Medieval Times: Europe and Japan

 

 I

Unit: Medieval Times

Theme: Dance

 

Introduction

In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and transitioned into the  Medieval period, the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery.

 

II

Learning Objectives

 

• Understand the importance of the Middle Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire
  
• Explain the role of dance in upper and lower social classes in Medieval society
  
• Gain an awareness of the differences between profane and sacred dances across times
• Realize the impact of Catholicism on the syncretic festivals that emerged in the Americas 
  
• Experience the main steps of a Medieval dance scene
  

 

 

III

Main Lesson

 

 

1

Middle Ages

 

Question 1

Which events are important during the Middle Ages?
 

2

Profane Dances

 

LINK

The Decameron by Givanni Boccaccio 

 

 

 Question 2

After a brief search, explain who was Giovanni Baccacio and Domenico de Piacenza? Why are they important names in the world of dance?

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 3

 

Romeo and Juliet

 

c

Moresca Dance

Music and the Exotic - (Pg. 124)

Question 3

 

After reading about the moresca, what are the discrepancies between the description given in the book and the scene in the movie? 

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 4

 

Choreographic Elements 

 

 

(2:53)

The video above shows the main steps of a Medieval court dance.

Try the steps.

 

Question 4

Why do you think these steps and no others were created around this time?

 

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5

 

 Village Dances

 

Many Western holidays, traditions, and dances trace back to Medieval Europe. As a matter of fact, dance played a  significant role in the cultural identities of countless European ethnic groups and nations. Each dance presented in this video represents a different nation state. Nation states emerged after the fall of the Roman Empire. However, folk-dances are not so much a matter of countries, arbitrarily framed by borders, but of regions. 

 

There is a big difference between regions in one country. For instance in France. A Breton dance is completely different from a dance from Poitou or the South-east of France, the North and so many other regions. The Flemisch part of Belgium dances different from the southern - French speaking part. Ireland has more dances than the famous step-dancing.  Notice the sense of togetherness and community prominent in these dances.

 

Portugal

 https://youtu.be/pjiP6kdt1aM?si=7R-fZ7iyYzzmJgid

 

https://youtu.be/GT5VnpipCcE?si=Bb_yRnzmp8H0apHS 

https://youtu.be/wtJOG5ComZI?si=_TvNG7dkBtXjYjBv

 

6

 

MAIN POINTS ABOUT MEDIEVAL DANCE

• Dance was not considered an art; its function was limited.
• It had a social purpose for the nobility, basically show wealth and alternate with other nobles.
• It had an entertaining purpose for the peasants, who danced during some pagan festivals that increasingly became co-opted by the Catholic Church.
• When it was done as a form of worship, it was condemned by the church as sorcery.
• The body was a source of sinful behavior so, it was not welcomed by the Catholic Church.
  

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 7

 

Sacred Manifestations During Medieval Times

 

Exercise

Find the saint commemorated the day of your birth.

 

 

Question 5

Write about the life of the saint of your birthday and the historic period in which he/she lived.

 

Note:

Note how most saints were born during the Medieval period during which the church was in the process of filling in the void left by the Roman Empire. Bellow, the introduction to St. Agustine proves his influence in the philosophical transitioning from Greco-Roman times to Christianity.

 

Introduction

Saint Augustine 

 (354 - 430)

 https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/augustine/

 

[Transition from Greek philosophy to Christian Philosophy) 

 a)

 

 Festival of Corpus Christi

 St Juliana of Cornillon (c 1192-1258)

 Blessed Eva of Liège (c 1205-1265)

 https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/14/saint-of-the-day-14-march-blessed-eva-of-liege-c-1205-1265-virgin/

 

[Beginning of the Festival of Corpus Christi through pope Urban IV's orders]

 b)

 

 The Miraculous History of Our Lady of the Candle

Virgin Mary / Virgen de la Candelaria (18 BC - 33 AD)

 https://ucatholic.com/blog/the-miraculous-history-of-our-lady-of-the-candle/

 

 [The Catholic Candelmas is the 40th day of the Christmas – Epiphany season. It celebrates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple and the purification of the Virgin Mary. It may have evolved from the ancient Roman spring purification festival of Lupercalia.]

