Dance? How Did the Space Impact Your

¶ … dance? How did the space impact your viewing?

I have barley seen professional dance in a real life setting. I have mostly seen dance on movies and then the first impression of dance comes as that of ballroom dancing, specifically traditional waltzes done according, largely to Straus' Waltz. An example may be that in the 'Sound of Music' where the kids watch and model with their own performance or with a Trollope novel, Jane Austen many of whose characters debutante by balls, Tolstoy's Peace and War where a dance scene too takes place, the movie "Anne Karenina," and so forth. So many of these classical movies feature ballroom dancing and, inevitably, we have the waltz where staid ladies and gentleman delicately place their arms around their partner's waist and twist and bend across the ballroom floor.

The dancing was seen on a movie. The space certainly impacted my viewing since even though sound and vision were fine, it was ultimately a virtual replication that omitted the thrill of actually being there (I may actually not have wanted to be amongst that intimidating company), the far more vibrant ecstasy that I would have likely experienced form actually seeing the people, hearing the music up close, being amongst the participants, and certainly seeing the dancing as an observer is very different than being amongst the dancers in the very same space as they. One the one hand, I felt safer and more protected. On the other, I certainly lost a great deal of the excitement and enthusiasm that I would have otherwise felt.

2. Of the spaces discussed this week, in which would you like to see dance?

An arena would certainly be interesting. In this way, I would be immediately present and have the opportunity of seeing dancing form various perspectives. I could also learn more about the motions of the dancing and this may contribute to an enhanced appreciation for the movement.

3. Choose a dance from this week, and consider how taking that form out of its traditional context would change it. In other words, if you saw that dance in a different context, how would your experience of viewing the dance change?

The Whirling Dervishes Meviana Room Dance. It is interesting how different cultures have different definitions for dance. The waltz would be derided by hip-hop, but hip-hop would be scandalous for the staid 18th century gentlefolk. In the same way, dervish dancing may not be called dancing per se, but more of a religious ritual that is intended to inspire the dancer into a heightened sense of meditation. Some would call it spiraling and twirling, such as children may do before getting themselves dizzy. Children therefore do dervish dancing too. This type of dancing is fine in its environment. Consider it transplanted however to the Medieval England of King Arthur's court and you have something like mark Twain's Connecticut Yankee.

Second Step ( 1 page, each response should be more than 75 words )

: Respond to at least three other posts. Your responses to others should identify commonalities, discuss differences and find connections.

Alyssa stated that she watched Phantom of the Opera and watched it in front, although in the future she may like to have a full arena perspective of dances where she can see dance form all sides.

It may be that certain dances are best watched form one side, similar to works of art or statues. Some statues can be seen from various directions, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, and dance -- a work of Art -- can similarly be enjoyed. But other dances may be confusing and distracting when seen from different angles, and the Phantom -- a favorite too of mine -- may be best enjoyed form one perspective, I.e., that of the observer; the front.