Dance Essays (Examples)

Dance Feelings
The author of this report is asked to answer to a few questions relating to dance, how the author feels about it and why. As for the author's relationship with dance, the author is not heavily involved in dancing unless one counts the occasional jaunt to the dance club but the author is much more apt, and is enraptured by, watching dance via live performance or even on television. Even if they are a little contrived or even fake, even shows like So You Think You Can Dance are worth watching at times because of just how wonderful and talented some of the dancers are. Dancers are much like non-vocal musicians who have to speak volumes while speaking no actual words. With dance, music and movement are melded together to tell a story or express a feeling and it is both exquisite and fabulous to see this done…

Therefore, the incorporation of patterns that are decidedly symmetrical and geometrical has a greater effect in this dance. The staid, reserved forms of government and values that are crucial to Japanese political life are emphasized by this dance's reliance on unity and repetition. There are so many different aspects of Japanese culture that this dance signifies, that it was truly fascinating to view.
The specific political cause that I am concerned about is the preservation of the nation state system. Lately, there have been several signs that this form of government will be replaced by private or global system of government, and I believe that art can significantly reduce the chances of this occurrence from taking place. I believe that dance could be used to propagate the preservation of this particular act of awareness by celebrating the cultural diversity that is intrinsic to the nation state system. Therefore, I envision…

Lyrical jazz, another jazz form has a more ballet feel and look to it.
In jazz dance, the motions are mostly slower and also have a fluidity that goes on to create longer lines and also to express stronger emotional connections. The movements are more strongly based upon the lyrics of a song and they express a similar if not identical ideas. Street-funk is also very similar and is related to hip-hop. However it also falls under the jazz format because it also uses more technical movements that originate from jazz dance . Street-funk is also sometimes called jazz-funk or just. This type of jazz format makes use of modern hip-hop touch in order to create fun and fast and dances. A low (to direction of the ground) brisk style is usually best described as explosive in form. This can be seen in cheer leading competitions or in dance competitions.…

Dance in the 21st Century
orldwide history of dance

Hip Hop dance

Thesis- A thorough deconstruction of this sort of dance reveals that history and various tools today (most of which involve technology) have helped to catapult it to be one of the most influential styles of dance in contemporary times.

First Support

Type of Hip Hop dance

Breakdancing to dance troupes

Happy medium -- the Pharcyde

Fluid, compelling, unique

Second Support

"Boy band" Hip Hop dancing

New Edition

Bobby Brown exemplifies with autonomous, agile footwork

Third Support

Evolution of dance

James Brown inspired the Jacksons (Mike), who inspired New Edition

and the Pharcyde who in turn inspired Michael Jackson

Conclusion

Technology provides the bridge for dance memes and influence

Mobile devices, internet access

The history of dance is a lengthy and decorative one, which is certainly worthy of serious scholastic pursuit. It encompasses numerous styles and reasons for dancing,…

While not entirely Puerto Rican, the song has distinctly Latin tones that make it kind of a generic Hispanic song. It doesn't entirely embrace Puerto Rican culture specifically, but groups the Puerto Ricans in with Mexicans and other Hispanic cultures as a whole. This was not uncommon for the 1950s, and is still not uncommon today, as American society has had a lack of interest in distinguishing between the different nuances of distinct Hispanic nationalities and cultures, and the dance in "West Side Story" reflects this.
Another example of how dance presents a cultural identity on stage in America is the musical "Fiddler on the Roof." This play focuses on a Jewish Russian community in the 19th century. The play is nothing but cultural references to the Russian Jewish people of this time period, including clothing, dialogue, and dance. The concept of the fiddler on the roof, the traditional Russian…

Dance Peters
The Pop Music Choreography of Michael Peters

Few forms of dancing are more present in our popular culture than that associated with popular music. hile the forms of tap, ballet and ballroom all occupy an obvious place in our academic understanding of dance, these are for the large part only seen in specialized contexts such as theatres and formal events. This contrasts the style of dance and choreography that accompanies live pop music performances, music videos, television shows and perhaps more importantly, our own informal dancing proclivities. It is for this reason that we consider a pioneer in this form and one who, though hardly a household name, has had a dramatic influence on the way that dancing is choreographed in pop music contexts from Justin Timberlake to Glee. Michael Peters was among the most prominent music video choreographers of the 1980s. In an era when the medium…

