Folk Dance and the Creation of National Identities: Staging the Folk

Description

This book is about the folk: the folk in folk dance, the folk in folklore, the folk in folk wisdom. When we see folk dance on the stage or in a tourist setting, which is the way in which many of us experience folk dance, the question arises are these the “real folk” performing their authentic dances? Or are they urban, well trained, carefully-rehearsed professional dancers who make their livelihood as representatives of a specific nation-state acting as the folk? Or something in between? This study delves more deeply into the folk, their origins, their identities in order to know the source of inspiration for ethno identity dances - dances prepared for the stage and the ballroom and for public performances from ballet, state folk dance ensembles and their amateur emulators, immigrant folk dance group performances, and tourist presentations. These dances, unlike modern dance, ballet, or most vernacular dances, always have strong ethnic references. It will also look at a gallery of choreographers and artistic directors across a wide spectrum of dance genres. Acknowledgments Contents List of Figures Staging the Folk: Introduction1 Choreographic Issues of National and Ethnic Representation National/Character Dance National Dances for the Ballroom Moiseyev’s New Folk Dance Authenticity Parallel Traditions The Peasant as Artist The Rise of the State Folk Dance Ensemble Representation of the Folk Dance Competitions The National Dance Brand The Structure of This Book Chapter 1: The Folk Who Are the Folk? What Is Their Fascination? Ethnogenesis: Who Are the Folk? Where Did the Folk Come From? What Are Their Origins? The Formation of Ethnic and National Groups Peasants Origins of Servile Farmers Food and Subsistence The Study of Peasants and Their Art and Their Lore Free and Serf: Trials and Tribulations of Peasant Life The Origins and Diversity of Peasantry Staging the Folk Other Kinds of Staged Folk The Folk on Stage References Chapter 2: Mazowsze: Poland on Stage Polish Ethnogenesis: The Slavs The Piasts, ?–1385 and the Coming of Christianity3 The Establishment of the Polish Peasantry Polish Nationalism Jagiellonian Poland and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1386–1795 Poland Divided: The Partition of Poland, 1795–1918 Poland Reborn: Poland as an Independent State, 1918–1945 World War II Post–World War II Poland Communist Poland, 1945–1989: The Failure of Collectivization Collectivization After the Fall Traditional Dance and Music in Poland Theatrical Dance in Poland Before World War II Mazowsze Polish State Song and Dance Ensemble References Videolog and Discography Chapter 3: Proper Peasants: Hungarian Ethno Identity Dance The Nation State of Hungary Hungarian Ethnogenesis The Formation of Hungarian Peasantry Medieval Hungary (896–1526) The Ottoman Period (1526–1711) The Dual Monarchy (1711–1918) The Settlement of 1867 Hungary to the End of World War II (1919–1945) Communist Hungary 1945–1989 and Collectivization Post-communist Hungary Hungarian Peasants in the Tide of Hungarian History The Hungarian Peasant Under Communism: Collectivization Peasants in Post-communist Hungary Hungarian Music Hungarian Dance Theatrical Dance in Hungary The Pearly Bouquet Movement The Beginnings of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble (Magyar Állami Népi Együttes) The RÁbai Period The Táncház (Dance House) Movement The Post-táncház State Folk Ensemble Choreographies The Timár Period The Mihályi Period References Chapter 4: Kolo Artistic Director Olga Skovran Stages the Serbian Folk Balkanism Ethnogenesis of the Serbs Serbian Peasants The Chosen People Medieval Serbia The Ottoman Period First Sparks of Rebellion and the Establishment of the Serbian State to the Creation of Yugoslavia, 1804–1918 The Two Yugoslavias World War II and the Second Yugoslavia After the Fall Music and Dance After the Fall The Earliest Appearances of Staged Serbian Folk Music and Dance The Appearance of the Choral Society Dance The Founding of Kolo, State Ensemble of Folk Dance of Serbia and KUD After the Fall: Music in the Grip of Politics Kolo Takes a New Direction: Tradicija Nova References Chapter 5: Mahmoud Reda and the Egyptian Fellahin The Fellahin Mahmoud Reda and the Fellahin Dances of Egypt and Belly Dance Mahmoud Reda Representing Egypt Mahmoud Reda’s Choreographic Choices Mahmoud Reda and Modernism Conclusion References Chapter 6: Hawaiian Hula, Patrick Makauakane, and Na Leie Hulu i ka Weiku The Natives Are Restless The Hawaiians (Kanaka Maoli) Polynesians and Hawaiians Contact The Missionaries The Reign of the Merry Monarch, King Kalakaua (1874–1891) After the Merry Monarch Hula Mele Musical Instruments Movements The Hawaiian Renaissance Patrick Makuakane and Hula Mua References References Videolog and Discography Index