Language
Country/Area
No result found
The intense high kick: What's the secret behind the Can-Can dance moves?
Can-Can dance has become a popular concert hall dance since the 1840s with its high energy and extremely challenging movements, and has remained popular on the Cabaret stage in France. The dance was originally performed by couples, but is now traditionally equated with dancers in the women's choir. The main features of dance are intense skirt and petticoat control, as well as actions such as high kicks, cheating and somersaults.
Historical Background
Can-Can is believed to evolve from the last pose of the four-person social dance, and its specific source is still unclear. However, it is said that the pace may have been inspired by the performer Charles François Mazrier, who was known for his imitation and acrobatic dances, especially the spectacular cheating movements he showed, which later became one of the basic characteristics of the Can-Can. For example, in 1825, his work "Jocko" attracted widespread attention.
Can-Can was shocking in the early 19th century, as the dancers' high kicks often exposed the outfit. This was regarded as an indecent thing in the society at that time.
In the 1830s, Can-Can was often performed by male groups in public dance halls, and continued until the late 1840s, when professional performers began to appear. Although early Can-Can dances were still performed by individuals, a group of all-female dancers eventually appeared in the 1860s. Female dancers such as La Goulue (The Big Wave) and Jane Avril made their mark in the 1890s and earned considerable income.
Can-Can's International Impact
Can-Can has also achieved great success outside France, especially in concert halls and theaters, where dancers display Can-Can visually with choreographed steps. In the 1920s, this style was introduced to France to attract tourists, and the subsequent "French Can-Can" took shape. Compared with early performances, it was a highly choreographed dance that often lasted for more than ten minutes and provided each dancer with the opportunity to showcase his personal strengths.
The main movements of this dance include high kicks, round legs, single-leg rotations, somersaults and grand écarts.
In the United States, Can-Can made his debut on December 23, 1867, and Giuseppina Morlacchi of Texas performed in the variety show theater in Boston, which sparked a warm response. But in the 1890s, with the rise of other dance trends, Can-Can gradually became obsolete in the dance halls in New York.
Can-Can's influence in other art fields
Many composers have created music for Can-Can, the most famous of which is the Galop Infernal by French composer Jacques Offenbach, which became the representative music of Can-Can. Later, similar songs included Franz Lehal's "The Happy Widow" and Cole Porter's musical "Can-Can".
Can-Can& appeared in many film and television works, especially in Baz Luhman's The Moulin Rouge.
What is even more striking is that French painter Henry de Toulouse-Rotterec has created several paintings about Can-Can dancers, and these works make people feel the charm of Can-Can. Even in Disney's amusement park, in order to represent the origin of Can-Can, France, the scene of Can-Can doll dancing in the "It's a Small World" environment appears.
After centuries of development, Can-Can dance is not only a form of entertainment, but also a cultural phenomenon. What are the unknown secrets and meanings hidden behind the stories and movements of the dance?