The dancer signs a contract to work. Union contracts govern those who perform in public, such as major opera ballet, classical ballet or modern dance corps. These belong to the AFL-CIO and those who appear on live or videotaped TV programs belong to the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Those in films and on TV belong to the Screen Actors Guild and those in musicals are members of Actors' Equity Association. Through the unions minimum salaries, hours, benefits and other conditions are specified before the dancer signs the contract (Munger 5).
The professional dancer begins his or her day early, with warm-ups at the barre or with exercises. Then it is off to the studio to practice with the partner or team or troupe. If there is a performance being staged or being planned, work on the specific dances performed will be done. At the end of the…

Both forms of dancing however are exciting and involve thrilling movements to heady, rhythmically pounding music. Although raves are not usually informal clubs, there is some similarity between the settings of salsa night clubs and raves. Plus, there is some element of flirtation in glove light show dancing; this element seems to figure prominently in salsa. I think that the main similarity between my dancing and salsa is the fact that they are both fun to watch, a fact Alyssa alludes to.
I think Chelsea had some good insight into her post about the nature of bachata. I was too familiar with this type of dance until I read her post; I think I have a better understanding of it now. I would still like to find out more about it though. It would have been helpful if she had presented a few more details to help me visualize it.…

" Suzi Tortora, Ed.D.,a certified movement analyst and dance therapist contends that when a parent or caregiver understands his/her child's nonverbal expressions, he can more effectively help them improve their socialization, as well as manage their tantrums.
In her therapy sessions, Dr. Tortora implements dance therapy to mirror the type and emotional quality of an autistic child's movements. This helps the child relate to her instead of reverting into hi/her private, inner world. This tactic includes riding out a tantrum, using movement to remain nonverbally connected. In turn, this will help that shall begin to learn to communicate and remain connected, consequently regaining control of him/herself. "The key is that children with autistic spectrum disorder have a difficult time relating," Dr. Tortora explains. "They are idiosyncratic in their movements. They are sensorially over- or understimulated, and they can quickly escalate to a place of total body dysregulation." (Splete) From "Out"…

Strangely, the sense of freedom is observable even as the viewer consciously recognizes that it is not really present in the dance. ainer's complete and continued avoidance of the camera's gaze mimics the original relationship between the dancers of Trio A and the audience, and the feeling it gives is one of avoidance due to oppression rather than the dancer's choice.
In many ways, this sort of controlled freedom can be seen as representative of the human condition at large, and this is one possible interpretation of Trio A (MIT Press 2009). Especially in the United States and other Western countries, the idea of freedom is often spoken of as a protected ideal, but this freedom is in fact illusory. There are limitations pressed upon us by society that actually severely limit our freedom, and many of these work in ways that are subconscious. That is, we might not even…

The technique of the tango is extremely intricate and difficult to learn. It is a long dance, with intricate movements by both partners. Personally, I have yet to master the dance, but have experience trying with my partner. In order to get to the mastery level I am currently at, I had to tae several classes. The first introduction class for the dance was a disaster. Me and my partner stumbled all over each other, and barely got the first move of the dance down. Still nowhere near the final technical performance, I feel that I am still progressing nicely, and learn several new steps of the dance each new class I attend. I have always grown up with the notion for dance being associated with more ball room style tempos. However, the South American rhythms were very easy to adapt to, and entertaining to practice too. Additionally, there has…

Black dance performer Norma Savoy documents that this happened in the form, technique and structure in black ballroom dancing. Savoy specifically expresses her fears over loss of control over the form to whites who would appropriate them (ibid., 13).
Fusion is the combination of the two disparate above cultures. As documented above, the development of the Lindy Hop during the Harlem Renaissance is typical of this. At this time, millions of southern blacks migrated to northern cities where Afro-American dance fused with white ballroom dancing, especially in dance halls such as the Savoy Theater. On the white side of dialectic, we can find a European-American dancer such as Ernie Smith. He remarked that the Lindy was a black dance even though it was danced by whites because it arose from black culture and experience. However, as Smith documents, as it came into white ballrooms, it was no longer a "cool"…

That is, dances used as therapy to our ailments and negative aspects of the human body.
The Solutions that Dance Therapy Provides

The findings of science that the mind and body works together has an importance to how dance therapies are composed. The state of the different components of our body can affect and influence to how we emotionally and physically feel (Wholehealthmd Online). This is usually connected to the tensions and patterns of muscles (Wholehealthmd Online). Since movements is a form of relaxing our body, especially our muscles, the effect of such movements such as in a dance can help in treating our body.

