TVP WEEKLY: When did humans begin to dance?

JOANNA SIBILSKA: It's hard to say. We don't know any specific date. To answer this question, I would use a quote from the book by the musicologist Curt Sachs: "Dance as the form of art is most elementary and primaeval to any other kind of creativity practised by man because the dancer uses his own body as an instrument." I really like these words because they signal that dance has a long history and has always been present in people's lives.

There were many opportunities to dance. This is how the humans reacted to what was happening around them. Dance became an element of rituals related to the life of a tribe, the ways of obtaining food, and it gave them a sense of bond. Many dance scenes were recorded in rock paintings and carvings that have remained to this day at various latitudes and longitudes. It is known that they were performed in lines or in a circle.

Over time, the dances were led by a shaman, and the rituals were accompanied by voice, clapping and playing instruments made of animal bones, wood or shells. Only the Middle Ages brought the dance in pairs, and it was an invention of European culture.

These circle dances were supposed to integrate the community?

Certainly, the circle is a kind of closure where everyone is equal. In rituals of magical significance, the circle gave a sense of closeness and a sense of bond because, through the dance, everyone tried to exert influence on reality and obtain benefits. Among others, there were initiation dances, totemistic, healing, funeral, agrarian, and those connected to hunting magic, which -thanks to joint performance - ensured the prosperity of a tribe.

Undoubtedly our ancestors wanted to influence the forces of nature, but in a dance, they could also express the joy of a successful hunt. Anyway, to this day, we sometimes react like that; when we want to express joy spontaneously, we literally jump out of joy. We could say that we have not really changed as a species, but civilisation has definitely changed us.

The first choreologist Rudolph Laban determined that the human body’s movements are contained in the block of an icosahedron. So each of us has his own icosahedron, which applies to our species, regardless of the era in which humans live.

The traditional farming dances you mentioned are probably still practised in some parts of the world even these days.

Probably this is the case. Their purpose was always to ensure rain and good crops. Aborigines, Indians and other ethnic groups have preserved some indigenous dances passed down from generation to generation. They have various dances that form parts of their rites to satisfy different needs.

Primitive beliefs - in which dance played an important role - existed long before any form of religion appeared. We can find many references to dance rituals in the choreographies of the 20th century, for example in "The Rite of Spring" by Igor Stravinsky. There is a scene of sacrificing a girl whose dance is supposed to awaken the earth to life after winter lethargy. This is dynamically marked in music and the rhythmic changes. The girl performs an ecstatic dance that brings her to death. There are many choreographic versions of this ballet: the first implementation of the project belonged to Vaslav Nijinsky; Among many other exciting adaptations, there were those prepared by: Maurice Béjart, John Neumeier, Pina Bausch, Martha Graham, Emil Wesołowski and Mats Ek.

Dance has become an important element in various religions; in India, for example, dance can be used as the equivalent of prayer: i.e. in the Indian classical dance, Bharatanatyam mudra hand gestures have a symbolic meaning, just as body poses are strictly defined, and only their perfect execution can ensure the favour of the gods.

Only Christianity moved the dancing practice into the background. Over time, it was eliminated from religious rites and became a form of entertainment in separate social strata.

When did ballet appear?

In the era of the Renaissance, we are already dealing with entertainment shows called ballets, yet they did not resemble the ballet we know from "Swan Lake" or "The Nutcracker." The courtiers attended these manor house spectacles along with the king and queen. Court dances, which were popular at that time, dominated the performance, culminating in the so-called "grand ballet", where the performers moved around, creating various spatial images.

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  The Baroque period changed dances' aesthetics due to court etiquette requirements. Ballets were still performed by courtiers - dancing minuets, gavottes, walking on outward-turned feet - taking care of elegant hand guidance and grace in the performance. This refinement of baroque dances meant that every aristocrat had to learn how to dance, and the complicated choreotechnics were a real challenge for many of them - a dance lesson from the "Cinderella" ballet is a good example; in one of the scenes the evil sisters can't perform the dances correctly. The constantly increasing level of technical difficulties that accompanied the dance resulted in its professionalisation.

Louis XIV, who was a great dance lover and performed brilliantly in court ballets, decided to establish several institutions important for dance development - the Royal Academy of Dance, the Royal Academy of Music, which would later be renamed the Paris Opera, and towards the end of his life he issued a decree establishing a school of ballet. It was 1713 when the first ballet school in the world was founded and began to accept students and train them to become professional dancers.

Dancing at courts continued to be a form of entertainment, but public theatres were also established, where ballet and opera performances - with the participation of professionals - began to take place. It is worth remembering that until the end of the Baroque, ballets were mixed performances where people could sing, dance and recite. The performances lasted about 3-4 hours, and the best artists of various fields, including the ballet master, took care of their setting.

Ballet performances were freed from the narration and replaced by pure pantomime in the 18th century, thanks to the ballet reformer Jean-Georges Noverre. He was the one who made ballet an autonomous field of art, and to commemorate his merits, the date of his birth - April 29 - was established as International Dance Day.

