DANCE AND GESTURE
MOVEMENT, BODY LANGUAGE, GESTURE are KEY CULTURAL FORMS OF EXPRESSION
Communicate moods, feelings, information
With or without music
Dance may be performance or participatory event
Folk Dance – tends to be more participatory
Virtuoso performance – tends to be codified
e.g. Ballet
Sports: gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming, martial arts
Often compared to dancing
Originally may have been part of rituals, celebrations, ceremonies, festivals, entertainment
Pictorial documentation from prehistory
GESTURES – Use hands or body to communicate May or may not include a spoken component
Some are almost universal
Many variations between cultures
Greetings may vary widely – what is “Polite” also varies from culture to culture