Aside from how dance movements can bring physical healing to our body, it can also treat us in an external method. For instance, in a group dance sessions, the relationship that we are able to build with other people in the group can generate in…

Dance Final
Summer Solstice Festival

Ideally, this festival will take place during the summer solstice. The solstice is generally regarded as taking place on June 21. Due to popular demand and the intense international reputations that Davis Jr., De Keersmaeker, and Baryshnikov have garnered during so many years of enchanting audiences, the festival will take place during a three-day span -- from Friday through Sunday -- beginning on the 19th and culminating on the 21st. The three days will allow each of the choreographers to open and close the show. On the 21st the De Keersmaeker will open the event, followed by Davis Jr. with Baryshnikov as the headliner.

The festival will be held in Oakland, California, at oodminster Amphitheater at the base of the Montclair section. Although this venue is relatively small, it is nestled within Joaquin Miller's park and rests at the summit of a man made waterfall.…

Dance SWOT
Windfall Dancers: Marketing and SWOT Analyses

Mission and Vision

The mission statement of Windfall Dancers, In., is "to ignite a passion for dance in the community by providing quality instruction, engaging performances, innovative community outreach, and an environment for creative expression" (Facebook 2011). Essentially, the company exists to make modern dance and other modes of physical and performance expression available to audiences and participants in the Bloomington, Indiana area, and its mission consists of fulfilling this purpose of existence. The company's vision is guided by the belief that everyone can enjoy and benefit from exposure to dance and the arts, so the company strives to make such opportunities available, affordable, and truly accessible in all conceivable ways (Windfall 2011; Facebook 2011).

PEEST Analysis

The political forces facing Windfall Dance, Inc. are relatively minimal. The company is registered as a 501©3 not-for-profit organization, giving it certain legal constraints but…

Nature is spiritual. The two are inseparable.
Second Step: Respond to at least 3 members of this discussion (response for Alyssa, Jessica, and Nicole) asking questions about their experiences with dance as religion or ritual.

Alyssa mentions that she has danced the Hava Nagila, but then goes on to note her surprise at the Dance of the Nigerian Christian Church:

This same dance shown in the Dance of Nigerian Christian Church and Communities section of the video also surprised me the most. I have never been to a church, and I was surprised to see that dancing took place in the church. I found it interesting and surprising that the dancing was not performed as a way of celebration and fun, but as a form of prayer and worship.

I was astonished at Alyssa's response since the Hava nagilla is the customary dance of Israel. It may be that Alyssa…

Dance in Hinduism
Dance, like all other art forms, is universally regarded as a channel for both cultural and self-expression. As a form of cultural expression, dance is often used to dramatize cultural myths, legends, and other narratives. In contrast, dance as a method of self-expression is used to spontaneously communicate human emotions such as joy, sorrow, anger, love, eroticism, and sexual desire. Dance, for the followers of Hinduism, is no different in so much that it is widely practiced as an outlet for self-expression, and for the purpose of preserving Hindu religion and culture. However, the meaning of dance holds a much deeper significance for Hindus beyond just cultural and self-expression. For, it plays a key role in religious ritual and worship, a practice that stems from Hinduism's conceptualization of the dance form as symbolic of the cosmic dance of the universe. Indeed, it is the religion's concept of…

However, it actually reminds me of the way praise dance originated in church's because of the high degree of expression involved in it. In lyrical, dancers are moving and acting out the verses of different types of music. In praise dance's original form, dancers would also act out the words of the lyrics of songs as they moved their spirit. I liked the clip that she presented of this form of dance, and would actually like to go somewhere and see this type of dancing live.
I have always liked jazz dancing, and have an affinity for both forms of jazz dancing that Alyssa described, both the original and the contemporary version. However, I understand what she was saying about the lack of cultural significance of jazz dancing today. It has simply become a form of art, whereas when it first began in New Orleans, it represented the culture of…

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…

Classical and Contemporary Dancing -- Dancing of stylization, dancing of tradition, dancing of innovation, dancing of continuity
Chapter 5 of Gerald Jonas's Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement illustrates that classical dance, or traditional forms of 'taught' performed dance have some very similar qualities in very different cultural contexts such as Japan and Europe. For example, both classical ballet theater and Japanese Kabuki, a traditional Japanese form of dance theater, are heavily stylized works of dance that are taught to dances as part of a coherent dance tradition of specifically trained dance steps and motions.

