmic movement of the feet or body ordinarily to music.
  • Does this video meet that requirement?

• Common concerns about definitions:

  • Many students cite minimal movement as debatable, yet the work in question was choreographed by one of the world’s most famous modern choreographers.
  • Dictionary.com defines dance as:

  $ext{A successive group of rhythmical steps or bodily motions or both, usually executed in music.}$

  • Additionally: to move one’s body rhythmically, usually to music.

• Broader dictionary notes:

  • Animal behavior: a stylized pattern of movements (e.g., a bird in courtship display).
  • A sequence of steps and movements constituting any form of dance (e.g., ballet, interpretive dancing, or other artistic dance performed before an audience).

• The speaker emphasizes that dance is not easily defined and challenges the notion that it is a single thing.

• Dance is a broad topic with multiple elements that can be categorized in different ways.

Conceptual Framework: From Definition to Structure

• Movements can be broken down into concepts, approaches, and techniques.
  • Example: ballroom dance is a social form that evolved into a competitive dance genre.
  • This genre can be broken down into styles, such as tango, salsa, foxtrot, and the waltz.
  • The tango, in particular, can be broken down by geographical origin, affecting look, tempo, and music choice (e.g., Argentinian tango vs. Italian tango).
• A commonly shared belief is that dance is a natural expression of the human condition and the human spirit, requiring structured use of the body in time and space.
• The idea of a universal language:
  • By using inner feelings aligned with cultural realities, dance becomes a universal language.
• Evolution and hybridity:
  • The undefinable nature of dance persists due to constant evolution.
  • New artists bring new techniques, styles, and cross-styles or fusions.
  • Technology enables new ways of creating and presenting dance and other arts.
  • As time passes and societal preferences shift, the art form evolves with it.
• Dance as a living art:
  • It is propelled by people and communities.

Why Do We Dance? Three Functional Categories

• Dance can be classified into three main categories based on purpose and function, a view threaded through the history of dance from ancient to modern times:
  1) Dances to please the gods (spiritual, religious, or ceremonial dances).

  • These dances exist for ritualistic or religious purposes and are not primarily for entertainment.
    2) Dances to please the self (social dance for personal pleasure and self-entertainment).
  • Examples range from traditional social settings to modern fads seen on social media (e.g., The Floss, The Whip, The Nay Nay).
  • They appear in nightclubs, school dances, family reunions, or casual settings like car dancing.
    3) Dances to please others (theatrical or performance-based dance).
  • The primary aim is edification or entertainment of onlookers.
  • This category distinguishes between the dancer and the audience.
  • Theatrical dance does not necessarily require a theater setting.

• Implication: rather than locking dance into a single definition, the course will explore a wide range of genres, approaches, techniques, concepts, and theories of dance.

Course Structure and Goals

• The course will be broken into units that brush the surface of each category.
  • Start with dance in early society and world cultural forms.
  • Move to social dance forms.
  • Then classical dance forms.
  • Then commercial dance forms.
  • End with current dance forms if time permits.
• Emphasis on viewing, designing, and analyzing dance while developing informed opinions.
• The guiding question remains: What is dance?
• The instructor looks forward to exploring this question throughout the semester.

Key Takeaways and Connections

• There is no single definition of dance; it spans a spectrum of meanings across cultures, contexts, and purposes.
• Definitions can be challenged by examples: music, movement, emotion, symbolism, animal movement, and cinematic portrayals.
• The structural view of dance moves from broad, inclusive concepts to categorized forms based on function:
  • Gods/rituals, personal enjoyment, audience-focused/theatrical performance.
• The tango example demonstrates how regional origins (Argentinian vs. Italian) influence look, tempo, and music, illustrating how geography shapes dance.
• Dance as a universal language arises when inner feeling intersects with cultural realities, highlighting the communicative power of movement.
• Contemporary evolution and technology contribute to new styles and cross-genre fusions, underscoring dance as a living, citizen-propelled art form.
• For exam or assignment prep, be ready to compare videos, evaluate definitions, discuss the role of purpose, and analyze how form relates to function across genres.

Reflections and Prompts for Further Study

• How would you categorize a movement piece that combines minimal movement with strong expressive intent?
• Can non-human movement ever be considered dance in your view? What elements would you require?
• In your own words, why is it important to study dance as a spectrum rather than a single definition?
• How do cultural context and technology change what is considered “dance” in contemporary society?

Foundational Formulas and Definitions (reference)

• Working definition (conceptual):
  $ext{Dance} riangleq ext{body movement performed in time and space, often to music, with intentionality}$
• Dictionary-inspired framing (quoted):
  $ext{Dance} = ext{the rhythmic movement of the feet or body, usually to music}$
  $ext{Dance} = ext{to move one's body rhythmically, usually to music}$
• Illustrative framework for analysis: Dance forms can be viewed as a set of categories driven by purpose, with substyles and regional variations:
  $ext{Categories} <br />\ni ext{gods}, ext{self}, ext{others}$
• Example of regional variation in a style:
  • Tango: regions of origin influence look, tempo, and music choice (Argentinian tango vs Italian tango)