18th Century Dancing

Dance has always played an important role in people's love lives. Many times the only opportunities for girls to meet their future husbands were the barn dance, the may pole dance, the harvest dance and the like. While the older folk would gossip, the youngsters took to the dance floor in their finery--dirndl dresses for the girls, knickerbockers for the boys. In Bavaria and Austria, the pants were made of leather, the famous "lederhosen."

Folk dances follow strict gender roles. The boys are allowed to whoop, stomp and clap, while the girls twirl daintily, which lifts their skirts and shows their legs. The most famous of these "mating dances" is the Bavarian "Schuhplattler," which is usually danced to the rhythm of the landler. Interestingly, often only the men dance it. Here, the men are particularly noisy. They accentuate the rhythm by stomping their feet and slapping their leather-clad thighs and the soles of their shoes. Because of the slapping sound, the Schuhplattler is also called "Watschentanz." "Watschen" is the Bavarian word for slap or smack.

The Facts

Dances created before the 1800s that are passed down from generation to generation are considered to be folk dances. Folk dances are often specific to a certain region or social class.

Features

Because it is an all-inclusive form of recreation, folk dancing is characterized by simple steps and frequently repeated patterns of movement, making it easy for every member of the community to participate. Additionally, folk dances are typically performed for the enjoyment of the dancers, and not for an external audience.

Functions

In medieval times, folk dances were performed as part of a celebration or an important ritual. Since folk dances often originated in rural, agricultural areas of a country, dances were typically linked to the passing of the seasons. Harvest and planting dances were performed when a crop was reaped or sowed, and the popular Maypole dance was performed to celebrate spring.

Types

There are many different types of folk dance. Some of the most popular forms still performed today are Irish step dancing, clogging, the Maypole dance and line dancing. Folk dancing is considered to have influenced many present forms of dance, including tap dancing, and hip hop.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddy4LJCC7bk

Read more: History of German Folk Dance | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6692445_history-german-folk-dance.html#ixzz15a4OHlX2


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video from youtube.com