But although both of these dance forms are essentially highly skilled and stylized crafts that take ages to learn, and come very specific cultural traditions, they were, in their origins, extremely popular amongst the common people. For example, Kabuki, in contrast to the older surviving Japanese art forms such as Noh Theater, was…

The French are known to be amongst the most courteous people on earth. Their sense of art and fashion stands them out among other cultures not just in Europe but in other parts of the world as well. They are easily identified with their fashion sense, magnificent architecture, mouthwatering cuisine, and elegant dance steps, to mention but a few elements of their rich cultural heritage. In France, the people have a firm grip to most of their age-long traditions and one of the most adorable and highly esteemed of these traditions is dance. The reason for this is not farfetched as it has been an old tradition passed down by the renowned men and women throughout French history. This article explores the exploits made by one of the past leaders of French, Louis XIV; his ascendency to the throne, his impact in the ballroom dance, and how he ruled the…

How Louis XIV Affected Dance Culture (contd.) It is instructive to note that Louis was a goal-getter. He was a man who knew what he needed at different phases of his kingship and knew the right strategies to use in getting them. As stated above, having had a taste of rebellion from the Frondes, and learnt an unforgettable political lesson, which made him stronger and wiser. He knew he had to stamp his authority and strip the nobles of their sense of entitlement to the throne and aggrandizement. That he did by forming his own army loyal to him, and also declared to as many that cared to listen saying "I am the state." He did not stop at that; he was determined to maintain his relevance and was always on guard to avoid being caught unawares. Louis would practice for several hours with Pierre Beauchamp. The continuous practice, beyond…

Dance is often said to be one of the unique aspects of being human. Dance can be informal or formal in nature. Some dances are performed solo; others in pairs or groups. Specific dances may have a sacred or ceremonial component. Some dances are mainly performed by people of a specific gender or stage of life. Other dances are art forms in and of themselves. One of the most famous of these is ballet, a medium which requires years of intensive study, usually beginning at an early age. Yet while the art of ballet versus a form of dance which emerges organically from the streets may seem to have little in common, all forms of dance still share common connections. Ballet, for example, as a classic style of dance originated as a highly formalized style involving intensive preparation to pointe work for women and a highly turned out style for…

The symbolism is clear here, and it is troubling and terrible to the girl.
Finally, the girl and the boy have totally different reactions to the man and his situation. The girl feels sorry for him, and realizes she is witnessing something important, although she cannot find the words to express what that is. She dances with him, and feels an emotional connection with him, while the boy just gets drunk. He writes the check to buy the furniture, and has no other emotions about what is happening, it is not real, or it is not important to him. In that reaction, he could be very much like the drunken man as he grows older, and the girl may be witnessing her own future, which is even more frightening to her. The boy is kind of clueless about the situation, which is why he does not try to communicate about…

Though the sema is performed for an audience, the main goal is not to entertain, but instead for the individual dancer to recognize his or her submission to God, to ultimately enter into a state of nirvana and to join together with the forces of nature and connect with God, and then to finally descend back to earth to the humble task of being a servant. It isn't about letting go of any kind of control, but it is designed to allow the practitioner to escape the mundane for a few moments, and to provide them with something to reflect on in prayer after the dance is complete.
The Qu'ran states, "Say, 'ho prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?' Say,' such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on…

Laban Movement Analysis Method (LMA) is a method of teaching not only dance, but of explaining and interpreting human movement and interaction. The idea of movement, or Tanztheater, is central to the method and overall philosophy about teaching dance and movement. It is interdisciplinary in that it uses terminology and language from psychology, anatomy, medicine, and the study of muscle movement. In the contemporary world, it is used as a tool for athletes, therapists, actors, dancers, even anthropology, sociology and health and wellness systems. Music is not necessary, and the idea of Tanztheater combines with the relationship of dance as poetry -- a new way of thinking and expressing movement.
Laban's pedagogical methods became popular in the 1920s, perhaps as a reaction to the specifics and form of the 19th century Romantic Movement, or perhaps as a way to divorce dance from only being musical. Laban was concerned that dance…

Dance Supervisor
Activity Description and Summary

The community involvement activity I participated in was supervising a my middle school's fall dance. This activity required me, along with several other peers, to monitor and regulate the dance activities. The dance lasted 3 hours and was held in the school gymnasium where I teach.

