Dancing and music

[elisedance]

what a lovely avatar DGDD - perhaps a personal fantasy too

[elisedance]

[I just edited the wording of the second option on the poll to be 'and' the other and not 'or']

[dlgodud]

what a lovely avatar DGDD - perhaps a personal fantasy too

Thanks! Yes, I wish I could be like her. She is the world champion figure skater, and she will skate on Tuesday. I am already nervous.

[elisedance]

..if she is truly world champion quality there is no need to worry

[QPO]

I just want the grace....to look natural  like they do

[Bordertangoman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU3V6zNER4g

How to Listen to Music with your body by Evelyn Glennie

a fascinating talk which I found on the Other Place

yah, i loved that vid. so inspiring.

i was trained as a classical pianist, and do have some jazz/music composition theory.

IME, the aspect that makes musicians great rapid-pattern-recognizers (similar to in mathematics) is an intellectual trait that makes for great pattern-recognition on the floor, but it's the feeling-sensation aspect of the body/being that needs to be activated and developed in dance. having great musical understanding & sense of rhythm doesn't necessarily translate to being a great dancer. one has to be able to get out of one's head and be very present in the body, and that, interestingly, appears not to be the strong suit of many musicians.

I agree; I think it may be a left/right brain issue.......

[elisedance]

but musicians are very right brained... you can't think about each note!

I think Sams on it - dancers are about movement and put that movement to music - its really not about the music itself, well maybe the rhythm.  If it was we would have to learn each piece seperately (only exception in the comp form is paso doble which is, I think, always danced to the same tune).  Musicians are about each peice of music - they dance in their heads I suppose, dancers dance in their bodies...

[cornutt]

I think Sams on it - dancers are about movement and put that movement to music - its really not about the music itself, well maybe the rhythm. 

The other thing is, in music, the musician's body motions are merely a means to an end.  You can fully listen to and appreciate a piece of music without seeing the musician at all.  Dance, on the other hand, is about motion; without it, there is no dance. 

[Bordertangoman]

I think Sams on it - dancers are about movement and put that movement to music - its really not about the music itself, well maybe the rhythm. 

The other thing is, in music, the musician's body motions are merely a means to an end.  You can fully listen to and appreciate a piece of music without seeing the musician at all.  Dance, on the other hand, is about motion; without it, there is no dance. 

but which came first the dancer or the musician?

[elisedance]

I think Sams on it - dancers are about movement and put that movement to music - its really not about the music itself, well maybe the rhythm. 

The other thing is, in music, the musician's body motions are merely a means to an end.  You can fully listen to and appreciate a piece of music without seeing the musician at all.  Dance, on the other hand, is about motion; without it, there is no dance. 

but which came first the dancer or the musician?

There's only one answer to that question.

Yes.

[cornutt]

but which came first the dancer or the musician?

That's a good question actually... given that both things probably originated as ritual, Elise's answer is probably more profound than she intended.   

[TangoDancer]

The other thing is, in music, the musician's body motions are merely a means to an end. 

I'm not certain that this is entirely true. I know that musician's bodies often movein emotional/innate feeling to the music much as a singer will sometimes close the eyes in physical, but also sensual, response to a piece of music.

Which came first? The music. Whether it was in teh form of music as we know it is questionable. However, I am certain that at some point of origin, a person heard or felt an emotionally moving stimulus, and began to move to it. Voila! Dance was born.

[elisedance]

The other thing is, in music, the musician's body motions are merely a means to an end. 

I'm not certain that this is entirely true. I know that musician's bodies often movein emotional/innate feeling to the music much as a singer will sometimes close the eyes in physical, but also sensual, response to a piece of music.

Which came first? The music. Whether it was in teh form of music as we know it is questionable. However, I am certain that at some point of origin, a person heard or felt an emotionally moving stimulus, and began to move to it. Voila! Dance was born.

...depends entirely on how you define 'music' and 'dance'
I think you can define 'dance' as a 'movement to a rhythm' (external or internal)
If music is any rhythm, then maybe it came first.  However, if it is a sequence of notes then I'm sure it came second...

[elisedance]

but which came first the dancer or the musician?

That's a good question actually... given that both things probably originated as ritual, Elise's answer is probably more profound than she intended.   

Ha! Never underestimate my profundity.  Or my profanity either for that matter...

[Bordertangoman]

I would recommend this book because its interesting though not specifically focussed on dancing it looks at how the mind responds to music. Its fascinating

http://www.bodleyhead.co.uk/book.asp?ean=9781847920881