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40,000 BCE
Paleolithic
While the exact start date of this era is unknown, many believe it began around 2 million years ago. This is the longest known period of mankind and the first sign of primitive tools. -
9500 BCE
Neolithic Era
This is considered the last part of the stone age. This era set them apart from the previous due to their development in agriculture. When metal tools were invented, this era ended. -
753 BCE
Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome
This time period occurred during the 8th century BC and went all the way to the 5th century AD. During this time period, the arts made great strides and the styles changed. Primarily for dance, the rich would not usually partake in dancing themselves, but rather they would hire dancers to perform at their events. There was a time when dance was banned in theater when Nero ruled. There were other dances that were performed also such as war dances which basically asked for good fortune in war. -
500
The Medieval Period
This took place from 500-1500 AD. This was when the collapse of Rome started and went all the way to the Renaissance. During this time, there was a lot of technological advancement with the creation of things such as the wheel and eyeglasses. Regarding dance, this is when the arts real started to make strides, especially during the Renaissance. Many rulers were accused of spending too much of the nation's wealth on things such as art and theater performances. -
1580
Baroque Era
This Era happened from 1580 - 1750. This time period primarily refers to a new development style of the arts, especially in art, music, and dance. The style consisted of grandeur and surprise to achieve a sense of awe. It started at the end of the Roman Empire and then spread quickly through France, Italy, Spain, and then Portugal. This was when the arts started to incorporate great detail into their pieces whether it be art, dance or music. -
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Early Ballet - Romantic Ballet
Early ballet originated around the early 16th century but the first professional dance academy was created in France on 1661 by King Louis XIV. This was when the 5 positions of ballet were created and are still used to this day. The romantic era started around the early 1800s and ended around 1870. This was when pointe work was created and the tutu started to gain traction. -
Musical Theatre / Broadway
The first significant theater presence arose around 1750 when Walter Murray and Thomas Kean created a theatre company that could seat around 280 people. Since then, it has evolved into something that is considered one of the main attractions of New York City. Nowadays, performances consist of dancing, singing, and acting to tell a story. -
Tap
Tap is a dancing style that involves wearing special shoes that allow the dancer to create a "tapping" sound when they move their feet. They usually perform on a hardwood floor to create the best sound. It is an evolution of West African step dancing. It was created around the mid 1800s -
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Modern Dance / Pioneers
The modern dance era started in the late 19th century. This is when the dance started to use dance to express abstract ideas. The technique was very fluid and they would often improvise their dances. Pioneers of the time include Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, etc. -
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Classical Ballet - Neoclassical Ballet
Classical started around the late 19th century and was a mix of the French style of Romantic ballet and Russian teaching. Famous people were Marius Petipa who was a ballet master at the time. The neoclassical ballet era ended around the late 20th century. It was a style that stripped the over-romanticized style to a cleaner and aesthetic look. George Balanchine was the standout ballet choreographer of the time. -
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originates from African American communities in New Orleans. It bases its style on the blues and some ragtime as well. It also involves a lot of freestyle. It was first documented in a musical context on November 14, 1916. -
Modern Dance (Neo-Classical Ballet)
Modern dance started in the late 19th century, but did not claim its name to fame unitl the mid 20th century. Modern dance is a broad genre of dance that includes ballet, folk, ethnic, etc. It can be divided into 3 different time periods, Early Modern (1880-1923), Central Modern (1923-1946), and Late Modern (1946-1957). Famous people from these time periods include Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan, and Ted Shawn. -
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop is a cultural phenomenon that includes music, dancing, and culture. It originated from African Americans, Latino Americans, Caribbean Americans in New York. The 4 key aspects of this are rapping, DJing, break dancing, and graffiti. It was created around the mid-1970s.