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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 110 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
- There are 30 user-asked question matches ( goto )
Special Topics
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Dance
| Who was Thoinot Arbeau? | History of Dance (Aurania) |
| Who is known as the 'bad boy' of modern dance? | Modern Dancers (rj211) |
Mark Morris. Mark Morris was born in 1956 in Seattle WA. He had no formal training in modern dance when he came to choreography. He got his reputation for his choreography's tendency to confront steroetypes and challenge expectations. He is also characteristically loud-mouthed, provocative, and openly homosexual.
| Which famous Italian ballet dancer studied dance at Teatro all Scalla? | The Dance Quiz (fairydust1212) |
Alessandra Ferri. Alessandra Ferri is one of my favorite ballet dancers and I really think you should do an internet search on her. She is very interesting to read about.
| When most people think of a "belly" dancer, chances are they envision a sultry woman clad in sparkly bra and matching belt, swirling skirts and diaphanous veil. What do dancers call the bra and belt? | The Sensual Art of Middle Eastern Dance (grazel) |
Bedlah. Bedlah is only one of many costume options for the Middle Eastern dancer. Many of us eschew baring our midriff, choosing instead to wear folkloric, historic, or more modern caberet style outfits that cover more than a bra and belt.
| What's the term for a Polish lively round dance for eight couples? | History of Dance (bullymom) |
Mazurka. This lively dance, performed in 3/4 time, originated in Masuria, Poland, in the sixteenth century. It's similar in form to the polka.
| What was the name of the person who invented the Foxtrot music? | Dancesport (YoungPrincess) |
Harry Fox. The Foxtrot is probably the most popular Social Dance. It is a very elegant dance, and the dancers must look like they are floating on the floor, making the Foxtrot look very easy - actually, this isn't {true;} a lot of practice is required in order to achieve that floating 'look'.
| What was the basic step of the Allemande? | History of Dance (Aurania) |
A step similar to a goose step. The French had chosen this step in order to mimic the German military. Hence the name! ('Allemagne' is French for 'Germany').
| What sort of shoes do you need for HipHop? | The Dance Quiz (fairydust1212) |
Sneakers. Sneakers can be helpful while dancing HipHop. You can move, spin, turn, and slide easily. You can also use tennies or just socks, but they are a little hard to move around freely in.
| What item of clothing was first worn by Italian dancer Virginie Zucchi in 1885 at the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia? | History of Dance (bullymom) |
Tutu. Although Virginie was the first to wear the now-ubiquitous short tutu, it was actually designed several years earlier by French painter Eugene Lami, in the form of a mid-calf skirt.
| What is the name of the 16th century Italian dance in which a couple flirt with each other and then exchange a flower? | Medieval Dance (durry) |
ballo del fiore . The man of course would have doffed his hat and be holding it in his irregular (left) hand with brim facing towards his thigh. His sword would be positioned behind him and parallel to the ground so as not to interfere with his dance steps. The lady would likely be holding her kerchief or fan in her right hand. Etiquette was very important to the Italians.
| What is the gamelan? | Indonesian Dance Traditions (rj211) |
The gamelan is the musical accompaniment used for dance.. Gamelan performances almost always accompany dance performances in this region. The music is rich and varied, and often the dancers relate to each instrument differently with their movement.
| What is the best beverage to drink while dancing? | The Dance Quiz (fairydust1212) |
Water. Sports drinks such as Gatorade are nice, but water is still the best drink. Citric Acid can sometimes make you tired, and juice has Citric Acid in it.
| What is extremely important while turning so you don't get dizzy and fall? | The Dance Quiz (fairydust1212) |
A focus point. If you don't have a focus point while spinning, you will get dizzy and possibly stumble horrifically during the rest of your routine. It is also true in ice skating, but that's a different subject.
