What is the origin of this type of dance? How does it differ from other dance forms? What determines its popularity in different cultures?
This is a unique type of dance developed in the late 1900s in Germany. It’s called Schulewerk. It was originally called Pfeil, and then became something else. It’s a different type of dance than the traditional bop, which was developed over 1000 years ago.
What is the meaning of the name “Schulewerk”?
According to the German folklorist Thomas Kienle, it means “to step forward” in German. The name is originally taken from the German word “Schulle”, which means “stepping”.
Do people dance for pleasure or to express their creativity?
Not necessarily, but it does depend on the person. It’s not meant to be a formal dance, as you will see in the video above. It is more a way to express emotion, a way of expressing that you’re having fun in your life.
In the video, two girls in white kimonos dance at the end of their song, “Ein Feier”, which has this line:
“You’ll have to give me a hand!”
“What does he mean by that?”
“I mean, he wants me to do it!”
What type of music is played in the video?
“Ein Feier” was originally used as a bop song, and then it was adapted into an Afro-Caribbean dance, where it’s called kubla, which means “swinging”. However, “Schulle” sounds more like “spinning-dance” than “swinging”, so “Schulewerk” was chosen instead.
Was this dance filmed during a traditional Bop Week?
No, this dance was made during a Bop Week in Cologne. It’s not a video in any kind of conventional sense, but moreso a collection of bop, hip-hop dancing and some Afro/Caribbean music. The idea is that when a new video is made, someone will film a video as a part of a Bop Week, and that new video will then be called a ‘Danceweek’. There are only two video types, so it’s a new genre.
What music played at the end of the video?
It’s a mix of a lot of different
social partner dancing, social ballroom dancing, dance that tells a story, types of dance theory, old folk dances