The term
folk dance describes a large number of
dances that tend to share some or all of the following attributes:
- They are dances performed at social functions by people with
little or no professional training, often to traditional music or
music based on traditional music.
- They are not designed for public performance or the stage,
although traditional folkdances may be later arranged and set for
stage performances.
- Their execution is dominated by an inherited tradition rather
than by innovation (although like all folk traditions they do
evolve)
- New dancers often learn informally by observing others and/or
receiving help from others.
More controversially, some people define folk dancing as dancing
for which there is no governing body or dancing for which there are
no competitive or professional performances.
Terminology
The term "folk dance" is sometimes applied to certain dances of
historical importance in European culture and history; typically
originated before 20th century. For other cultures the terms
"ethnic dance" or "traditional dance" are sometimes used, although
the latter terms may encompass
ceremonial dances.
There are a number of modern dances, such as hip hop dance, that
evolve spontaneously, but the term "folk dance" is generally not
applied to them, and the terms "street dance" or "vernacular dance"
are used instead. The term "folk dance" is reserved for dances
which are to a significant degree bound by tradition and originated
in the times when the distinction existed between the dances of
"common folk" and the dances of the "high society".
A number of modern ballroom dances originated from folk ones.
The terms "ethnic" and "traditional" are used when it is required
to emphasize the cultural roots of the dance. In this sense, nearly
all folk dances are ethnic ones. If some dances, such as polka,
cross ethnic boundaries and even cross the boundary between "folk"
and "ballroom dance", ethnic differences are often considerable
enough to mention, e.g., Czech polka vs. German polka.
Not all ethnic dances are folk dances; for example, ritual dances
or dances of ritual origin are not considered to be folk dances.
Ritual dances are usually called "Religious dances" because of
their purpose.
Types of folk dance
Types of folk dance include
clogging,
English country dance,
international folk dance,
Irish dance,
Maypole dance,
Morris
dance, Nordic
polska dance,
Ball de bastons,
square dance, and
sword
dance. Some
choreographed dances
such as
contra dance,
Israeli folk dance,
Scottish country dance, and modern
Western square dance, are called folk dances, though this is not
true in the strictest sense.
Country
dance overlaps with contemporary folk dance and ballroom dance.
Most country dances and ballroom dances originated from folk
dances, with gradual refinement over the years.
People familiar with folk dancing can often determine what country
a dance is from even if they have not seen that particular dance
before. Some countries' dances have features that are unique to
that country, although neighboring countries sometimes have similar
features.
For example, the German
and Austrian
schuhplattling dance consists of slapping the
body and shoes in a fixed pattern, a feature that few other
countries' dances have. Folk dances sometimes evolved long
before current political boundaries, so that certain dances are
shared by several countries. For example, some Serbian, Bulgarian,
and Croatian dances share the same or similar dances, and sometimes
even use the same name and music for those dances.
Although
folk dancing was historically done by the common people of the
local culture, international
folk dance has received some popularity on college campuses and
community centers within the United States
and other countries.
Mexican folkloric dance developed over five centuries from the
pre-Columbian era, through the Spanish conquest, the French
Intervention which included an Austrian influence, the Porfiriato,
and the 1910 Revolution, to the modern era. The fusion of these
influences with the indigenous culture created over 300 dance
styles within the thirty-two Mexican states, to comprise a unique
Mexican folk dance tradition.
See also
References
- Mexican
Folkloric Dance Company of Chicago
External links