abstract:Grotesque dance (French: danse grotesque; Italian: ballo grottesco) is a category of theatrical dance that became more clearly differentiated in the 18th century and was incorporated into ballet, although it had its roots in earlier centuries. As opposed to the danse noble or "noble dance" performed in royal courts which emphasised beauty of movement and noble themes, grotesque dances were comic or lighthearted and created for buffoons and commedia dell'arte characters.
During their dance (Pierluigi Vanelli's delightfully grotesque choreography of writhing and grimacing), they ripped off the wallpaper to reveal a padded cell.