| What happened in 1918 that facilitated a wider knowledge of Javanese court dance? | Indonesian Dance Traditions (rj211) |
The Sultan appointed his brothers as teachers in a school of dance.. Prior to this time, knowledge of the dances had been restricted to the royal courts. The school was established so that any child of a good family could have a chance at learning the dances.
| What does the term 'topeng' refer to in terms of Indonesian dance? | Indonesian Dance Traditions (rj211) |
A 'topeng' is a masked dance.. Masks play an important role in many Indonesian dance forms. The performers usually accumulate many masks over the years, and develop a certain relationship to each of them. Every mask portrays a particular character individual to that mask.
| What does the ballet term "tombe" mean in English? | The Dance Quiz (fairydust1212) |
Fall. Tombe is a French word that means fall. It is a ballet movement where you sort of "fall" with your feet.
| What distinguishes the Bissu of Sulawesi from other dancers? | Indonesian Dance Traditions (rj211) |
The Bissu are inhabited by spirits during the dancing.. The Bissu usually enter a trance state, sometimes demonstrating the power of said state by taking swords and pushing them into their bodies. The swords do not puncture the flesh, thus proving the realism of the spirit possession. Interestingly, the Bissu are one of five recognized genders in the region: men, women, men who live as women, women who live as men, and Bissu - supposedly a combination of both man and woman. Bissu are often chosen because they are born as hermaphrodites or display other variations on the conventional sex organs. Traditionally, Bissu would be castrated in adulthood once their status was assumed, but this practice has become rarer.
| Utdets and sampours are both scarves used in Javanese court dances, but what is the difference between them? | Indonesian Dance Traditions (rj211) |
Utdets are worn by women, and sampours by men.. The terms 'utdet' and 'sampour' are different words to refer to the same garment, depending on the gender of the person wearing it - the scarves themselves are the same. These scarves are used in classical Javanese dance as very important decorative features, extending the lines of the movement and allowing certain effects that would otherwise be impossible to achieve.
| Traditional Javanese dance is distinguished as either Surakarta or Jogjarkarta style. What do these words refer to? | Indonesian Dance Traditions (rj211) |
Surakarta and Jogjarkarta are regions of the kingdom.. In 1755, Dutch explorers divided the kingdom into these two smaller kingdoms. The styles that evolved retain the mark of origin.
| Top man gallops to the bottom of the set with his partner.
Top man gallops back home with bottom lady.
Bottom man gallops to the top of the set with top lady.
Bottom man gallops back home with his partner.
Strip the willow from both ends of the set.
Top and bottom couples meet in the middle and make four arches.
Everybody else casts, and leads through the arches back home.
Everybody swing.
What is this dance called? | Identify the Country Dance (Lottie1001) |
The Willow Tree. This is danced by eight couples in a longways set. The middle couples can enjoy themselves clapping along to the music while the top and bottom couples gallop around retrieving their partners.
| This Russian ballerina is the most famous classical ballerina ever, having danced many of the major ballet roles. Who is she? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Anna Pavlova. Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was born in 1882 in St Petersburg. She was trained at the school of Imperial Ballet and made her debut as a soloist in 1899, before becoming prima ballerina for the company in 1906. Pavlova toured Europe in 1907 and appeared briefly with the Ballets Russes of the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev, and in 1910 made her American debut with the Russian dancer Mikhail Mordkin at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. She founded her own company in 1911, and danced extensively in Europe, North and South America and Africa, bringing ballet to the most remote areas, until her retirement in 1925. Anna Pavlova was an outstanding representative of classical Russian ballet and was admired for the poetic quality of her movement. Her most famous classical roles were in "Giselle", "Swan Lake", "Les Sylphides", "Don Quixote", "Coppelia" and in the solo dance "The Dying Swan" which was created for her in 1905 by the Russian choreographer Michel Fokine.
| This man is a famous Spanish dancer and choreographer of the modern-day who has developed an original take on the tradition of flamenco. Do you know who he is? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Joaquin Cortes. Joaquin Cortes was born in 1969 in a village near Cordoba. He was taught flamenco by his uncle, Christobal Reyes, a renowned Spanish dancer; he also studied classical ballet and performed with the Ballet Nacional de Espana for six years until 1990.