Program Outcome ationale

The Program Outcome that most reflects this activity is School and Community Leadership. The outcome objectives are as follows for this selection:

Build strong community relations by modeling and promoting equity, fairness, and respect among faculty, staff, students, parents and community leaders.

Provide opportunities for stakeholders to develop and use skills in collaboration, shared decision making and responsibility for the purpose of maintaining a comprehensive program of positive home/school relationships.

Acknowledge and respect the goals, values, and aspirations of diverse family and community groups by engaging the support of business, philanthropic, political, social, and civic…

Dance and the Treatment of PTSD/Mental Illness
The first key concept of the article is the notion that "arts-based programming" is a positive and helpful way to treat PTSD. This theory aligns with classical psychology/philosophy -- namely, the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans, which was that the best way to cure the body and mind was to start by curing the soul. In order to do this, they used music, good environments, art, and other types of "cultural" productions to alleviate the stress in the individual's life and provide a better balance of confidence and ability in the person's psyche. This is the main idea of the study by the researchers ilbur et al. They elaborate on this idea by highlighting the effectiveness of dance as a treatment modality, stating that "dance is one of the most synchronized activities in which humans engage, and its neural substrates are…

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…

Men are expected to put across domination and to affirm their masculinity during a hip hop dance. Hip hop and tango are both designed to put across the feeling that there is a strong connection between the message and the dance, the dance and the dancer, and the dancer and the message.
Tango and hip hop are relatively similar when considering that professional dancers are primarily interested in dancing from the perspective of someone who actually understands why he or she is dancing. These people are not only interested in looking beautiful as they dance, as they are also concerned about having audiences understand their emotions.

All things considered, choreography is one of the most important concepts in the contemporary society and it is very important for the general public to understand that dances are more than movements designed to please the eye. Individuals also dance with the purpose of…

House music also influenced the development of b-boying, or breakdancing, which took house dance moves and made them more aggressive. Close physical posture and movement without physical contact in b-boying can be seen in capoeira. Like capoeira, house dance styles varied by region. For instance, in Chicago and Detroit, jacking was a major element of house dance. Jacking was a dance move that focused on torso movements and created a rippling effect, and the dance known as "The Farmer" also originated in this type of house music (Mirani). Jacking was influenced by the heavier sounds of techno and acid music. On the East Coast, house music was highly influenced by hip-hop music. Dance moves that originated on the East Coast include "Loose Legs," the "Train," skating, and Jamaican skanking (Mirani). On the est Coast, house music was more commercial and dance moves were influenced by b-boys.
In addition to the…

Jazz dance is an integral part of American history. The various types of jazz dance all come from a fusion of African and European traditions, which is why jazz dance symbolizes American culture itself. According to Tilton's film Jazz Dance, jazz dance first evolved in the Deep South and spread as far as Europe before returning home to America. Jazz dance is not monolithic, and it is important to recognize the differences between types of dancing such as tap and swing in order to understand the contexts in which the dances were or are used. For example, some dances became popular in theater, while others were more comedic. Jazz dance might not seem to have a political or even an economic dimension, but it certainly does. The impact of jazz dance on American society has been felt on almost every dimension including political, economic, and social realms. In particular, jazz…

business plain. business a dance studio choice, choice a tattoo shop. find info . http://www.va.gov/osdbu/docs/vepBusinessPlanOutline.pdf / Go template suppose !
he Dance Studio Business Plan

he dance studio's name is Step Up!. he dance studio is intended to provide its customers with high quality and affordable dance instructions. he need for a dance studio can be observed in the increasing number of individuals that go to dancing clubs, that want to learn how to dance, or that post videos with them dancing on online networks. he studio addresses customer of all ages because it provides dancing lessons for various styles.

he mission statement of Step Up is to provide a nice atmosphere place where people can enjoy high quality dancing lessons, while meeting other people, enjoying themselves, and relaxing after hard work days. he varied dance program and price range makes this an affordable place and provides customers with what…

Krump Dancing
Krump is a popular form of dancing sweeping America. But most people can't find a class in krump dancing offered at a suburban local gym or dance studio along with Zumba, tap, and jazz. Krump dancing originated in the urban ghettos of Los Angeles, not as part of a formal, classical tradition of dance. Much like breakdancing or vogue-ing, it has its roots in a culture of poverty, where people with little money or other material resources could at least create art with their bodies in a visceral and organic fashion. The streets where krumping first became popular are lined with "barbershops, chicken joints, liquor stores and churches" and little else (Booth 2005:1).

