Dance was not considered an art; it function was limited.
It had a social purpose for the nobility, basically show wealth and alternate with other nobles.
It had an entertaining purpose for the peasants, who danced during some pagan festivals that increasingly became co-opted by the Catholic Church.
When it was done as a form of worship, it was condemned by the church as sorcery.
The body was a source of sinful behavior so, it was not welcomed by the Catholic Church
A Greek chorus, or simply chorus in the context of Ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, satyr plays, and modern works inspired by them, is a homogeneous, non-individualised group of performers, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action.
the Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy. He was depicted as either an older, bearded god or an effeminate, long-haired youth. His attributes included the thyrsos (a pine-cone tipped staff), a drinking cup and a crown of ivy.
Dithyrambs
a wild choral hymn of ancient Greece, especially one dedicated to Dionysus.
Thespis
the first person ever to appear on stage as an actor playing a character in a play. In other sources, he is said to have introduced the first principal actor in addition to the chorus. Thespis was a singer of dithyrambs.
Tragedy
a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character.
Athens
The city of Athens during the classical period of Ancient Greece was the major urban centre of the notable polis of the same name, located in Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League.
City Dionysia
The Dionysia was a large festival in ancient Athens in honor of the god Dionysus, the central events of which were the theatrical performances of dramatic tragedies and, from 487 BC, comedies. It was the second-most important festival after the Panathenaia.
Catharsis
the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
Oresteia
The Oresteia is a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus in the 5th century BC, concerning the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra, the murder of Clytemnestra by Orestes, the trial of Orestes, the end of the curse on the House of Atreus and the pacification of the Erinyes.
Ancient Greek Chorus
A Greek chorus, or simply chorus in the context of Ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, satyr plays, and modern works inspired by them, is a homogeneous, non-individualised group of performers, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action.
Crete: the city had its own navy and writing system. The city fell after the eruption of a volcano. After that it was invaded by warrior like tribes. A new language emerges which is considered an early form of Greek.
Newer Cities: Walled cities like Thebes, Athens, Mycenae, Milos, were built. Life then was not peaceful. To them there was no account of precious civilizations but the Greeks.
Greeks Appropriate Everything: Greeks expand all over the seas. As a result trade grew. There often attacks by barbarian tribes.
Literacy Fell into Oblivion: But we have Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. The Iliad is paired with something of a sequel, the Odyssey, also attributed to Homer. Along with the Odyssey, the Iliad is among the oldest extant works of Western literature, and its written version is usually dated to around the 8th century BC. Ironically, Homer's characters were illiterate. During this period also Mycenae was destroyed by the Dorians who kept from Greek culture their ships and pottery.
Greeks Borrow their Alphabet: Greek alphabet is derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and was the
first alphabetic script in history to have distinct letters for vowels
as well as consonants.
Ancient Greece is Born: Formed by independent cities (polis), imported everything until they began to harvest outside their territories. Expansion and colonization followed all the way to the Italian peninsula. It is here where the alphabet of what would become Latin was born.
Greeks Settled Across the Mediterranean: According to Plato, Greeks expand all over the Mediterranean. Athens and Sparta do not participate in this expansion. Spartans were descendants of the Dorians who destroyed Mycenae.
Athens vs. Sparta: The two cities were very different. Spartans conquered and prevented uprising while Athens developed democracy as a result of the people and the aristocrats coming to terms with each other. Tyrants, who were aristocrats took and retained power. They drove away the aristocrats from the polis. To distract people from this actions, they celebrate new festivals and cults. Once the tyrants were overthrown, the aristocrats return and negotiate with the people, which gave birth to Greek democracy.
Quiz (10 points each)
1. Why dance important in the Neolithic?
2. What is trance?
3. What is the difference between trance and ceremony?
4. How do we know there was dance in Ancient Egypt?
5. Who was Ishtar? Why is she considered an archetype?
6. Why could yoga be considered a form of cultural retention?
7. What is the importance of yoga for dance?
8. Explain the concept of flow from a Tai Chi (Taiji) point of view?
9. Explain the following statement:
10. "Tai Chi is powerful, peaceful and beautiful"
What dance exercise have you liked best so far and why?
Students were introduced to Taoist Tai Chi, Taoist Tai Chi, which originated in the Yang school and was developed by Master Moy Lin-Shin
(Mei Lianxian; 1931-98) around 1970. Master Moy invented Taoist Tai Chi because he felt that his
true interest, Lok Hup Ba Fa, was too difficult for most students. Although tai chi was originally a martial art, Taoist Tai Chi was called "moving
meditation" by Master Moy. It is a system of slow, gentle, graceful movements aimed at
the promotion and restoration of health.
It improves balance, circulation, and coordination
and such conditions as rheumatoid arthritis.If the full 108-move Taoist Tai Chi "set" were music, it would consist of
three to six movements. "Appear to Close Entrance / Cross Hands" is done three
times, and so one could consider three movements: 1-17, the warm-up (allegro - about two minutes,
not including the bow); 18-55 (scherzo - about five minutes); and
56-108 (allegro - about six minutes, plus about 10 seconds for
the final bow).
Founder Master Moy demonstrates Taoist Tai Chi® arts.
