Why Do People Dance? The History of Dance for Children

What is dance: art or magic, pleasure or work? How is dance born and how long does it last? Are there rules in dance and why are they broken? Under what music is it easiest to move and can one... dance silence? Why did ballerinas stand on pointe in the 19th century, but in the 20th century changed into sneakers? What is modern about modern dance and how does modern dance differ from postmodern dance? And — most importantly — why do people dance, as far back as they can remember? Answering these and many other questions, historian Irina Sirotkina draws examples from ancient Greek chorea and court balls, from folk dances and Diaghilev's Russian seasons in Paris, from romantic "white" ballets to digital dance performances. Readers of this book become acquainted with the dances of antiquity and directions of contemporary dance, with outstanding choreographers and performers, learn what danceability and dance notation are — in short, they immerse themselves in the infinitely diverse world of dance, where everyone dances differently, but there is a place for everyone. After all, people dance because they cannot help but dance. The book is prepared in collaboration with the Diana Vishneva Foundation and the Context festival. Diana Vishneva.