Posted: August 26th, 2021
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Study Guide
Dancing is part of a cultural display that people practice to entertain or a show of pleasure. By definition, dancing refers to successive steps based on a particular rhythm that an individual undertakes for pleasure and entertainment. It varies depending on culture, custom and circumstances, usually influenced by the music genre (Foster 17). It is experienced even before an individual is born, where small movements are realized as a baby breath and blink to other large movements such as jumping and running. Hence, every human being experiences impulse to move.
Most of the wedding dances in western societies are experienced within the secular context of celebration. According to Judea-Christian ways, there has been apprehension about the role of a dancing body in sacred settings. Hence, in the communal religious ceremonies of Judea-Christian cultures, dance usually plays an essential role. The reason is that the assumptions about dance and the body is different from non-Europeans and Europeans. The culture between the two societies often clashes about issues regarding the proper functions of dance and the type of dance movements that are appropriate in a healthy society (Jonas 18).
It is essential to the Tahitians society since it serves to “please” their gods, gives them a way to celebrate their religion and have fun. Usually, men are dominant in the sense of gender since they are traditionally required to take the lead (Jonas 19).
The court dances were structured in such a way that the first ballet-Le Ballet de la Reine, elaborate costumes that restrict movements, simple floor patterns and poses, slow progression, performed by the nobility for nobility. The social status was revealed in the order in which an individual dance. Each dance was made by a couple who appear on the stage where those with the highest rank danced first, followed by the subsequent ranks in the descending order (Jonas 22).
Aesthetics in this context refers to a set of principles concerned with nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art. An example of a Western European Aesthetic: “In its resolve to prevail over, rather than accommodate, the forces of nature, ballet gives expression to one of the characteristics aspirations of Western societies (Jonas 29).”
The audience enjoyed light weightiness, an illusion that ballet dancers created using toe shoes. Such dance visually overcomes gravity, a force of nature instead of accommodating it. As such, Ballet gives an expression of one of Western society’s aspirations (Jonas 22).
The ghost dance was a religious movement that incorporates into many American’s belief systems. According to the teaching of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (Jackson Wilson), when a dance move is made correctly, it can provoke reunion with the spirit of the dead which eventually brings peace, wealth and unity among people. Outrage in the eastern United States emerged as the public learned about events that have transpired. The United States government had insisted on several occasions for the pacification of Native Americans (Jonas 27).
Roger Copeland defined it as, “Any movement designed to be looked at.”
Joann Keali’inohomoki defines dance as “a transient mode of expression performed in a given form and style by the human body moving through space.”
After reading this chapter, which author do you think is the closest to defining what dance is. Why?
I think Joann gives the closest explanation to dance since the definition depicts all that which dance is and how it should be.
According to the chapter reading, my definition of dance changes a bit, and I can define dance as a movement that is used in everyday activities but not only for entertainment purposes (Foster 39). Through the three examples, there is little contradiction with my definition as they all express a move, something beautiful that can be looked at and an expression of a culture or other ways of life.
Culture is the sum of all their activities since everything that society does together defines their way of life, that is, culture. The decision and action that a person makes define the society, culture and values. At Los Angeles Festival, various groups from the Pacific arrive to celebrate their culture, “most brought dance because, for most, dance is at the heart of culture.”
“Culture is absolutely at the center of our lives, our future, and the way we hold our communities together (Jonas 33).”
The issues include purpose, clarity of precision, ability to survive in a complex interactive environment in peace with many other individuals.
It serves to exhibit that traditional dance is a way in which one can express joy to their peers.
Dance allows us to specify the cultures since every culture has its unique characteristics added to the dance. Unique societies have different factors that trigger diverse movements and rhythms made.
Native American Dance
Structure: How is the dance organized? Who dances with whom? How do they relate to each other and the audience?
The dance is organized in such a way that the ground leader announces to indicate he will lead the song. He heads to the ceremonial fire holding a rattle in hand while maintaining the song rhythm. Men and women move in an alternating form on a line, while women wearing rattles around their ankles and maintain the rhythm. The members of the tribe walk in clockwise around the fire. Lead singer calls on the Creator as men respond in a manner indicating that the Creator is speaking through them (Foster 98). The audience who are non-dancers sit in a position with their feet staged as they observe the dancers in their front. They are made to interact directly with the song by reciting in response to the call of the song leader. The audience is compelled or called to dance while others are encouraged by others.
Technique: How is the dance learned and teaching? What cultural traditions are passed on?
The dance is learned through participation. It focuses on passing on a culture of unity, promote interaction and mediation among communities.
Powwows are the primary way to educate younger generations and children the culture to be carried on to the next generations.
Hawaiian Dance
The dance is linear, fast, exciting, upbeat, and happy.
Structure: How is the dance organized? Who dances with whom? How do they relate to each other and the audience?
The dance is linearly organized. Its structure is expressed in particular positions and rows with dancers standing in two lines. The dancers are lined up in windows to remain in the view of everyone. People are standing off the sides singing and beating drums (Foster 143). The moves and motions in the dances are simultaneously expressed together.
Technique: How is the dance learned and /or taught? What cultural traditions are passed on?
The dance had been banned by the government but was secretly being passed by the remaining family members of the Kumu Hulas.
Hula is the only tradition that has helped pass the old religion down the Hawaiian generations. It was kept alive through music that was composed of the current events while relating on the oral history.
