Based on what you learned from the reading, PowerPoint, and videos respond to the following:
What did Court Dance show you about the relationship of the Monarch/Ruler to his or her subjects? Briefly discuss each of the different courts presented in the videos watched.
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
