 |
CHINESE DANCE HISTORY
Chinese dance dates back nearly 5,000
years. As in most cultures, Chinese dance is closely linked to and reflective
of life experiences and concerns. Thus the dances can be divided into
(1) CEREMONIAL; for praying to the gods for bountiful harvests,(2) DRAMATIC;
for reporting and commemorating historical events, (3) MARTIAL; for demonstrating
fighting techniques, and (4) AGRICULTURAL; for celebrating nature and
work. In old China, dancers belonged to the slave class and their chief
function was to perform in the courts for royalty and the nobles. During
the Tang Dynasty (618-906 A.D.) the famous Silk Road was often travelled
by Indians, Persians and others who came to trade silk. Buddhism thus
found its way into China and had an enormous impact on Chinese culture.
The Flying Apsara, a minor deity, plays music and is pictured in many
murals from this period. The unique poses of the dancers represented on
these murals influenced Chinese classical dance. More...
Dancing
can make you healthy, too!!!
|
|
