7.11: Relating Dance to Historical Context

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Page ID: 294576

Debra Worth
Folsom Lake College

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Relating dance to historical context can be fun by inviting your students to learn about history, but also contrasting art from yesterday to the art of today. For example, the context of a dance might come from the relationship the dance creator has with his/her music selection, the relationship the dance creator has with his/her environment, or the relationship the dance creator has with society. Where does a choreographer get this “context”?

Definition: Context

The interrelated conditions, circumstances, or surroundings in which something occurs that determines the overarching meaning of the written passage, event, or experience.

An excellent example of context that has shifting meanings can be found in Anna Sokolow’s Laban notated Rooms (1972): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoPLx9EMXz8

Now watch Rooms (2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOfjTmJwCUw

What are the similarities? What are the differences? Do you feel connected to one over the other? Why? What movement resonated for you, and what do you think could be different?

A piece created as an anti-war commentary between WWI and WWII is Kurt Joos’s The Green Table (1932): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un5kYC8jpUk.

Do you see any relevance in today’s world? What about the civil war in Syria that started in March 2011 when Syrians were discontent with the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, and a peaceful protest for pro-democratic leadership triggered outright civilian targeted retaliation such as chemical warfare on the people of Syria by the Syrian government? What about the conflict between Ukraine and Russia since 2021? What about the Israel/Hamas war that started in 2024?

For some interesting juxtaposition contextual fun in the dance classroom, take Gregorian Chants from Assisi from the medieval era: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-hrBhA4XkM

Would a choreographed dance to this music, in a 50’s poodle skirt in a roller rink have the correct historical context? Staging example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK6rpbxth9w

A person wearing a traditional indian garment

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Figure 7.16. Classical Indian Bharata Natyam performance at community college semester-end dance showcase

Dance is not isolated; it impacts culture and is impacted by culture. Dancers are citizens of the world, not just of their own personal experiences. Let’s uncover diverse topics essential to development and growth both as dancers and as social citizens. Here are a series of videos to make your dance classroom more energized with social, historical, or political relevance. Teach the future citizens – vis-à-vis dance, about our past, present and future – about how to strive to contribute to the good in the world.

The German Bauhaus : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo_BLRSuz7s