Los Angeles Pop Culture
Aggressive, joyful, structures, energetic, vibrant
Structure:How is the dance organized? Who dances with whom? How do they relate to each other and the audience?
Men and women were moving erratically by expressing the energetic movements of the body. Women kept drawing the attention of the audience with their dance moves by moving their body parts aggressively and with the right context.
Technique:How did the dancers learn this dance?
The dancers get to learn the dance through hereditary. All the movements they express in the dance are somehow related to the ancestral dance interchanges.
She is praising the beauty of the body of women, be proud of what they have in order to represent the beauty of African. Choreographer: Pat Hall-Smith and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.
Through watching pop culture presented on television. Currently, most people are trying to adapt to the moves that were not practiced by their ancestors. However, through watching those moves on the television, there are multicultural aspects that bring people together by understanding their dance moves.
The similarities of all the dances wereis how all dances attempt to represent particular culture, identity and the way they appeased and pleaded with their ancestors. However, differences are exhibited in the purposes of the dance, which include expression of illness, emotions, prosperity and bad times done through the dance movements. The image that stands out is that of different facial expressions exhibited during the dance where different costumes are worn in each dance, which expresses the uniqueness of every culture.
I am Hawaiian, and hula dance represents the culture of the Hawaiian. This can be exhibited in the facial and eye expression that shows different emotions, happiness and praise of their Creators.
In an African to the new world, African dancing remains the same in terms of the impression of individuality and the improvisation as well as the dancing in the circles, which was among the common instances exhibited in their dance. Before moving to the new world, African dancing concentrated on expressing culture. Once into the new world, African dance has now transitioned to majorly entertaining (Jonas 36).
European Masters Dance | African Slaves Dance |
Fixed steps that arranged in a limited number of repeated patternsBack erects while the torso lifts upPromote role to women-male couple | Individual improvisation against the background of basic movement motifsBending forward at the waist while projecting the sense of ground-ness or one with the earthFocused on group and soloists that emerge from the group |
“Cool” is an expression that refers to a West African body language. A “state of being,” which was usually applied to describe the way a Chief expresses or carries himself in the dance, showing female/male and young/old qualities and exhibiting cool signified power (Jonas 37).
It began as a hierarchical social setting under which only a single couple featured at a particular period. By the year 1750, group dances started when waltz emerged with the whole floor filled with couples that were dancing together. It started with a low class and later inherited by the upper class (154).
The new form inherited movements that were famously called “Trenching.” This enabled an individual style to affect the dance. “Every good dancer whom ‘Trucks’ is trying to make a unique impression. It was the first American musical theater.”
The Turkey Trot particularly expressed untamed energy that challenged the status quo. The athletic and bouncy motions were paired with partners holding onto each other and making shaking, wriggling, and twisting motions (mostly the improvised moves) (172).
The Savoy Ballroom started with the Harlem Renaissance. The Roseland Ballroom began in midtown Manhattan and access to African-American Cutting was limited (178).
Cutting and breakaways represented the themes of African dances by allowing a solo improvisation. Many displayed at Savoy. The competition was fed with innovation. The Viruoso improvisations with the European derived a couple of dance (178).
The Breakaway of the Lindy re-emerged as dance by itself. The twist emerged, followed by the Frug, the Monkey, and the Jerk, among others.
Lindy Hop
‘Confiscating’ implies taking something, although, in this context, she is referring to taking bits of each dance together to “fuse” the dancing and music. It usually keeps sections of both cultures.
Savoy ballroom never restricted the access of black people, and each participant can share their dance. There was mingling and a mixture of white and black, at a social level like never been experienced before in America (173).
Savoy Ballroom Form | White Students Form |
Form: Move rotate hips, swing, suggestive movements; everybody is smooth. It exhibits effortless-looking dance. Most people like the styleStructure: People dancing in a group on the floor, and usually there is a man-woman partner.Technique: Group of people dances on the dance floor and usually, there are couples. | Form: Move rotate hips, swing, and suggestive moves. Everybody is smooth. It is effortless exhibiting a looking dance. Many people like it.Structure: Group of people dancing on a dance floor, and usually, there are couples.Technique: a group of people dancing on a dance floor, mainly couples. |
“Cool “refers to a highly desirable state of being which is associated with most venerable chief exhibits in the manner of their movement. The Lindy Hop is a swing dance that was popularized and originated by the blacks in Harlem.
Buddy Deane Show
Form: How would you describe this dance? Choose at least five adjectives that illustrate the forms you see.
Joyful, joyful, structured, energetic, vibrant, aggressive
Structure: How is the dance organized? Who dances with whom? How do they relate to each other?
There is one dancer on stage dancing individually. She dances solely to the piano music, and as it builds, she grows more into it and the movements rapidly speed up. It is related to the time through the space of music.
Technique: How is this dance learned and taught? What cultural traditions are passed on?
The dance is passionate and emotional. The style is highly individualized.
Jazz music dancing, swing dancing, the Lindy Hop, and dances with African influences.
The White man believes in this case since, at this point in American history, blacks were usually segregated. They were not given equal rights as the whites and he believes that there is no point where they will have equal rights. As such, he did not think they would be dancing on the same floor (183). This correct during the time although for the blacks, they expected such a time would come.
Works Cited
Foster, Susan L. Reading dancing bodies and subjects in contemporary American dance. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986. Print.
Jonas, Gerald. Dancing. City: Turtleback Books, 1998. Print.
Place an order in 3 easy steps. Takes less than 5 mins.