"Krumping," according to the documentary on the dance craze called Rize, has been called "break dancing on fast-forward" (Booth 2005:1). Krumping began as a "hip-hop dance style sired by a former drug dealer named Tommy…

Dance: If someone from a different planet were to come to earth, how would you describe to that being what dance is, how it fits into societies, what it means to both you and others in the world, and what role it plays in your lives?
Perhaps dance might not seem, on its surface, to be the easiest thing to describe to a visitor from another planet, who has come to earth to learn about our world's culture partly by studying dance. Earth is, by and large, an intensely verbal society and to overemphasize dance might seem to belie this fact. But dance is also universal, unlike language -- therefore the visitor may have chosen wisely in his or her subject choice. In fact, using dance to describe this world's society can be quite powerful, because dance as individual, collective, and performance-based movement is a way to transcend some of…

In contrast, Dances with Wolves seems more like a western in that it takes place in the wild frontier and it centers on the white man's relationship with the Native Americans. The initial conflict and anxiety that the Natives experience is something that we can link to a western. There are other scenes, too, that make the film feel more like a western. These include a buffalo hunt and a fight with the angry tribe of Native Americans just to name a couple. It is important to note that we also have other battle scenes that make the movie feel more like a drama than a western. The move has been praised for its accuracy and historical detail and this makes it more than a western as well. This is not a light-hearted film like City Slickers. Instead, this movie encourages viewers to think about history and those that had…

Lastly, the paper concludes by summarizing the findings of the paper.
Limitations of the Study

It is imperative to analytically assess the outcome and the entire thesis. This is because this thesis has some limitations that should be observed when taking into consideration the importance of the thesis and its assistance. This thesis has concentrated on a subject that has been an extremely large and leading one, that is, the development and influence of hip hop dance: the cultural, sociological, and dance style evolution of street dance. Undoubtedly, this characterizes an extremely difficult assignment for research in spite of the more precise interests that the thesis might have. This wide-ranging and difficult subject has been analyzed from a somewhat limited experimental perception. The choice of the single thesis design obviously draws out numerous limitations in so far as the simplification of the outcome of the thesis is involved. Consequently, the…

Attitudes Towards Dance in the Catholic and Christian Traditions
A History of Church Attitudes Toward Dance

The Historical Attitudes of the Church

Throughout history, dance has been a part of the human experience. so too, religion has played a fundamental role in that experience. It may in fact be truthful to say that dance and religion are essential parts of what define us as human beings. Both dance and religion rely on the belief that we as human beings have souls, and as such, these souls contain the essential parts of our psyche. Both dance and religion contend that our souls' desires cannot be expressed through superficial means. Other than dance and religion, no other human endeavour offers a more thorough and personal opportunity for this expression. Religion offers us the opportunity to commune with our god through the reading and recitation of his word. It offers us the opportunity…

These two elements of culture that I have found to be apt in discussion with Irish dance is 1. culture -- people's belief system and; 2. culture- including the artifact which people produces such as art.
Dance and Beliefs

One component of culture is the belief system -- people's ideas and values and its effect on the way people lead their lives (Henslin 5). Let's look into religious values of the Irish society. As an example, we have seen that the Druids were already praising their gods through the form of dance. The way people express their religious values have evolved into a physical expression of reverence to the gods (i.e. By dancing). In this sense, dancing allows for new ways/methods by which a society is able to expresses their faith, i.e. praising and/or revering their gods through dancing.

We can also analyze Irish dance and society's values by what…

Indian Dance
An Analysis of the History and Origins of "Belly Dancing"

Indian Dance is described in the est as "belly dancing," but the name "belly dancing" does not do justice to the style of dance which the title conveys. Indian and Middle Eastern dance actually has more of a history to it than what the est views merely as a kind of erotic show. Described as "danse du ventre" by the French in the Victorian Age, the English translation has come to signify the Indian dance, which in Arabic is known as raqs sharqi or raqs baladi -- the former meaning "Dance of the Near East" and the latter meaning "Folk dance." Essentially, what esterners have identified as "belly dancing" is actually the traditional folk dance of the Middle East and India. This paper will discuss the origins and history of Indian Dance, or "belly dancing," and show how…

