Does anyone know the origin of bowing after a performance during applause?

Question

Does anyone know the origin of bowing after a performance during applause?

Answer 1

A very interesting question, actually. Found an article on the Times Online. The jist of it is that, references as early as 1599 say that the cast performed a dance on stage after the performance. and, as we know, some well-known "stars" or "divas" often appear onstage after curtain calls to receive flowers and more applause.

I see the bowing more as a way to thank the audience for their gratitude of sitting through my performance and for engaging with it, and also as a way to show that I have stopped performing to signify the performance has ended.