 

 c)

 

Patron Saints

 

i. Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem 

Jesus of Nazareth / The Savior 

(Born between 6 bce and shortly before the death of Herod the Great (Matthew 2; Luke 1:5) in 4 bce.)

(Died in 1st-century Judaea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33)

 https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1433/

 

[San Salvador refers to the Divine Savior of the World (a.k.a. Jesus Christ)]

 

ii. JULY 16 – Virgen del Carmen 

https://www.javeamigos.com/all-the-fun-of-the-fiesta/july-16-virgen-del-carmen/ 

 

[Carmen is another invocation of the Virgin Mary, is the patron saint of the sea, and particular of the Spanish Navy and her feast day is celebrated on July 16th which a modest celebration in the port zone of Xàbia.] 

 

iii. St. Teresa of Ávila Spanish mystic 

 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Teresa-of-Avila

 

[She was the originator of the Carmelite Reform, which restored and emphasized the austerity and contemplative character of primitive Carmelite life.]

 

iv. St. Joseph biblical figure 

  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joseph

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8

 

Sincretic Events

 

Influence of the Medieval Era on the Americas

 

a)

Dances and Expressions Associated with the Corpus Christi Festivity  

 https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/dances-and-expressions-associated-with-the-corpus-christi-festivity-01612?RL=01612

 

 b)

i. Diablada de Pillaro (Devil Dance of Pillaro) Dancing with Devils / Ecuador

 

https://library.osu.edu/site/dancingwithdevils/diablada/ 

 

ii. Diablada de Oruro / Bolivia

 

 https://boliviatravelsite.com/travel-articles/oruro-carnival-dance/diablada-dance

 

iii.  Celebrating the Virgin of Candlemas (Candelaria) in Puno / Peru

 https://www.peruforless.com/blog/a-puno-festival-celebrating-the-virgin-of-candelaria/

 

 

 iv. Our Lady of Candelaria is the Patron Saint of Tenerife, Canary Islands; Miners; and the African Diaspora 

https://www.newyorklatinculture.com/our-lady-of-candelaria/

c)

 

i. Festivity of Las Parrandas in the Centre of Cuba

 https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/festivity-of-las-parrandas-in-the-centre-of-cuba-01405

 

ii. Las Parrandas de Remedios  

 https://www.cubagrouptour.com/us/information/events-in-cuba/parrandas-remedios

 

iii.  Cuba's Parrandas a Tradition in Danger of Being Lost

 https://havanatimes.org/features/cubas-parrandas-a-tradition-in-danger-of-being-lost/

 

 9

Medieval Japan

  

 Gagaku

 

 

Gagaku, characterized by long, slow songs and dance-like movements, is the oldest of the Japanese traditional performing arts. It is performed at banquets and ceremonies in the Imperial Palace and in theatres throughout the country, and encompasses three distinct arts. The first, Kuniburi no Utamai, features ancient Japanese songs, partial accompaniment by harp and flute and simple choreography. The second consists of instrumental music (especially wind instruments) and a ceremonial dance developed on the Asian continent and subsequently adapted by Japanese artists. The third, Utamono, is danced to vocal music whose texts include Japanese folk songs and Chinese poems. 

Influenced by the politics and culture of different periods over its long evolution, Gagaku continues to be transmitted to apprentices by masters in the Music Department of the Imperial Household Agency, many of whom are the descendants of families with deep roots in the art. It is not only an important cultural tool in confirming Japanese identity and a crystallization of the history of Japanese society, but also a demonstration of how multiple cultural traditions can be fused into a unique heritage through constant recreation over time. 

