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How did Denis Diderot think dance could remain lively and meaningful?
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dance criticism
Dance criticism analyzes all forms of dance, including classic pieces such as Swan Lake, to enhance the understanding of the art form.
In the context of dance criticism, the French philosopher Denis Diderot argued that technical facility alone was insufficient to maintain the vitality and meaning of dance. To ensure the art form remained lively and relevant, he recommended that dances move beyond the traditional focus on gods, goddesses, and aristocrats by instead portraying bourgeois characters.1