Mia Carvajal Llamas

February 3, 2016

2014-90649
Art Stud 176
Prof. Pedro Abraham

The Truth about being a Mother: The Extent to which Dance is the Mother of All Arts
It is no question that the domain of the arts lies on a wide, diverse plane of various forms. Much like the
sciences, it is divided into different branches, and differentiated by its qualities and functions. Despite the
evident richness of each art form, there is still a certain amount of ambiguity as to which of the different
art forms, can be considered as the mother of all arts. As the arts are considered to be a manner of
expression, and communication through the use of space, time, form, balance, movement, emphasis, and
so on, there is a much clearer picture as to what the arts are, as opposed to what its mother is. The
lack of clarity possibly lies in the equally ambiguous definition of the mother of all arts. One of the
most famous assumptions is that Dance, as an art form, is the mother of all arts. Truth be told, there is
very little evidence that can be used to support that claim; however, looking into the very composition of
Dance as an art form, apart from its history, it may as well have the strongest claim for the title.
One of the most universal definitions for a mother is A woman in relation to a child or children
to whom she has given birth. (Oxford) Taking this into the context of the arts, this definition entails that
the mother of all arts is the art form wherein all arts had stemmed from. If this definition was taken
literally, then one might argue that the mother of all arts, should be the visual arts, seeing as how the
earliest form of art known today is the collection of cave paintings during the prehistoric times, whereas
the earliest form of dance can be traced back to the Greeks, back in 6 th century BC (Gascoigne). It would,
however, be incorrect to assume that about the visual arts, because of the fact that there is still a
possibility that other art forms such as dance and music had existed then. The lack of concrete, visual

Mia Carvajal Llamas

February 3, 2016

2014-90649
Art Stud 176
Prof. Pedro Abraham

records disables us from having a complete view of history. That being said, it may not be reliable to base
that assumption on the historical timeline.

Going back to the definition of a mother, which is crucial to finding the answer as to which is
the mother of all arts, it is important to note that the perception of an individual towards something can
eternally mould his or her definition of it. For some, a mother is not necessarily someone or something
that gave birth to a particular individual, object or idea. Individuals who may have grown up without a
biological mother may not associate the word mother with ones origin or birth. In cases wherein
one grows up with mother that did not give birth to them, the definition of a mother may lie along the
lines of a figure that nurtures, cultivates, and aids in development, whether of an individual, a creature,
an object, or an idea. Personally, I find that this is a more universal definition of a mother, as it
translates even to those who may not have a biological mother, but will likely find a mother figure
elsewhere. The same goes with the arts. It is unjust to assume that an art form is the mother, solely
because it came first in the timeline. Though the order by which the arts came does matter, it cannot be
used as the sole basis of the claim that it is the mother of all arts.

Mia Carvajal Llamas

February 3, 2016

2014-90649
Art Stud 176
Prof. Pedro Abraham

In order to find the mother of all arts using the modified definition of a mother, it is
imperative to take into account the following things: how a specific art form has developed all other art
forms, how a specific art form cultivates all other art forms, and lastly, how a specific art form continues
to nurture all other art forms. In other words, the art form that should be considered as the mother of all
arts, needs to abide by these, and must cross the boundaries between all the different art forms.
According to Curt Sachs, a distinguished musicologist, "Dance is the mother of all arts. Music and poetry
exist in time; painting and architecture in space. But dance lives at once in time and space" (Morgenstein).
Taking this statement into perspective, Dance is said to simultaneously utilize two of the key elements
that are crucial to an art form: either space, or time. It is also important to note that Dance not only
utilized the elements of visual arts, creating form and shapes, which were inspired by the first art works
that have been discovered, but also paved way to a future art form which utilized all the elements of art 1,
along with the use of text, which is now called Theatre. What began as a ritualistic art form, used for
rites of passages, and worship, Dance has evolved into a form of communication through the
collaboration of the different forms of art, such as the Visual Arts, Music, and nowadays, even mixedmedia, which helps to set the overall atmosphere of a dance performance. Based on the criteria above, and
finally taking the timeline into account, Dance has developed another art form, cultivated previous art
forms and utilized them, as well as continues to nurture all other art forms by incorporating it into itself,
such as the case with music. Dance not only crosses the boundaries between other art forms, but also
1 Elements of Art (Gascoigne) Line, Shape, Color, Value, Form, Texture, Space,
Balance, Emphasis, Movement, Pattern, Rhythm and Unity

Mia Carvajal Llamas

February 3, 2016

2014-90649
Art Stud 176
Prof. Pedro Abraham

transcends through different points in time, as well as preserves and contributes to other art forms, as they
are developed, along with the development in Dance. It is a mother, more than just an origin, as it aids in
the growth of all other art forms, through the collaborative usage of the said art forms (Gascoigne 2).
Though the debate for the true mother of all arts will remain open, it is safe to say that as there
is no such thing as absolute truth, according to the German Philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, and there
are no eternal facts but only personal perspectives, which vary depending it is possible that we may never
be able to come to a complete consensus as to what the mother of all arts really is (Hammerton). It is,
also safe to say that Dance is the mother of all arts, based on my own personal perspective of the arts,
and the different art forms, as well as my own personal justification, and as a result of my varied
definition of what a mother truly is. The criteria for such things are inconclusive, as no two people
experience the world, and life the same way. What is true for one may not be true for me. In reality,
everything is a matter of perspective and experience. However, from how I experienced life, and the
different art forms, my own personal conclusion is that Dance is the mother of all art forms, not only
because it utilizes many of the different art forms available to us at present day, but it aids in the
development of each one, which is something that a mother, by my own personal belief and experience,
is supposed to do. Dance has become more than just a rite of passage, but also a way of communicating,
for some. It has gone beyond just creating shapes and forms through the use of our bodies, but has
transcended through time by creating a fusion of all the developing art forms known to man. In
conclusion, Dance is the mother of all arts; however, this perspective is limited to my own personal
experience of life, and the arts. The lack of absolute truth will also render this statement to be true, based
on my personal beliefs.