 

 Shrine Maiden Dance

 Kamakura Palace Unohana Festival Houei no Mai (shrine maiden dance in the glittering light) Daitonomiya Concert Performance

Noh mai is a dance that is done to music that is made by flutes and small hand drums called tsuzumi. At various points the performers dance to vocal and percussion music; these points are called kuse or kiri. Noh mai dances are put together by a series of forms. Mai is soft, with internal expression at its base.

 

 Traditional Japanese Dance from 1600s (Noh theatre style=Mai)

 

(7:00)

 The mai (dance) of noh, along with the musical elements of song and instrumental music are components of this comprehensive art form. Mai can be called the foundation of the form. The dance of noh is not simply the expression of the body moving through space, it has a much deeper meaning. When one is said to perform noh, one is said “to dance noh.” In a broad sense of the word, mai expresses much more than just the music and the movement, it somehow encapsulates the comprehensive nature of noh.

The word mai is also used for a specific dancing section of a noh. These mai, with names like chū-no-mai or jo-no-mai, feature the flute and the drums playing in a rhythmic fashion, timed to coincide with the shite’s dance.

 

18th century style popular dance (Kabuki theatre style=Nihon Buyo). 

 (0:24 - 0:51)

Nihon-buyō refers to the classical Japanese performing art of dance. Nihon-buyō developed from earlier dance traditions such as mai and odori, and was further developed during the early Edo period, through the medium of kabuki dances, which often incorporated elements from the older dance genres.

 

Odori Dance

Odori shares the same origin as Kabuki, which started about 400 years ago. Nishikawa-ryu style of classical Japanese Odori was established over 220 years ago in Edo (now Tokyo) when Japan was still governed by a shogun whose lords served him as loyally as they were served by their samurai. Odori emphasizes the element of rhythm and moving to i.

 

Question 5

 

Compare and contrast the medieval times in Europe and Japan.

 

 

 

 

IV

 

A Note to Remember 

 

Throughout the Carolingian era (eighth to tenth centuries) and the later Middle Ages or Medieval Period, dancing was a part of all types of celebrations, both formal and informal. It could involve a solo dancer, couples, or groups of any size, and was accompanied by music that was either sung or played on instruments of all types. The Middle Ages in Europe ended with the Renaissance,  the Industrial Revolution, the emergence of Capitalism and its new class, the bourgeoisie. In The Americas, Medieval rule ended with the wars of independence throughout the continent. The Medieval period in China ended with the creation of the Republic and later the Communist system. The Medieval period in Japan ended with the American occupation. In India, after Muslim and British rule, the Medieval period ended with its independence in 1947. Indian cultural dances, both Muslim and Hindu, have been kept alive in Trinidad and Tobago. Japanese culture has also been retained in Brazil. In Cuba the Chinese built the largest Chinatown in Latin America and the largest Chinatowns in North America were build in San Francisco and New York. European folk dances have permeated the folk dances of all the emerging newly independent nation states of the American continent.

V

Case Study

Romeo and Juliet

In the Italian city of Verona, the Montague and the Capulet families are perpetually feuding. When Romeo (Leonard Whiting), a handsome young Montague, disregards convention by attending a Capulet ball, he falls in love with the beautiful Juliet (Olivia Hussey), a Capulet. After a brief courtship, the two elope, creating even greater tension between their families. Italian director Franco Zeffirelli's film, Romeo and Juliet (1968). is considered one of the best screen versions of Shakespeare's classic love story.

 

 

 

Question 6

Based on the scene above, what was the purpose of court dances during European Medieval times?

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VI

ACTIVITY


Let us put some steps together and dance.

 

Using the video shown above, create an 8 steps phrase.

 

VII

Journaling

 

VIII

Glossary

 

IX

Sources

List of Saints at Rome by Italian Name. https://romanchurches.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_saints_at_Rome_by_Italian_name

How did Medieval People Dance? https://www.worldatlas.com/middle-ages/how-did-medieval-people-dance.html

Noh Dance. https://www.the-noh.com/en/world/dance.html

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Students' Work