What happens to this dance next?

Very important for the ballet changes took place in the 19th century. In the period of Romanticism, pointe shoes appear, i.e. ballet shoes that allow dancers to stand on the top of their toes. So then it begins the ballet that we know from the repertoire which has survived to these days - for example, "Giselle", " La Sylphide”, or " Le Corsaire”. The dancers take on the form of ghosts, dancing in airy long dresses in pointe shoes that allow them to create the impression of floating, drifting just above the ground. Ballet became the visualisation of romantic dreams; it created an unusual aura in theatrical performances.

Since the beginning of the ballet school established on the initiative of Louis XIV, female dancers or just male dancers have been trained there?

The first performance of professional female dancers occurred in 1681 in the "The Triumph of Love" ballet. In the 18th century, more female dancers entered the stage of the Paris Opera and took an important place in history: Marie Sallé was famous for her good acting skills, whereas Marie Camargo reached the heights of technical abilities.

All the dancers of the 18th century performed in costumes modelled on the court clothes of the Baroque era; hence male dancers had more freedom in movement than female dancers. Camargo made considerable alterations to the costume, shortening the skirt and lowering her heels so that she could show off her incredible efficiency.

Despite her achievements, the 18th century was a time of excellent male dancers’ careers, among whom Louis Dupré, Gaétano Vestris and his son Auguste were called the “gods of dance”. After the period of Romanticism - when the supremacy of female dancers took place, putting all the male dancers further in the background - it was time for another change in the field of ballet performance aesthetics.

In the second half of the 19th century, ballet develops technically. The dancers already have reinforced the pointe shoes that allow them to perform spectacular dance elements. When we watch "Swan Lake", "La Bayadère" or "Sleeping Beauty", we notice that the choreographies are designed so that the ballerinas can show off their skills.

This is also the period of time when male dancers are needed mainly in pantomime scenes and group dances. It was not uncommon for female dancers to take the male roles, and play en travesty, i.e. in male costumes - for example in the ‘dance with cloaks’ in the "Paquita" ballet.

Another dance reform takes place at the end of the 20th century, when an alternative to ballet, i.e. contemporary dance, is born?

The new century accelerates the world, which is visible in all branches of industry and moves into all artistic fields, including dance. Isadora Duncan was born in 1877 and entered the stage at the beginning of the 20th century, surprising everyone with her dance. Until now, no one had ever thought that someone could move in such a natural way, performing symphonic music, after all not intended by composers to be danced.

Some ballet representatives picked up Isadora's thinking related to movement and dance, among whom the Russian choreographer, Michael Fokine, turned out to be the most important figure. He was the one who created the first ballets for Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev’s newly formed company - the future Ballets Russes. The ballet reform carried out by Fokin was further developed by subsequent choreographers working in the Ballets Russes: Vaslav Nijinsky, Leonid Fyodorovich Myasin/ Léonide Massine, Bronislava Nijinska, George Balanchine and Serge Lifar.

Similarly to ballet, contemporary dance was a response to new trends in art that flourished like grass in spring. The expressionist dance appeared, which developed in Germany, and through dance means and content, was placed in opposition to the growing Nazism.

The creators of this dance technique had to leave the country, including Rudolf Laban mentioned above and Kurt Jooss, who was of Jewish origin. Both artists survived the Second World War. Kurt Jooss became a teacher of outstanding choreographers of the second half of the 20th century: Birgit Ragnhild Cullberg and Philippine "Pina" Bausch, who created their own personal brand dance troupes.

This shows that dance was not an isolated field, that it also manifested cultural changes; Was it their expression?

That's true. Dance theatres have become exceptional places manifesting existential problems, presenting relations between people and human alienation in the industrial world of the 20th century. Another example is the Butoh dance, which is deeply rooted in expressionism. It is a form of Japanese dance theatre that was established in the late 1950s and was a response to the traumatic events related to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This “Dance of Darkness” is based on improvisation with a clear emphasis on human carnality without any embellishment.

In the United States of America in the 1920s, dancers such as Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman appeared - the students of Ted Shawn and his wife, Ruth St. Denis. They built the foundations of modern American dance.

Graham created a modern dance technique in which she sought to expose movement and purify it from all unnecessary ornamentation. She was not only a dancer but also a choreographer and teacher. Based on her characteristic choreographic style, Graham developed a technique, elements of which are still used to this day.

Merce Cunningham also worked like her. However, he was focused on the movement itself, rejecting its meaning. There was a lot of conceptual work and body work in what he was doing. Contrary to conventional ballet, contemporary dance is more natural and less disciplined. Still, it is also worth noting that it was created by people of the 20th century with a different consciousness and baggage of experience.

One can be tempted to say that, like other arts, dance was not only a form of expression but also a form of rebellion. Wasn’t it?

