Why do performers bow

Suddenly a ray of energy bursts from the stage as actors pour out in orchestrated positions and movements. The clapping from the audience fills the theatre while the performers execute their last cue for the night: they bow.

An unspoken agreement between audience and actor, the curtain call and bow is the time to show thanks for the work done on stage as well as the audience for appreciating it. To an alien, this may seem a bit bizarre: in any normal human interaction, two people will use their voice to communicate but in a theatre, one human puts their hands together while the other bends over.

A Bow Through Time Where does the bow come from originally? It is impossible to track down evidence of when this movement came into fashion, as bipedal humans are believed to date back millions of years ago. This supports the idea that a gestural language is complicated enough to fulfil the necessity of human communication.

Did bowing come from a gestural language? Did its meaning evolve over the years? From frescos, to carvings to hieroglyphics, we can see that humans have recorded the existence of the bow for thousands of years.

From these written and drawn accounts of early human history, it is clear that the bow serves as a sign of respect with countless subjects bending at the waist in the presence of a mightier power. As recorded history moved from visual representation to the written word, the act of bowing was described with more precision. For example, in European cultures the deeper the bow meant more respect was being shown. This act was traditionally reserved for males to practice, where females could use the curtsey.

Where does this tradition come from? For how long has performers been doing this? After a performance, bowing is basically a sign of respect to the audience, for listening and potentially clapping. In some areas of the world, the musicians acknowledge applause by applauding back. Bowing is another method which lends itself to a rehearsed bow from the entire cast. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group.

Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Where does the tradition of bowing after a performance come from? Ask Question. Asked 5 years, 9 months ago. Active 1 year ago. You must be logged in to post a comment. Your Name required. Your Email required. To Bow or Not to Bow? Home » To Bow or Not to Bow? Answer: It depends. Think of this; Applause is not appropriate in some settings, just as a bow is not.

Let me give you some examples: For example, many churches like to keep the reverence of the meeting and do not applaud. Basically, if you audience is not clapping applauding then you should not bow. I hope this article clears this up.