Definition

Noun: 1. Arts or skills that require public performance: A category of arts where the primary form of expression is a live performance presented to an audience. The artist uses their own body, voice, or presence as the medium.

Usage and Examples

• As a general category:

  • The university has a strong department for the performing arts, including theater, dance, and music.
  • Funding for the performing arts is essential for cultural enrichment.

• Referring to specific disciplines:

  • Theater, opera, and ballet are all classical forms of the performing arts.
  • She has dedicated her life to the performing arts as a contemporary dancer.

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost always used in the plural form "performing arts" to encompass the collective field.
• It is often contrasted with the visual arts (e.g., painting, sculpture) and literary arts (e.g., poetry, novels), which produce physical or written objects.

Variants and Related Words

• Performing artist (n): An individual who practices a performing art, such as an actor, musician, or dancer.
  • The festival attracts performing artists from around the globe.
• Performance art (n): A distinct, often avant-garde art form where actions performed by the artist constitute the work. It is a specific subset within the broader "performing arts."
  • His piece was a powerful example of performance art, blending movement with spoken word.

Synonyms

• Stage arts: Emphasizes arts performed on a stage.
• Live arts: Highlights the ephemeral, real-time nature of the performance.

Related Phrases and Contexts

• Performing arts center/venue: A building or space designed for hosting live performances.
  • The new performing arts center will host its first symphony next week.
• Performing arts school/conservatory: An institution dedicated to training in these disciplines.
  • She was accepted into a prestigious performing arts conservatory.

Noun

1. arts or skills that require public performance