Cortes then formed his own dance company. His productions, which use the technical developments of staging, have risen swiftly to popular fame, attracting large audiences to such venues as the Royal Albert Hall. He has a characteristically unorthodox approach to flamenco, as he often dances with a bare torso and rounded shoulders, but there is no doubt that his theatrical approach and personality, his use of Giorgio Armani as costume designer, and his choice of loud amplified music have captured the imagination of a younger dance generation. His productions include "Cibayi" in 1992 and "Gipsy Passion" in 1994, the latter toured Europe and the United States.
Cortes has also appeared in films, including "Le Flor de mi Secreto" (1995; The Flower of my Secret), and "Flamenco" (1996).
| This famous exotic dancer used her talent to become a spy for Germany during the First World War. Do you know who she is? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Mata Hari. Mata Hari was born in 1876 in Leeuwarden and at the age of eighteen, she married Campbell MacLeod, a British-born captain of the Dutch army; they were divorced a few years later. She settled in Paris, and after 1900 she began to perform erotic dances at private gatherings. In 1907 she became a spy for Germany. Through her intimate liaisons with high-ranked Allied officers she was able to get important military information. She was executed at Vincennes in October 1917 by the French.
| This famous British ballet dancer was president of the Royal Acadmemy of Dancing and was awarded the title of 'prima ballerina assoluta'. Do you know who she is? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Dame Margot Fonteyn. Dame Margot Fonteyn was born in 1919 in Surrey, England and was originally named Margaret Hookham. After marrying and recognition for her important role in modern British ballet, her full name eventually became Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias. She studied in London with the Russian teacher and dancer Seraphima Astafieva. In 1934 she became a member of the Vic-Wells Ballet and by 1940 Fonteyn was prima ballerina of the Sadler's Wells Company.
Fonteyn's dancing was recognised for its technical expertise and musical sensitivity. Her most famous role was Aurora in "The Sleeping Beauty", but she also established strong roles in many ballets by the British choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton. In 1954 she became president of the Royal Academy of Dancing, and in 1956 was made Dame by the British Empire. Through the 1960s and 1970s, Fonteyn performed regularly with Soviet-born dancer Rudolf Nureyev whilst he was with the Royal Ballet. In 1979 the Royal Ballet awarded her the rare title prima ballerina assoluta. She died in 1991.
| This famous British ballet dancer dances for the Royal Ballet and is one of the most famous dancers of our time. She has received many awards for her dancing and also has an OBE. Who is she? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Darcey Bussell. Darcey Andrea Bussell was born in 1969, in London. She trained at the Royal Ballet School and made a successful debut in "Concerto" in 1986. She became a member of the Royal Ballet in 1988.
She is a tall dancer with long limbs and a very strong technique, and she has danced all the leading classical roles, including Giselle and Aurora. She has also danced, with great success, with the New York City Ballet.
Kenneth MacMillan created roles for her in "The Prince of the Pagodas" (1989) and "Winter Dreams" (1991) and Twyla Tharp created the role of Mistress Truth-on-Toe in "Mr Worldly Wise" for her in 1995. Bussell received the 1990 Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Achievement in Ballet and in 1997 the choreographer Glen Tetley created a new work, "Amores" in her honour. She was appointed an OBE in 1995, and has become one of the most popular dancers of today.
| This famous American dancer of musical comedy films was known for his graceful, sophisticated dance-style and is most remembered for dancing on the big screen with dance partner Ginger Rogers. Who is he? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Fred Astaire. Fred Astaire was born in 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska. From 1917 to 1932 himself and his sister Adele were a noted Broadway dancing team, appearing in musicals like "Over the Top", "Lady Be Good" and "Funny Face". After Adele retired from the stage, Fred Astaire began a career in films, his first film being "Dancing Lady" in 1933. His films with the dancer Ginger Rogers, began with "Flying Down to Rio" in 1933 and included "Roberta" (1935), "Top Hat" (1935), "Shall We Dance?" (1937) and "The Barkleys of Broadway" (1949). Astaire and Rogers developed an elegant dancing style, recognised for its technicality and intimacy.
