Chapters with Listening Guide Repertoire, CW Links, and Quizzes:

Chapter 13

Chapter Goals

To examine dance genres in different cultures and times.
To see how dance reflects regional/national histories and identities.
To understand the relationship between music and movement.

13.1 – “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla, from The Tango

13.2 – Baamaaya

13.3 – “Branles des lavandiers”

13.4 – “The Augers of Spring” (“Dances of the Young Girls”) from Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) by Igor Stravinsky

CW13.1 More on Tango

In “Carlos Gardel: Argentina’s Tango Maestro,” National Public Radio’s Mandalit del Barco discusses Carlos Gardel (1890–1935), French/Argentinean singer and actor, one of the most prominent figures in the history of tango. Pascual Contursi sings “Mi noche triste” (1917) [on Spotify, Track 1]. On Music Dictionary defines “bandoneon.” Piazzola website. Here are some clips of the use of tango in several movies, from Mundotango:“Tango in movies.”

CW13.2 Capoeira

For more on capoeira, see the documentary, Mestra Bimba: A Cappoeira Illuminada (2006). Search Capoeira World for historical information and videos of capoeira moves: you can scan the banner at the top of the page for many links on the site.

CW13.3 Classical Ballet

The resources page on the Atlanta Ballet website includes a list of Ballet Terms and Positions as well as a Ballet FAQs. Ballet in the Letters of Tchaikovsky features excerpts of Tchaikovsky’s letters in which he writes about his ballets. Search YouTube for Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland classic stage performance of Tchaikovsky’s ballet, The Nutcracker, made in to a movie in 1977.

CW13.4 Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Here is a short clip about The Rite of Spring by those who reconstructed the original choreography and costumes. Here is a reconstruction of Nijinski’s choreography of Rite of Spring performed by the Joffrey Ballet in 1987. You can also search the internet using: “Rite of Spring” Nijinski reconstruction” or “Rite of Spring Joffrey reconstruction.” Search the internet for different choreographed versions of Le sacre du printemps. Compare and contrast them. For more on Joffrey Ballet’s reconstruction of The Rite of Spring see this New York Times article published a few months before the reconstruction premiered.

CW13.5 Martha Graham

See Lamentation (1930), with comments and choreography by Martha Graham Here is Martha Graham dancing Copland’s Appalachian Spring in 1944 (choreography by Merce Cunningham). The music was not originally recorded, but was added to this video later.

Quizzes