What would be a good thesis for Medieval Dance???

Question

The thesis must be arguable. It is for a high school research paper. Please help!! Quick!!

Answer 1

1)Symbolism in medieval dance forms: what did various moves symbolise and how did they evolve? For example did some mimic fertility rites, did some mimic pageantry, military moves?

2)Medieval dance forms and social class: how did dance vary amongst social classes, when was it performed and why?

You need to first be able to define "medieval". It stretches over many centuries.

In a very general sense, from about 500AD to 1100AD can be termed "early medieval" or "dark ages". The dances in the early years of that period would be more pagan-oriented - Christianity hadn't spread across much of Europe and where it had, pagan traditions were still very strong. (In Spain and parts of Italy and France, in the 7th century onward, there was a lot of muslim conquest and influence.)

The "high middle ages" run from about 1100 to 1450. That is when you have jousting and knights, and castles, etc. All of Europe vitually was Christian.

After 1450 the medieval period ends, and you enter the Renaissance.

As you will imagine, music varied a lot, as did dance forms, between 500 and 1450!!

Oh!!! HERE is a great subject. During the Black Death, which started in Europe around 1343 and lasted until about 1350 - and in which at least a third and possibly as many as two thirds of Europe died!, there came to be a sort of weird dance. . . people would do it in the streets. . .they would dance themselves into a frenzy, sometimes shouting to God and whipping themselves, in hopes that they would somehow defeat the plague and escape it. Sometimes this was referred to as the Danse Macabre. After some time, it evolved into a sort of dance/play that actors would perform, involving an allegory of death (sometimes like a satire of death). This was all in defiance of death. You have to understand, that people were looking around them and one in every third person was dropping dead from the plague. . . it made people do crazy things. It caused a general breakdown of society. I don't know if your instuctor would accept this for your thesis. . . because although it involved dancing, it wasn't an actual dance. . . .check on it. If your teacher will allow it, this would be a great subject, because it would get you into the history of the Black Death, and it's fascinating.

Another idea. . . during the high middle ages, the idea of a masquerade ball first came into vogue. These were pretty interesting affairs. That could certainly yield you some sort of subject matter.

Hope I've helped. . .

Answer 2

wow..no idea dear