Dun Huang Dance History

Dun Huang is a city in the Gansu Province of western China, and was one of the key cities on the “Silk Road”, the main trade route between China and the rest of Asia and Europe. Dun Huang is famous for many things, including its caves, which are a famous example of Buddhist art. Silk Road style dance, also known as “Dun Huang Dance”, was inspired by the art inside of those famous caves. The origin of Ballet dance can be traced to the 15th century Italian Renaissance courts, and later developed into a concert dance style in France, Russia, Britain, and Italy. Ballet was brought to France by Catherine de Medici, who was an Italian noble woman, a patron of the arts, and the wife of King Henry II, but it was later popularized and standardized …show more content…
Ballet is very focused on precision, control of the body, and flowing motions. One of the key principals of ballet is the turnout, which is the outward rotation of the legs coming from the hips. Another common technique is pointe work, in which dancers support all of their weight on the tips of the feet. Both Dun Huang and ballet are commonly used to tell stories through dance rather than with words. The grace and fluidity found in both of these dance forms is incredible and awe-inspiring to watch. Both of these dance style are incredibly precise and take years to master. There are more differences between these dances then there are similarities. Dun Huang is based on the culture of a country, while ballet is basically its own culture. Ballet has multiple styles and training methods, while Dun Huang is a singular style. Ballet does not use many props while Dun Huang often uses things such ribbons to accentuate their movements. Dun Huang costumes are often very elaborate, colorful, with ribbons and other flowing attachments. Ballet costumes are skin tight, often just colored leotards with tights and ballet flats or pointe