DANCING
Sacred dances were acceptable in the Jewish tradition (as many O.T. passages illustrate) and in,
for example, the pagan mysteries of Dionysus. But among the Christians they appear either in fringe sects, such as the Melitians in Egypt or in the exciting popular carnivals on the feast of martyrs, concerning which Basil the Great, Ambrose and Augustine express anxious disapproval.
As for ballet as an art form in antiquity this was vulgar, aggressively erotic and the object of censure to pagan intellectuals like, Libanius, Julian and Macrobius as well as to moralists like John Chrysostom.
Dances in Ancient times (Greek world, especially Thrace). Most modern dances have their roots in Greek dances in antiquity. These dances included gestures that expressed the feeling of the soul, gymnastic movements like those of young people, of athletes, of wrestlers and other quick or slow movements which were combined with group formation.
Many Thracians danced armed, like the inhabitants of Doric cities. A description of this is found in Xenophon's 'Anabasis'. Thracian war dances portrayed the various battle tactics and they were accompanied by the flute or song.
The Dionysiac dances were of the orgiastic type/nature with forward or backward movements and including hands and feet movements as well. A well known Greek dance was the 'syrtos' which was a lively bright dance. It was danced in the form of a circle, the dancers holding hands round an altar or some other body emblem. Theatre dances were usually of the tragedy, comedy or satirical type and were performed by the 'hypocrites'.
Tragedy dances were somber, decent with symmetrical movements and miming formations, accompanied by the flute. Comedy dances were lively with gyrations, indecent movements and jumping. The satirical dances were similar to the comedy ones with whistling, shouts and jumping. Feast dances were of a mime character and acrobatics were usually performed by the orchestra girls. Wedding dances were danced by the young men in the afternoon before the the wedding couple arrived. They were often accompanied by songs to 'Hymeneos'.
When somebody died the Thracians were glad and danced round the grave, blessing the dead person for deliverance from the earthly torments. Popular dances were quick and happy. These included the harvest dances, sowing and grape harvest.
There is a complete absence of any mention about dancing in the N.T., as opposed to the O.T. Why?
Whereas dancing, as mentioned in the Psalms and elsewhere in the O.T., was part of Jewish tradition and culture, the early Church knew full well that dancing was associated with the pagan world. Both dancing and theatre were an integral part of pagan worship.
Sacred dances were acceptable in the Jewish tradition (as many O.T. passages illustrate) and in,
for example, the pagan mysteries of Dionysus. But among the Christians they appear either in fringe sects, such as the Melitians in Egypt or in the exciting popular carnivals on the feast of martyrs, concerning which Basil the Great, Ambrose and Augustine express anxious disapproval.
As for ballet as an art form in antiquity this was vulgar, aggressively erotic and the object of censure to pagan intellectuals like, Libanius, Julian and Macrobius as well as to moralists like John Chrysostom.
Dances in Ancient times (Greek world, especially Thrace). Most modern dances have their roots in Greek dances in antiquity. These dances included gestures that expressed the feeling of the soul, gymnastic movements like those of young people, of athletes, of wrestlers and other quick or slow movements which were combined with group formation.
Many Thracians danced armed, like the inhabitants of Doric cities. A description of this is found in Xenophon's 'Anabasis'. Thracian war dances portrayed the various battle tactics and they were accompanied by the flute or song.
The Dionysiac dances were of the orgiastic type/nature with forward or backward movements and including hands and feet movements as well. A well known Greek dance was the 'syrtos' which was a lively bright dance. It was danced in the form of a circle, the dancers holding hands round an altar or some other body emblem. Theatre dances were usually of the tragedy, comedy or satirical type and were performed by the 'hypocrites'.
Tragedy dances were somber, decent with symmetrical movements and miming formations, accompanied by the flute. Comedy dances were lively with gyrations, indecent movements and jumping. The satirical dances were similar to the comedy ones with whistling, shouts and jumping. Feast dances were of a mime character and acrobatics were usually performed by the orchestra girls. Wedding dances were danced by the young men in the afternoon before the the wedding couple arrived. They were often accompanied by songs to 'Hymeneos'.
When somebody died the Thracians were glad and danced round the grave, blessing the dead person for deliverance from the earthly torments. Popular dances were quick and happy. These included the harvest dances, sowing and grape harvest.
There is a complete absence of any mention about dancing in the N.T., as opposed to the O.T. Why?
Whereas dancing, as mentioned in the Psalms and elsewhere in the O.T., was part of Jewish tradition and culture, the early Church knew full well that dancing was associated with the pagan world. Both dancing and theatre were an integral part of pagan worship.
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