(Kamat, 2004)
Historical Themes in Chhau dances

The themes behind the Chhau dances have very strong political ties. "Formerly there were 26 (twenty six) Feudatory states in Orissa Province, Sareikala a former 'A' class legendary princely State was one of them, now a District named Sareikala-Kharswan of Jharkhand state is situated to the north of Orissa on the bank of river Kharkai and surrounded by the big hills and rivers have given as much more protection to the former state barely 45 KM from the Iron and Steel city of Jamshedpur." (Chhaudance, 2004)

Singhbhumi, known as the land of the Lion was unconquered and therefore as close to a free state for many centuries. This is most likely the true origin for the principles of the classical style of tribal folk dances. "The Chhau Dance has been nurtured under an atmosphere of independence, undisturbed by outside influences. It represented a…

I think that one of the ways that break dancing helps to solidify resistance is through providing another avenue for a countercultural movement to grow. Due to the concerns about the economy that she mentioned, today is one of the few times in the history of the U.S. that there is not a dominant countercultural movement. Therefore, I believe that by having people breakdance in places where people also turf dance, both of these forms of dance can help to form a countercultural movement that expresses social concern.
There is a definite similarity between Nicole's choice of hip-hop dance as a form of resistance and mine highlighting turf dancing as a form of resistance. Both of these forms of dance largely began in urban environments in the streets. I believe that it would be useful to incorporate hip hop dancing with turf dancing, since in reality turf dancing is merely…

ith time, Tango dancing had been recognized officially world wide, and people have even turned it into an art. Tango dancing is presumed to be one of the easiest dances in the world, but it would take a professional to really Tango.

The Indians are known for their extreme spirituality and the Indian traditional dance is full of it. Indians have taken the art of dancing to a whole new level by having associated it with meditation with the intention of sending a message through the dance to the spectators. The early Indian dancers had a strong bond with the church. Later on, the dancers would be seen dancing in order to bring to life the stories told by singers.

According to David Courtney, "Today the acknowledged classical styles are:

Bharatnatyam of Tamil Nadu,

Kathakali of Kerala,

Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh,

Manipuri of Northeast India,

Orissi from Orissa, and Kathak…

Music and Dance in Indian Films
In sheer quantity, INDIA produces more movies than any other country in the world-over 900 feature-length films in at least 16 languages, according to a recent industry survey. This productivity is explained by several factors: the size of the Indian audience, low literacy rates, the limited diffusion of television in India, and well-developed export markets in both hemispheres. (http://worldfilm.about.com/cs/booksbolly/)

In its historical development, India's film industry paralleled that of the West. Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra, the first silent film for popular consumption, appeared in 1913; Alam Ara, the first "talkie," was released in 1931. ut the Indian cinema derived its unique flavor from the older Indian musical theater-particularly from the Urdu poetic dramas of the late nineteenth century. The influence of this tradition ensured that Indian movies would favor mythological or legendary-historical stories, that their dialogue would carry an Urdu flavor even in languages…

Gerald Jonas' text Dancing -- the Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement attempts the difficult feat of conveying "The power of dance," a kinesthetic practice, into prose. Perhaps this is why the book was originally issued as a companion to a PBS video series of the same title, so the concepts Jonas talks about could be illustrated in lived, visualized, moving form on television. The first chapter of Dancing -- the Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement stresses that dance a multifaceted practice. Dance is, paradoxically a classical art form, a cultural expression, a creative individualistic way of expressing emotion with the body and also a cultural, larger 'heart beat' of national life and religious and social ritual practices.
The intellectual maneuverings involved in understanding the bodily movement involved in dancing thus involve four, somewhat contradictory elements. First of all dance is a natural practice, beyond culture. The chapter of…

Their primary aim was to destabilize existing orders and this is what they accomplished with arts forms such as butoh. "Liminal entities are neither here nor there; they are betwixt and between the positions assigned and arrayed by law, custom, convention, and ceremonial" (Turner 1969, 94).
Hijikata, the man responsible for creating Butoh, also upheld Artaudian views on life and humanity. Keeping in view the traditional Japanese thinking of a connection between nature and man, Hijikata incorporated it in butoh movements. However he focused more on nature's darker side believing that, "the dirty is beautiful and the beautiful is dirty, and [life] cycles between them forever" (Kurihara 1997, 38). Hijikata, just like Artaud, forced the viewers to pay closer attention to the side of life that they had usually ignored. He believed that it is due to a break between man and the darker side of life that we suffered…

Capoeira was developed surreptitiously, with two men pretending that they are taking part in a dance, when in fact they are practicing kicks and blows. There is also a whole style of Capoeira music which goes along with the martial arts culture. In areas of Brazil where gangs are rampant, youth learn this dance and the drumming music that goes along with it is a positive alternative to fighting each other and is a peaceful way to ward off anger and aggression in youth (MacSwan 19).

