Tag: folk dance

Building Character: What Happened to the Popularity of Character Dance?

Most full-length classical ballets feature several character dances—troupes of dancing peasants, parades of visiting princesses. Today, those dances are often seen as “filler,” interludes to give the principals a breather between classical variations. But back in the 19th century, when many of these ballets premiered, character dances had deep cultural significance. Ballerinas, equally versed in […]

Inside the History and Techniques of Folklórico

Picture a group of dancers with brightly colored skirts, embroidered jackets and hats, and fleet feet that tap out a syncopated beat as lively music plays. The women fan out their skirts, rippling them like waves as they twirl and stamp. This is folklórico, a dance style with as much complexity, variety, and history as […]