Anthology Dancing
Anthology aims at studying and collecting various groups of arts that describe a similar theme. According to the poems, dancing is a common feature. Dancing is a unifying factor in the poems, and considered a common, yet important, practice. Poets use dancing as a way of expressing love and affection. Dancing is a way of expressing hidden emotions that are better expressed in form of movements as Renee, Rosiebrownie and Moore put across. The poets use dancing to explain a vivid love story with confession of emotions, and also used dancing as a tool of reconciliation to a lost love as Cornelius puts across in his poem "The Empty Dance Shoes."
Poetry devices such as personification, imagery, symbolism, and repetition have been used in the poem to explain dancing. Dancing has been associated to poems personas', and brings joy, happiness, unity. It also makes the personas fly, glow and shine whenever they are dancing, especially with whom they love. The poems clearly bring out the role of one's soul especially when feeling low. Music initiates dancing. Dancing makes an individual happy, it is dancing, and whenever there is music, dancing is inevitable and totally takes control of sweet, and makes him/her forget all the troubles, a character that only humans can manage to possess.
The poets criticize individuals who do not take dancing serious, which symbolizes those who do not take their lovers serious. Cornelius puts out such actions openly and compares them with empty shoes and leaflets pressed on books. The poets calls for seriousness that dancing deserves and its role in improving relationships worldwide as emphasized by Van Halen.
"Dancers, The" is a poem by Ina D. Coolbirth that talks about little dancing feet (snow) that fall from the sky, make wavy moves in the air and eventually disappear. The light-snows dance to unseen tunes, flutes and music. The little dancing feet were so dear, implying lovers who are in a relationship and so dear to each other. They dance to tunes of their love, admirable from a distance like the light-snows in the air. Eventually the couple disappears (whence come they! And whither go?). This shows a love story, once the love was strong, captivating, and admirable but now the love has faded and there is nothing to admire about as other couple comes and replace the existing couple.
Emily Dickinson's poem talks about an individual who is not capable of making any moves, although the person loves dancing (persona of the poem). The character in the poem knows the art of dancing, although she cannot express it physically. She is out of sight and sound, and this paralyses her dancing dream. The persona says she sometimes possesses a glee on her mind which makes her want to dance but she cannot. She wishes to have possessed the Ballet knowledge that would put her in a pirouette. She does not hope to be in front of audiences while she dances, because of her condition. She feels rejected and not loved, as she says that "no man has ever instructed her" although she knows the art (line 2). The persona uses a sad tone to express her situational feelings and unhappy sentiments. Dancing brings forth happiness, and the persona lacks it because she cannot move her toes. She says no placard can boast her, and hers is to mention "easy here." She tries to compare herself with the birds that fly, but in the end she feels upset.
"The Swan Lake Ballet" is a poem about a girl, Ballerina, who knows how to dance. Many are mesmerized by her performance and they fill the hall just to see her make the moves. Moving her feet up and down with the flow of the music, raising her arms with artistic gestures is what makes her captivating and famous. The audience cannot help but applaud her after her performance for she knows her artistic moves perfect, and this symbolizes the audience love for her. The poet brings out the fact that dancing brings joy to people associated with it, and a form of expressing happiness, joy and entertainment too. The poet also brings out dancing as a modified practice and professional. Before Ballerina's performance the curtain were raised and she was dressed in white costumes. This poses the seriousness of dancing to everyone, and clearly explains the professional side of dancing.
"Dance Piece" is a poem...
The dancer is frightened at first, but gathers enough courage to face the audience. The dancer fears what the crowd might think of her dancing styles, but eventually she rises to make moves and finally dance. This is symbolic, and shows the fear that one faces while trying to find her way to love. Fear of what people say and the judgments they will make draws her back but in the long run the person gets the courage to face the crowd. Dancing is a metaphor illustrating the tunes of affection towards what a person does whilst in love, in spite of people's judgements. The poet illustrates the hardships a person goes through before overcoming hidden affection.
"Dancing in the Mirror" is a poem by Barbara Larkin that expresses the love felt between couples. The poet brings out dancing as a symbol of unity, between two different parties. "Two people suspended beyond time and space, the only two dancers in the crowded place, two separating beings, yet filling one space."The mirror symbolizes the crowd, who fill the place to witness the couple dance. The crowd acts as the mirror, which fill the place and reflect the joy brought by the couple which is present in their smiles. The poet brings out emotions and affection of the couple towards each other. She refers to the coupe as Cinderella and Prince Charming to show how much the couple is in love. The couple's love is reflected in their slow moves, as shown is line 15 and 16.
Kassandra Renee, in her poem "Let Me Dance for You," brings out the emotions that a lady feels towards a man to whom her affection goes to. She feels sad that she has not find a way to express how she feels towards the man, but eventually she decides to express it in form of dancing as a way of expressing her love, and being the only way as the poet describes in line 2. The poet implicates how dance, slow dance, is used to express a feeling of love. The poet associate dancing with emotions that is better expressed in actions rather than words. Renee uses dancing as a way of positively approaching unveiled emotions. Repetition of the phrase "let me dance for you" is used by the poet to show determination of the lady to express how she feels, and emphasizes on the dance.
Mandy Moore uses the poem "We're Dancing" to demonstrate how dance is to express love. Moore and Renee's poem are similar in that both of the poets imply dancing as a way of expressing a strong feeling towards someone. Moore uses dancing to express desire of something with the rightful feeling as shown in line 7 and 8. Like Renee, Moore uses dancing to express determination of showing love, inner passion and strength. The persona in the poem is determined to dance with whom she loves with nothing bringing her to the stop till she reaches the sky. She breaks the chain and expresses how she feels when she tunes in for music that makes her dance with whom she loves. Moore uses imagery to show the impact of dancing to an individual. Dancing takes an individual to another level that makes the individual in his/her own world feeling alright and alive. The poet expresses the feeling of happiness when dancing with someone she loves, with happiness expressed while dancing unlike when she had not danced.
Rosiebowden uses the poem "Dancee Passion" to show the impact of an individual releasing herself freely to the music and eventually dance. Like Moore and Renee, Rosiebrownie uses dancing as a way of expressing one's feeling as the poet shows in the last line. Rosiebrown expresses dancing as a way of defining someone's real character and clearly brings out the real side of a person as shown in the 8th and 9th stanza. The poem uses personification to express the impact of music to an individual. The poet says music and dancing makes an individual feel free, and makes a person forget all the problems once tuned in to the music. Music initiates dance, and makes one fly, soar high and spin, sparkle, and glow. Rosiebrown, like Renee and Moore, associate dance to joy and happiness, that no person can resist the feeling.
Dancing in the Streets is a poem by Van Halen calling out to everyone to take part in dancing across streets in the State. Van Halen uses dancing as a unifying factor and source of happiness to…