Perhaps the greatest dancer of his time, Fred Astaire combined technical mastery with ease and good humour and in 1949 his film work was recognised with an Academy Award. He died in 1987.
| This American man was a famous tap and ballet dancer, choreographer, actor and director. He was mostly known for his contribution to musical films. Who is he? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly was born in 1912 as Eugene Curran Kelly in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied at his mother's dance school and first performed in the chorus of the Broadway musical "Leave It to Me" in 1938, and went on to be recognised for the starring role of Pal Joey. Moving to Hollywood, he appeared in and co-directed important film musicals like "On the Town" (1949) and his best-remembered film, "Singin' in the Rain" (1952). His dancing and choreography in "An American in Paris" (1951), which won an Oscar for Best Film, were acclaimed as outstanding examples of film ballet. As director, his most successful film was "Hello Dolly" in 1969, which he didn't perform in himself. He died on February 2, 1996.
| This American expressionist dancer based her style on the dances of the Ancient Greeks and is one of the founders of 'Interpretive' dance. Who is she? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Isadora Duncan. Isadora Duncan was born in 1877 in San Francisco, California and she made her professional debut in Chicago, Illinois, in 1899. She toured Europe and the United States in dance recitals and established dance schools in Berlin, Paris and Moscow.
However, she had a tragic personal life - she was in favour of 'free love' and had a daughter by the British stage designer Edward Gordon Craig and a son by Paris Singer, the American heir to a sewing-machine fortune. However, both children were killed in a car accident in 1913. She married the Russian poet Sergey Yesenin in 1922, but they separated shortly after.
Isadora Duncan lived in poverty for many years before making one final dramatic appearance in Paris; she died in a car accident in France in 1927.
Duncan's dancing style was noted by its free, flowing movements expressing inner emotion and was inspired by natural phenomena such as waves and winds. She was fascinated with ancient Greek ideals of human form and beauty and she usually appeared on stage dressed in a delicate tunic with her feet, arms, and legs bare. When she first introduced her style of dancing in America, she was met with strong resistance, but eventually her ideas were accepted and favoured. In her lifetime, she greatly influenced 20th-century ballet and laid the groundwork for the modern dance movement of the 20th century.
| This American choreographer, dancer, and teacher, has been a major and one of most influential figure in American modern dance for more than 50 years. Who is it?
| Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Martha Graham. Martha Graham was born on May 11, 1893, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her early training as a dancer under Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn in the Denishawn school. After two years of dancing in Broadway productions, she became director of the dance department at the Eastman School of Music in New York and turned to creating dances of her own. She gave her first recital in 1926.
In her early work, Graham rejected the fancy styles of Denishawn productions, preferring sparse staging. Her preference for austere costuming and staging, as well as the angularity and severity of her movements caused initial bewilderment, although she also captured immediate recognition. As her highly individual and expressive style developed, she became one of the leading figures in contemporary dance. She trained young dancers for her company, developing a modern technique that included the contraction and release of different parts of the body, close relation of breathing to feeling and movement, angular body lines; and close contact with the ground.
In her later works Graham made full, often symbolic, use of the traditional resources of the theatre, including lighting, stage sets and properties, and costuming. Her stage settings which were often abstract and sculptural were designed and made by notable artists like the American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Graham's works vary in mood from the witty "Every Soul Is a Circus" (1939) to the frenzied "Deaths and Entrances" (1943), based loosely on the Brontë family with Emily as the heroine. Graham's concerns ranged from American themes, in "Letter to the World" (1940), a study of the life of the poet Emily Dickinson, to psychologically interpreted Greek mythology, in "Clytemnestra" (1958). She retired as a dancer in 1970.
