Currently, the number of people engaged in creative activities is growing rapidly. And one of the most popular types of contemporary art is choreography.
Choreography is the art of composing and stage dancing. The term appeared around 1700 as a result of combining two ancient Greek words meaning “round dance” and “record.” The original meaning of the concept was “the art of recording dance by the choreographer”, that is, it was used to describe the dance stenography systems that appeared at that time.. Later it began to be applied to the production of dances, and to the dance art as a whole. Currently, according to the existing standard, choreography means a combination of ballet and dance. But also by this term they call staging numbers in other forms of art similar to dancing, for example, figure skating and even figure driving.
During its existence and development, choreography as an art has created its own artistic and expressive language, a whole system of techniques for conveying the image. The basis of this image is movements, which, in turn, are inextricably linked with rhythm and music. Together, they allow the dancer to tell a vivid, expressive, emotional story.
Important components of choreography
You can start choreography at any age, but you need to keep in mind that it, like any art, makes a number of demands on its follower.
A true dance cannot do without the following components:
- Good physical form. A professional dancer should have trained muscles, stretching, endurance and developed coordination.
- The elegance of the movements. All elements must be worked out to automatism, so that the movements are clear and laid-back.
- The expressiveness of movements and facial expressions. Dance is a kind of musical mime. Since the artist must tell the story during the dance without using words, it is very important to maximize the use of all parts of the body, including the face, putting the necessary message into each movement.
- Sensuality. This aspect is closely related to the previous one. For the story to catch the viewer, he must see that the dancer is “burning” by what he does, that there is a “spark” in him.
- Emotional charge. Without the proper emotional attitude it is very difficult to perform a good dance. To convey the energy of the dance to the audience, the artist needs to feel it himself.
The main characteristics of the dance
- Rhythm - the pattern and speed of repetition and alternation of the main movements.
- Dynamics - the degree of scope, tension, emotionality when performing elements.
- Drawing is a combination of movements, the picture they create.
- Technique - the degree of body ownership, the ability to reproduce certain elements.
Types of choreography
Today, choreography is usually divided into 3 large groups:
- People’s.
- Classical
- Modern.
Folk and classical were formed earlier, went a longer way of development, therefore they have a more expressive set of movements and are the main ones. Modern choreography includes many directions that appeared after the classical ballet.
Folk choreography
Dance art, to one degree or another, is present in the culture of every nation. Accordingly, folk dances reflect the worldview, cultural characteristics, rites and traditions of a particular ethnic group. As a rule, they are colorful and expressive. The folk art of dancing is not static: passing from generation to generation and preserving the foundation, it still changes, acquiring new elements and enriching with new meanings.
As a rule, the origins of any folk dance should be sought in the countryside. The rural way of life with a leisurely flow, the rhythm of work and life, prevailing foundations forms a certain stability of the artistic taste, psychology, value system. Further, this set of characteristics is supplemented by the experience of subsequent generations, thereby folk art acquires new features, images and ideals. As a result, we see a reflection of the totality of all the best that is inherent in the culture of one or another people.
The main features of folk dance:
- The content. Folk dance is a reflection of the culture and mentality of an ethnic group.
- Realism. Every nation always has concrete ideas and exciting issues that are reflected in meaningful, clear and understandable images.
- Expressiveness. Folk dances are characterized by brightness, originality, emotionality, the presence of a soul.
Classical choreography
Of course, all peoples live and develop in different conditions, have ideals and specific features that are different from each other. Therefore, ethnic dances are very diverse. Classical choreography has become an accumulation of the most beautiful, elegant and harmonious movements inherent in the dance cultures of different nations
The predecessors of modern choreographers are dance masters who served in the royal courts. They just developed common standards - a kind of "dance etiquette", which we adhere to this day.
The main features of classical dance:
- Technicality. Classical dances are formed according to certain canons, based on a set of movements and positions specific to a particular kind.
- Definition. All elements must be executed correctly and cleanly, without unnecessary movements and other “blots”.
- Grace. Since, as mentioned above, classical choreography has incorporated all the most beautiful of dances from different cultures, and at the same time it makes high demands on the quality of performance, we get a very refined and picturesque work as a result.
For all its sophistication and grace, classical dances are a very intense and painstaking work aimed at developing endurance, flexibility and artistry.
