Where does the tradition of bowing after a performance come from?

Question

Why do we bow after a performance? Where does this tradition come from? For how long has performers been doing this?

Maybe there is some sort of interesting anecdote about this.

This article suggests it was from the days of royal patronage as a bow to the royalty after (and maybe originally before) a performance, since the performers were literally in the presence of the monarch: dancespirit.com/uncategorized/take_a_bow — Todd Wilcox, Feb 1 '16 at 17:25
Well, one column on a dance web site is not exactly a reputable historical source, so it's more of a supposition than an answer. — Todd Wilcox, Feb 1 '16 at 17:41
I had prepared a lovely answer complete with anecdotes to the effect that the tradition evolved from artists dodging the rotten tomatoes and other fruit thrown by a particularly keen audience ... — Will Crawford, Dec 28 '17 at 16:40

dorien · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-22 18:37:54Z

4

"Bowing was originally a gesture (a movement of the body) which showed deep respect for someone."

After a performance, bowing is basically a sign of respect to the audience, for listening and potentially clapping.

More about bowing here.

answered Feb 22 '16 at 18:37

dorien

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