Dance has its means of expression, and although on the one hand, it is limited by the lack of words, which are the best carriers of ideas, on the other hand, very accurately and through movement, it can create a clear message to everyone. The 20th century is considered the age of dance, confirming its versatility in conveying different important messages.

One of the best examples is the work of Maurice Béjart, who called for peace in the "Romeo and Juliet" spectacle from 1966. Among other things, that was a response to the Vietnam War. Berlioz's beautiful music was interspersed with machine gun shots, and Brother Laurent called out in the Romeo and Juliet scene, “Love each other! Don't fight." His choreographic vision of Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony" is performed by representatives of all races to show - according to the text of "Ode to Joy" - brotherhood between people.

The “Romeo and Juliet” productions by Angelin Preljocaj and Krzysztof Pastor have a similar overtone. Dance theatre performances express problems in relationships between people. Therefore, dance can easily establish a good flow of communication with contemporary viewers and meet their expectations.

What is the meaning of dance today?

Dance has much to offer, and it is up to us how we want to use it. You can be a spectator in theatres and non-theatrical spaces. You can be an active participant and treat dancing as entertainment. There are dance classes for people of all age groups. There has been a big comeback of dance parties, afternoon home-dancing events, and discotheques.

Choreotherapy has also developed, greatly affecting both physical and mental health, releasing emotions and providing pleasure from dancing. Indeed, dance still plays the same primal role - known thousands of years ago – and can perfectly integrate people making non-verbal communication available to everyone.

Is this a method for longevity?

Certainly, because dancing releases good energy. However, to dance professionally, you must be healthy to cope with daily training. Currently, dancers can take care of their bodies by using Pilates, stretching and yoga techniques. There are many performers in the history of dance who have achieved longevity. In the 20th century, longevity records were held by Marie Rambert, who lived to be 96, Ninette de Valois who was 102, Martha Graham - was 97, Nini Theilade – who reached the age of 103, Anna Halprin – was 101 years old, Yvette Chauviré - 99 years old - the same age as Alicia Alonso and our compatriot, Nina Nowak. Among many dancers, celebrating their 80th birthday and over was quite natural. They were fulfilled artists who survived wars and many challenging moments, but maybe that's why they could appreciate every happy day of their lives.

Were dances always danced in mixed couples?

A long time ago, in the oldest cultures, there were separate rituals for men and women, for example the initiation dances. In ancient times, some mysteries were also intended for a specific gender. Sometimes certain dances were performed only by men, e.g. sirtaki known as the Zorba dance, derived from hasapiko - a Greek war dance. Tango was originally danced exclusively by men, the same as the Hungarian dance - verbunkos, but this was due to the fact that men danced in anticipation of work or recruitment.

The finals of the “Young Dancer of the Year" competition are about to take place. In what direction do you think dance will move forward, and are these young dancers our hope for the future when it comes to this field of art?

Watching all the editions of the " Young Dancer of the Year”, I look optimistically into the future and bode well for the Polish Terpsichore [Greek dance muse - ed.]. These young people are well prepared and aware of what they are doing. Valuable comments of the jurors will surely sink into their hearts. We need to remain hopeful that ballet schools graduates will find work in Polish theatres and will be able to develop their skills there - since professional training never ends.

The 20th century was the age of dance, the time of choreography giants. Artists associated with dance in the new century will certainly maintain the good traditions of their predecessors, and let us hope that they will win the position that dance deserves in the world of media, because dance has the magical power of bringing people together, affecting sensitivity and it is available to everyone.

– interviewed by Marta Kawczyńska

TVP WEEKLY. Editorial team and jornalists

– translated by Katarzyna Chocian

Joanna Sybilska is a graduate of the State Ballet School in Poznań and also the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, where she graduated with two specialisations: “Ballet Historian and Critic” and “Choreographer-Tutor”. She worked at the Theater Museum in Warsaw and the Feliks Parnell General Ballet School in Łódź; for over 20 years, she has taught at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. She is an appointed teacher at Roman Turczynowicz General Ballet School in Warsaw. She gives lectures at the Mazovian Institute of Culture and The Universities of The Third Age; She is the author of historical texts, among others, in "Warszawskie Teatrowisko" (published by the Grand Theatre - National Opera 2018), the quarterly journal of the Center for Artistic Education "Szkoła Artystyczna", ballet programs (Grand Theater in Warsaw, Silesian Opera, Wrocław Opera); author of biographical entries of ballet artists, e.g. in the "Biographical Dictionary of Polish Theatre", vol. III, ed. IS PAN, Warsaw 2017, one hundred written profiles on the website of the Grand Theater in Warsaw; Author of two winning school presentations at the "Memory" competition organised by the Institute of Music and Dance. She plans to defend her doctoral dissertation on "The development of ballet in Warsaw, St. Petersburg and Moscow in the 19th century. Transformations, connections, aesthetics”, and she wants to write a book on the history of Polish ballet.