Who has never danced or moved their body to the beat of music? Well, it’s hard to find a person who has never fidgeted or twitched when they heard a sound.
Knowing this, it is certainly interesting to know or know a little about this art that involves most people and that is often used not only as a distraction, but as exercise and even as therapy.
Dance is considered one of the oldest arts, it is also the only one that requires no materials and tools. It only depends on the human body and vitality to fulfill its function, as an instrument for affirming man’s feelings and subjective experiences. According to the website http://brgeocities.com/quemdancaemaisfeliz, in a publication, the development of artistic sensitivity determined the configuration of dance as an aesthetic manifestation. In ancient Egypt, 20 centuries before the Christian era, so-called astrotheological dances were already taking place in honor of the God Osiris. The religious character was common to the classical dances of Asian peoples.
In Classical Greece, dance was often linked to games, especially the Olympics. With the Renaissance, theatrical dance, virtually extinct in previous centuries, reappeared with strength in courtly and palatial settings. In the 19th century, Contradance (which became the square dance), Waltz, Polka, Mazurka, Scottish, Pas-de-quatre, etc. appeared. In the last century, Boston emerged, only dethroned by exotic dances (Cake-Walk, Maxine, One Step, Fox-Trot, and Tango). The dissemination of dance also took place outside the show, mainly in popular traditions.
Types of dance
There are four large groups of dance styles, which are:
*Classical Dance – set of movements and steps, created in a system and taught in choreographic education.
*Ballroom Dancing – practiced in meetings and dancing.
*Modern Dance – which freed itself from the rigid principles of academic dance and served as the basis for contemporary ballet
*Rhythmic Dance
The different types of dance:
Ballet, Ballroom, Bolero, Break-dance, Capoeira, Ceroc, Can Can, Cha-Cha-Cha, Contemporary, Contra-dance, Country Western, Disco, Exotic Dancing, Flamenco and Spanish Gypsy, Folk and Traditional, Foxtrot, Funk, Jazz, Line Dance, Mambo. Merengue, Middle Eastern, Modern, Polka, Religious and Sacred dance, Rumba, Salsa, Samba, Swing, Scottish, Country Dancing, Square Dance, Tango, Twist, Waltz, Western
National and Popular Dances
In Spain – Fandango, Bolero, Jota, Seguidilha, Flamenco…
Italy, the Tarantella, Furlana…
England – Jiga…
Poland – Mazurka and Polka…
Hungary – Xarda…
In Brazil the main ones are: Baião, Samba… (Brazilian dances are a mixture of black, Indian and European factors).
Portugal – Vira, Verde-Gaio, Malhão, Fandango Ribatejano, Pauliteiros de Miranda do Douro, Gota, Chula, Corridinho…
Dance in Goiânia
In Goiânia, there are several dance groups, CIA de Dança Noah, Dançarte Cia de Dança, Stúdio Dançarte, Quasar Cia de Dança, Balé Inf. do Centro Cultural Gustav Ritter and others. One group that has stood out is Noah. The Noah Dance company, linked to the Cultural Program of the Catholic University of Goiás, completes ten years of existence in September this year. And that’s why our magazine chose her to tell a little of her story.
Noah’s first performance was at the opening of the University’s internal games, in October 1997 and started with 30 dancers. Today, approximately 150 people participate in the dance workshops held throughout the year. The name given to the Dance Company, “Noah”, has a curious meaning (it is a Hebrew word, derived from Noah, which means long-lived) and was chosen in a competition.
According to Elizabeth Quirino de Barros, Director and choreographer of Cia de Dança Noah, in Goiânia there is a lack of appropriate space for the practice and presentation of academic dances, but mainly space and respect for all producers of the art of dance. “There are many groups trying to survive at the expense of pure passion, such as groups that are not in the media and cannot get space”, says the choreographer.
“In my opinion, investments by public authorities in the artistic field have not yet achieved a qualitative impact on society, it is necessary to discuss policies that contribute to the development of this field”, highlights Elizabeth Barros. The Noah Dance Company is one of the extension projects implemented by the Dean of Extension and Student Support. The objectives are to rescue and disseminate culture and folklore through art and dance and contribute through presentation groups and workshops, with the community function of UCG”.
In addition to workshops in various types of dance, from ballroom to contemporary dance, Cia de Dança Noah, performs the choreographies of the Cultural Program and is now researching regional folk dances, thus extending its studies to folk dances from other states. With the aim of keeping alive certain cultural manifestations that could become extinct if there is no recovery of styles, thus seeking their artistic-cultural roots in society. Dance workshops are offered to all students at the University and extend to all courses.