272
CHINESE DRAGON DANCE ▶
In this ceremonial dance, dating back
to the Han Dynasty (206 bce–220 ce), a
team of performers carries a colourful
dragon, held up with poles. They lift
and lower the poles to make the
dragon dance. This dance is a key part
of Chinese New Year celebrations.BHARATANATYAM ▶
In ancient times, Hindu temple
dancers in south India performed
a set of moves and postures to tell
the stories of the gods. These evolved
into the Bharatanatyam dance style.
In this dance, certain poses –
especially hand gestures –
are held to represent
different meanings.BALLET ▶
Ballet is a theatrical
dance with graceful moves.
Dancers undergo rigorous
training and wear special
hard-toed ballet shoes in
order to dance en pointe –
on the tip of their toes.Energetic or graceful, dancers use athletic skill and
flexibility to perform a series of movements, often in time
to music. Dancing is a form of expression that may be a type
of performing art, part of a special ritual, or a fun social activity.
The earliest dancers used movement to worship gods and
spirits and to act out stories. In performances, dancers often
follow a pre-planned series of steps and movements devised
by a choreographer.DANCE Arm movements are
coordinated with the legs
for balance and effect◀ DISCO
In the 1970s, pop songs with
strong dance beats ruled the
airwaves and people gathered
in clubs to disco dance. Some
dances had set steps; others
were created by the dancers
themselves, perhaps inspired by
the film Saturday Night Fever.Bamboo poles help
the dancers to
move the dragon
in a realistic wayThe dragon is a symbol of
power and strength. The
longer the dragon, the
more luck it will bring272_273_Dance.indd 272 03/01/19 12:11 PM