CLEP Humanities : Dance
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for CLEP Humanities
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Example Questions
Example Question #31 : Performing Arts
Isadora Duncan was a pioneer of which of the following forms of dance?
Baroque
Ballroom
Ballet
Tango
Modern
Modern
Beginning her career in the late nineteenth century, Isadora Duncan restructured her dancing to focus on fluid movement, improvisation, and natural poses. This new form of dance proved divisive, but highly influential, leading directly to what became termed "modern dance."
Example Question #32 : Performing Arts
Modern dance broke with previous dance traditions by doing all of the following EXCEPT __________.
embracing folk forms of dancing
embracing different kinds of movement
creating new levels of restriction on movements
a detachment from a narrative structure
setting aside ballet's formalism
creating new levels of restriction on movements
Modern dance arose in the early part of the twentieth century as a reaction against ballet's dominance as the main form of concert dance. Pioneers like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham sought to free dance from restrictive movements, ties to narrative structure, and various kinds of formalism. Modern dance also synthesized many forms of dance into creating new kinds of movement not seen before.
Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Dance
The style of dance that requires its performers to wear a "pointe shoe" is __________.
tango
waltz
jazz
ballet
modern
ballet
A "pointe shoe" is a shoe that allows a dancer to stand directly on his or her toe, to create a light silhouette and perform various maneuvers. These are necessities in ballet, which desires its dancers to move seemingly effortlessly and beautifully. The "pointe shoe" and dancing "on pointe" is one of the features that distinguish ballet from other styles of dance.
Example Question #2 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Dance
Which French term describes a ballet move that involves turning the body while on one leg?
Arabesque
Alignment
Pirouette
Pas de deux
Sprial
Pirouette
Alignment describes harmonious, unbroken lines with arms and legs. Arabesque refers to standing on one leg and extending the other leg and both arms away from the body. A pas de deux involves dance sequences with two dancers. Spiral refers to a twisting movement, but does not mean that is it done on one leg; it is also not a French term.
Example Question #33 : Performing Arts
Who is the choreographer who fused modern concert dance styles with vernacular African-American dance styles?
Alvin Ailey
Rudolf Nureeyev
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Frankie Manning
Martha Graham
Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey was significant in the history of dance as being one of the first prominent African-American choreographers to lead his own dance company. Ailey significantly contributed to dance by fusing the then-current forms of Modern dance in the 1950s with African-American vernacular dancing. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater gained the nickname "The Cultural Ambassador to the World."
Example Question #2 : Answering Other Questions About Dance
Who is the modern dance choreographer who frequently collaborated with the avant-garde composer John Cage?
Merce Cunningham
Isadora Duncan
Viola Farber
Martha Graham
Alvin Ailey
Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham followed in the footsteps of pioneering modern dance choreographers like Martha Graham and Isadora Duncan, pushing the boundaries of movement and form. One of his particular contributions was by constantly producing work by collaborating with various other artists. His most famous and long lasting partnership was with the avant-garde composer John Cage.
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