** boys' dance country trends








The Fine Arts: Dance--Country Trends


Figure 1.-- This group of English children are learning to dance at arivate dancing school. They look to be children from affluent families. They are dresses up in their party clothes, including blouses, short pants, and strap shoes. One boy wears a white sailor suit. A reader tells us that this photograph somes from a photograph in a book called "Our Peaceable Kingdom, The Photographs of John Drysdale" that identifies the picture as coming from a "a dance class near Aldwych, London," 1970."

We have not yet assessed country dance trends to any extent. Here we do not mean just ethnic or national dances, but rather overall dance activities in a country. This includes social dance, ethnic/national dance, and performance dances as well as any other pertient informatiin about dance in specific countries. We are just beginning to work on country dance trends. Hopefully readers will tell us more about dance in their country. We do not yet have many country dance pages. We currently have a page on America, Australia, and Russia. Dance seems more popular in Russia among boys than most Western countries. We also have pages on specific dance types in certain countries. We have ballet pages on Australia and Russia. There are also several ethnic or national dress

America

American boys have been involved in dance to varying degrees and have worn a variety of dance costumes. Our information on dance is still very limited. Hopefully readees will be able to provide more detailed information. Many American boys participated in dances in the 18th and 19th centuries which are now seen as folk dancing. Some religious groups objected to dancing as too sensuous. Some boys did modern or interperative dance at the urging of their mothers in the early 20th century. Often they did not care for it at all. The economic expansion of the late-19th century greatly expanded the American middle class. Many mothers with newly acquired social status wanted their sons taught social graces. Thus it became increasingluy common to send children to dancing classes, in many cases against theor will. Dancing school classes were held to teach children deportment, etiquette, good manners, and civilized behavior as well as dance steps. Balet was less popular in America than Europe, but tap fancing was popularized by Shirley Temple. Boys also did ethnic dancingm including German, Greek, Irish, Native American, Scottish, and others. Many children learned Werstern folk dancing in school. Teenagers enjoyed the many popular social dances that appeared throughout the 20th century. Currently there is a revival of tap dancing as well as break dancing.

Australia

We have ballet pages on Australia

Canada

We do not yet know much about dance in Canada. We suspect that trends may be very similar to those in the United States. We note that mothers in the early 20th century seem to have tried to interest boys in dance, but without much success. Here there were social dance lessons. Balet seems to have been almost entirely a girls' activity. Schools often had basic lessons in social dances, commonly as part of physical education. Ethnic groups commonly promoted national dances. Here the most common seem to be the Irish and Scotts. Both were important groups which emigrated to Canada, especially the Scotts. We do not know if English and French Canadians varied as go their interest un dance.

England

We have lsome limited information on English boys involved in dance. Some younger children during the 1950s abd 60s participated in a primary dance program emphasizing motion. We note photographs of boys taking dancing lessons for social dancing. This seems to have been boys from affluent families. We note younger boys smarly dressed up for the lessons. The clothing is a little different than what American children may have worn. We do not know if boys received dance lessons at school. This was basic dances such as the box step used in standard social dances. This was common in American schools, often in gym class. We note private schools in England provided social dance classes. We have less information on state schools. An English mewspaper reported in 2009, "Children are taking up dance lessons with such enthusiasm that the activity is now second in popularity only to football in Britain's schools. The number of pupils choosing dance has risen 83% in four years, according to research by the Arts Council. A third of those are boys. Spurred on by role models such as Darren Gough, the England cricketer who was the first male winner of BBC1's show Strictly Come Dancing, they have been getting involved in a range of genres from ballroom to hip hop and jazz. The National Dance Teachers Association says the nature of school sport is changing to meet the target of five hours a week of required physical activity announced by Gordon Brown in July 2007. 'The latest survey shows that 96% of schools are offering dance, which is a massive change over the last few years," said Carolyn Woolridge, the acting chair. "Dance has benefited by being promoted by specialist schools in both arts and sports categories and by counting towards both the Artsmark and Sportsmark awards.'"

France

We have little information on French boys involved in dance. We note boys taking dancing lessons for social dancing. This seems to have been boys from affluent families. We note younger boys smarly dressed up for the lessons. We do not know if boys received dance lessons at school. This was basic dances such as the box step used in standard social dances. This was common in American schools, often in gym class. French schools tended to be more academic with fewer non-academic activities than American schools. Hopefully our French readers will tell us more about learning to dance in France. There may also be ethnic dances associated with the various provinces, but we have no information about this. We do know some boys especially interested in dance engaged in performance dancing. The specific dance form was usually ballet. This seems to have been done at special schools. Some boys may have been involved in performance dancing. We do not know of other ferformance dancing that was popular in France.

Germany


Greece


Ireland


Russia

There are a variety of dance styles popular in Russia. Russian boys for some reason are more interested in participating in dance than boys in the West. I am not sure just why that is. I think perhaps the arts have more cache in Russia than the West. Also popular values are likely to manifest themselves in the democratic West--an interesting phonomenon in thst the Soviet Uniin was susposed to be a state dominated by the proleteriat. Russia is particularly noted for ballet, of course a dance of French origins. Interestingly the Soviets effectively trained dancers of amazing capability. Many of their most talented dancers, however, complained of the restrictions of the state operated institutiins on their pergeormances. Several high profile dancers defected to the West. While the Russians are best known for their contributions to ballet, there are other forms of dance in which boys participate. Russian folk dancing is also popular, although at this time we know very little about it. The children perform in brightly colored peasant style costumes.

Scotland


Yugoslavia

The Balkans in General and Yugoslavia in particular, one of the five Balkan countries, are geographically and ethnically a very complex part of Europe. The rugged, mountaneous terrain acted to isolate the tribal groups that settled there even before the fall of the Roman Empire. And the Slavic tribes that came after were no exception. The mountonous terraine and years of conquest and occupation that followed acted to form many destincrive folkways even within small areas. These factors are all reflected in the diversity and complexity of Balkan music and folk dances. The Music and dance of each Balkan countries have many differences along with and underkying imilarity because of the commonality of extpeiences such as the five century Turkish occupation. A variety of traditional instruments used in this music, including tamburitza, frula, and accordion. One important dance is the circle-based kolo, an important traditional dance that originated in Serbia but was widespread throughout Yugslavia and is even danced today among Southern Slavic communities in America. There are many kolos, including Užičko kolo and Moravac as well as other popular dances include Kokonješte, Žikino kolo and Vranjanka. This is not to say that there was any uniform dance tradition in Yugoslavia. As with most aspects of Yusoslav culture, different forms of dances originated in different parts of the country. Any there were also differences within the various constinuent parts of the country such as Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosia,and Macedonia. They all developed according to the local traditions various influenced by the separateness imposed by gepgraphy and the varying historical experinces. Associate with the dance are folk cosumes. Performers commonly aware the associated folk costumes. Perhaps because of Hollywood, the Balkan dancces most familiary to Americans is Greek dance. But there are similarities. These traditions were formed over the centuries. With the decline of Ottoman power and the rise of indepedent countries we begin to see the introduction of modern European dance forms, both ocial dances as well as performing forms like balet and modern dance.







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Created: 7:39 AM 5/21/2009
Last updated: 5:54 PM 10/15/2016