In 1984, at the age of 90, she choreographed "Rite of Spring" and died in New York on April 1, 1991.
| This American choreographer and teacher, developed a dance theatre of abstract forms, colours, and lights. Do you know who it is? | Famous Dancers (Cara Splash) |
Alwin Nikolais. Alwin Nikolais was born in 1912 in Southington, Connecticut, and he worked as a theatre pianist and puppet master before studying modern dance. In 1948 Nikolais became director of the Henry Street Playhouse, New York, where he produced children's theatre and then established his own dance theatre and foundation. Nikolais's background in puppets influenced his choreography, especially "Tensile Involvement" (1953), in which the dancers had puppet strings attached to their heads. In works such as the latter or "Masks, Props, and Mobiles" (1953), in which the dancers wore bags as costumes, Nikolais dehumanised his dancers in order to distract the audience's attention from personal matters and allow them to focus on cosmic issues. He choreographed the dances, designed the set, composed the music, and engineered the lighting for such works as "Structures" (1970), "Cross-Fade" (1975), and "Talisman" (1981).
| There was a new movie in 2003 called "Honey" in which HipHop was basically the main dance. True or False? | The Dance Quiz (fairydust1212) |
t. Its a really cool movie, and I think all people who are even remotely interested in dance should go see it. I do Hip Hop myself.
 Frequently Asked Questions about Dance
- What is the release date of Chic's "Dance Dance Dance" in the UK? ( goto )
- What type of dance does Scrooge dance to at his nephew's house? ( goto )
- What is California's official folk dance? ( goto )
- Who is the muse of dance and choral song? ( goto )
- Who said 'I have no desire to prove anything by dance........I just dance' ? ( goto )
- Who choreographed the dance moves in the traditional Torres Straight Island dance the 'Taba Naba'? ( goto )
- Who invented the dance called the Fox Trot? ( goto )
- In which dance do you not need steps? ( goto )
- Which 80's group performed the song "The Safety Dance"? ( goto )
- Who sang a song about his ten guitars, part of the lyrics being, "dance, dance, dance to my ten guitars" and what is the name of the song? ( goto )
- From earliest to latest, what are the names of all the different Dance Dance Revolution machines since its release? ( goto )
- How did the dance The Macarayna get its name? ( goto )
- Who invented the cha-cha dance, and in what year? ( goto )
- What is the music for the laser dance (Vincent Cassel) in "Ocean's 12"? ( goto )
- Does "the jig is up" refer to the dance of the same name? ( goto )
- Who was Michael Flatley's first Irish dance teacher? ( goto )
- 'Lord of the Dance' was written in whose first person voice? ( goto )
- Which british prime minister was born in a toilet during a dance? ( goto )
- In which year was the Shake N' Vac dance first seen? ( goto )
- Which dance has two letter 'x's in its name ? ( goto )
- Which group had a hit and inspired the Macarena dance craze in 1996?
( goto )
- Which pop artist created a hip song and a new dance? ( goto )
- From what does the folk dance tarantella get its name? ( goto )
- In which film does Errol Flynn do a song and dance routine? ( goto )
- What year did the dance, the Samba, first come out in Africa? ( goto )
- What dance moves were involved in "jacking" as in the 1980s hit "Jack Your Body"? ( goto )
- Where should you "dance your cares away," and "worry's for another day"? ( goto )
- At the beginning of the film 'High Fidelity' what song does Barry dance to in the record shop? ( goto )
- Who sang "There's a new dance they call it the roach"? I think that it came out in the late 60's. ( goto )
- What is the name of the movie starring Roy Schneider based on the life of dance choreographer Bob Fosse? ( goto )
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