welcome to Music & the dance

The Muse of Music welcomes you to a feature on music and dancing. This is your "invitation to the dance."

about dance and the muse of music

The magnificent Anna Pavlova as she appeared in The Dying Swan in 1911

Dance means many things to many people, among them:

• To move rhythmically, usually to music, using prescribed or improvised steps and gestures.
• To leap or skip about excitedly.
• A series of rhythmical motions and steps, usually to music.
• The art of dancing.
• A spiritual activity in physical form.
• A party or gathering of people for dancing; a ball; a performance.
• A musical or rhythmical accompaniment composed or played for dancing.
• The act or an instance of dancing.

Scope

Understandably, The Muse of Music is primarily interested in those aspects of Dance insofar as they relate to music, among them:

• Aspects of all kinds of dance ranging from classical ballet through modern dance through tap.
• Composition and performance.
• The technique or art of dancing (choreography, dance training, notation, etc.)
• Important performers and memorable performances.
• Important composers, choreographers, impresarios, and dance companies.
• Important dance music.
• Dance history.
• Technology associated with dance, for example, Kodaly's choreographic notation system.

Here The Muse emphasizes the fields of formal and classical dance—ballet, for example—as distinguished from informal dance—jitterbugging, for example. Why? Because these fields provide more structure for discussion and more opportunity for analysis.

The Muse Of Music addresses all aspects of dance that are within the scope of music. Of course, The Muse's emphasis will be on the aesthetic aspects of music and dance. When other muses are involved—The Muse Of Fine Arts for lighting or set design, The Muse Of Film for movies that include or are about dancing, etc.—the responsibility for the exploration will be shared as appropriate.

availability

This feature is in its initial stage of development. Return periodically to see future additions.

ETAF Recommends

...Coming.

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