How we express ourselves

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National Music Week: Five Fun Musical Facts

In the United States, people celebrate National Music Week during the first week of May. The intent behind the week is to help people communicate, and to offer free concerts. Take time to learn about types of music, like classical music, baroque, or rock. Learn about types of instruments, such as brass, woodwind, and stringed instruments. The first music week was held in 1924, and President Calvin Coolidge was made the first Honorary Chairman. Find out what German scientist Albert Einstein, and ancient Greek philosopher Plato, had to say about music.

World Music Day

World Music Day did not exist until 1982 when a French politician and a composer wanted to celebrate the fact that five million French people played an instrument. They started World Music Day, or Fete de la Musique, which takes place on June 21 each year. It also celebrates summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. On this day, you’ll find musicians of all ages giving free concerts in over a hundred countries. Click on the links in the picture to learn more about world music.

Dance in Canada: A Rich and Varied Art

People in every culture dance. It is an instinctive part of the human experience. The First Nations peoples had the earliest forms of dance in Canada, but Europeans imported dance forms. Foreign troupes toured as Canadian cities grew. Foreign dance masters taught young ladies the art of dance. Ballet was the predominant form of professional theatrical dancing. Three Canadian ballet companies emerged. By the mid-20th century, Canadian choreographers became renowned innovators and the government began investing in professional dance. Dance in Canada is now characterized by diversity.

African Dance

African dance focuses on beat and rhythm. The best dancers closely follow the percussive patterns of the drums, using different parts of the body to follow multiple rhythms. The Dinhe is a harvest dance from Zimbabwe. Isolate the movements of this dance. Young dancers are taught the steps, but later they can improvise and be creative in how they interpret the dance. From births to funerals, dances highlight life changes. Dancers traditionally learned the skills of hunting, net-throwing, and basket-carrying through dance.