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The performing arts are creative expressions that come alive through live performances before an audience.

Unlike static works of art, the performing arts exist in the moment, vanishing as soon as the curtain falls or the final note fades.

While both performing and visual arts are creative disciplines, they differ fundamentally in form and experience. The performing arts are live performances involving movement, sound, or speech. They are ephemeral in that they exist only during the performance, although they may be recorded, and they require an audience in real-time for their full effect. In contrast, the visual arts are physical, tangible objects such as paintings, sculptures, or installations. They are permanent or semi-permanent, and can be experienced individually at any time.

Examples of performing arts include theatre, dance, music, opera, circus, and the spoken word, while visual arts include paintings, photography, sculpture, and architecture.

Performing arts are inherently time-based and collaborative, often involving multiple art forms (music, movement, design) within a single production. Visual arts are object-based and can be appreciated without the creator's presence.

Performing arts encompass a wide range of disciplines, often overlapping and evolving with cultural trends. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, theatre (storytelling through live acting, dialogue, and stagecraft, ranging from classical tragedies to modern immersive productions), dance (expressive movement set to rhythm or music, from ballet and contemporary dance to folk and street styles), music (vocal and instrumental performances across genres, from symphonies to jazz improvisations), opera (a fusion of theatre, music, and sometimes dance, telling dramatic stories through song), circus arts (acrobatics, juggling, clowning, and aerial performances), spoken word and comedy (poetry readings, stand-up comedy, and storytelling events), and performance art (experimental, often conceptual works that may blend theatre, visual art, and audience participation).

The performing arts are perhaps as old as humanity. In ancient Egypt, music, dance, and theatre were integral to religious rituals. Ancient Greece formalized theatre into the genres of tragedy and comedy, influencing Western drama for millennia.

During the medieval period, church-sponsored plays and liturgical music dominated Europe, while other regions developed rich traditions such as Japanese Noh theatre and Indian classical dance.

The Renaissance brought a revival of classical ideals, stagecraft, opera in Italy, and Shakespearean drama in England.

The rise of public theatres, circuses, and music halls expanded access to live entertainment during the Industrial Era.

From the 20th century to the present day, film and television transformed the entertainment landscape, but live performance adapted, incorporating modern dance, experimental theatre, and multimedia elements. Today, performing arts thrive both in traditional venues and unconventional spaces, from Broadway to street festivals.

Cultural traditions, historical influences, and audience preferences have shaped performing arts differently across regions. North America has strong traditions in Broadway musicals, jazz, and contemporary dance, as well as high participation in community theatre and music festivals. Europe has deep roots in opera, ballet, and classical theatre. Countries like Italy, France, and Russia maintain globally renowned institutions. Asia boasts a rich heritage of classical forms, including Indian Bharatanatyam, Chinese opera, and Japanese Kabuki, alongside thriving pop music and dance scenes. Latin America is renowned for its vibrant fusion of indigenous, African, and European influences in music and dance, as exemplified by the tango in Argentina and the samba in Brazil. In Africa, performances are deeply tied to community rituals, storytelling, and drumming traditions, with contemporary theatre and music gaining global recognition. Even within a single country, participation varies. For example, in the United States, the Pacific and New England regions have some of the highest attendance rates for opera, ballet, and jazz, while the South shows strong engagement in choral singing and folk traditions.

From ancient rituals to modern multimedia spectacles, the performing arts continue to evolve as they are shaped by history, technology, and audience expectations.

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