(This page deals with Adagio and dance Acrobatics)
While the French call it Adage , the
term Adagio is Italian in origin. Adagio is "any dance"
(quote "any") dance or combination of steps done
to slow music as contrasted or followed up with allegro. In ballet,
adagio is a series of lessons designed to develop grace, balance and
a sense of ones line. Adagio is part of the classic "pas
de deux" as danced by the ballerina and her partner (the
danseur.)
Allegro
basically is the opposite of adagio, it is "any dance"
or combination of steps done to a moderate or fast tempo. Is part
of a ballet lesson usually following adagio while all forms of jumps,
leaps, turns in the air are all part of allegro.
Adagio, as done by a couple or exhibition dancers
is usually a very romantic type of dance routine which usually portrays
a type of love affair but can be different in its performance. |
The dance when done correctly can
make you cry, as it does have in impact on the audience. It is beautiful
to watch as well as breath-taking when done correctly.
Acrobatic
dances are very similar to Adagio dances and many times use
the same training and can contain elements of Gymnastics. Acrobatic
basically means Lifts, Flips or Aerials
done with speed and surprise an in which they are usually called
"Tricks." Gymnastics (Rock
and Roll, Swing etc.) can play a part as well. Acrobatic dances
are done more in the rhythm dances such as Hustle,
many forms of Swing such as Lindy,
Jitterbug,
European Rock and Roll plus other dances such as Latin,
Ballroom
and Tap
dances, as well as smooth dances such as Waltz,
Tango
and Apache.
Originally dance acrobatics was just
considered tumbling. Many of the best early dance acrobatic / tumblers
were African American, such as Henry Bolden,
Acott and Bailey, the Tomi Trio, The
Crackerjacks, Gaines Brothers, and
Rastus and Banks who worked on the ground doing Somersaults,
Cartwheels, Flip-Flops, Knee-drops, Splits, Butterflies, flips and
spins. One of the First to use Acrobatics with dance was Sherman
Coates of the Watermelon Trust which consisted of two men (Grundy
and Coates) and their wives (Lulu and ???) around
1900. Acrobatics and Adagio found their way into the couples dance
world such as exhibition dancers in Theatres and Nightclubs. One
such group was the Whitey's
Lindy Hoppers who called their Acrobatic stunts "Air
Steps." These acrobatics lend themselves to dance because
of the relatively ease in which they could be done but required
alot of practicing to prevent injury.
The lifts are dependent on the female knowing
her part while the man is only the assistant (a helper.)
Adagio is not dependent on the males "strength," although
the appearances will be as such. It is more important that both
male and female know their separate parts. An example is the picture
to left of this page, it shows two ladies doing "Acrobatic
Dancing" and as you can see the follower being much
bigger than the leader. (Adagio was also called "acrobatic
Dancing.") There were many female acrobatic dance couples
in the early part of the century, a sort of novelty if you will.
Note: Lifts should not be done socially by untrained social dancers,
followers can get extremely hurt as well as others around them.
~A WORD of CAUTION if
thinking of LIFTING a PARTNER 'SOCIALLY' ... 'DON'T DO IT'!
|
Ballrooms