The discipline fuses flexibility, agility, strength, balance, self-confidence, self-defense, coordination and rhythm; creating a workout like no other. To hide despair and intention of rebellion from their masters, the dancers combined playful and graceful dance and acrobatic movements with moves of attacks and defense using only the legs. hile training they would avoid unnecessary harm by having very little contact with each other. They…

The double-gourd drum, called ipu heke, provides accompaniment for the dancers (Meaning pp). Mele refers to sung poetry, and oli refers to the voice techniques used to deliver the mele, which is chanted in a rhythmic manner for dancing and at other times in a non-rhythmic manner (Meaning pp). "They are sometimes composed to mark an event of immense magnitude, such as an earthquake, volcanic eruption, storm, or tidal wave" (Meaning pp). Compositions also recall events such as the birth of a high chief or experiences such as lovemaking or war, and feelings such as nostalgia for a person or place (Meaning pp). Moreover, the composition process may be "straightforward or very complex, depending on the composer's mood and training, and other factors, such as the need to veil the identity of the hero or heroine" (Meaning pp). "Mele are delivered in diverse voice styles in which performers convey the…

History Of Social Dancing in the 20th Century
This is a RIEF OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF SOCIAL DANCING IN THE 20TH CENTURY

Social dancing was derived from the concept of dancing by a couple, usually a man and a lady, in a closed hand. Coming from the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, these dances gained popularity from the standard ballroom dances with diverse rhythms, tempos, and aesthetics. Although all these aspects changed with the change in the social attitudes, the one thing, which remained common through out the history of dancing, is that of the couple dance or the social dances. (Evans 2001)

These ballroom, although progressed with the pace of the music and social themes of the various periods, before the nineteenth century, these ballroom dances as they became to be called were categorized into the five different types. They were Modern Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot,…

Native American Symbolic Rituals
Three Pronged Symbolic System of the Totem Pole, Potlatch and Tamanawas Dance

The people who originally migrated to the North American continent came here tens of thousands of years ago. They brought with them many different customs such as the ability to move quickly from one place to another, a love of the Earth that they inhabited, and a reverence for life. These people became what are now termed Native Americans. Native because they were settled here thousands of years before people from any other location came here. The different groups that crossed the land bridge from Siberia moved down the coast and spread out to different inland locations as they moved. Some settled along the estern coast of Canada and the United States and developed traditions that have remained through the millennia. Among those traditions are the construction of totems, the ceremony of the potlatch,…

Video: How to Dance the Viennese Waltz
I truly enjoyed watching the video "How to dance the Viennese Waltz" by Valencia productions. I felt that this particular video was able to capture the best of both worlds: a high aesthetic value coupled with a high production value. The video featured graceful dancers, dazzling colors, a magnificent score and was still able to capture a high amount of value for the spectator. The camera movements were able to very swiftly captures the lilting and graceful movements of the dancers in a manner that was not at all jerky. By capturing this strongly aesthetic introduction to the instructional film, it gives the viewer a strong sense of what the "finished product" is supposed to look like. The video also seamlessly goes from this introduction to the instructional segment very smoothly. The blue background that the teacher stands in front of is just…

And indeed, this is a man without a country, because he not only doesn't fit in with the white man, he doesn't mesh with the older people within his culture.
The antagonist in this story is the white man's world of greed and "civilization." The values that the white man holds certainly clash with the Indian. The white man's beauty is in palm trees of California (that stand "stiffly" by the roadside while a struggling pine tree on a rocky outcropping is more beautiful), and the white man's beauty is also rows of fruit trees like military men all lined up perfectly. That is a man-made world, made by the antagonist in this story. The antagonist in this story is also the sociology professor "and his professing"; this professor won't have to worry about his student anymore and the student won't have to worry about "some man's opinion of my…

arts consistently contribute to socio-political change. As a uniquely personal and corporeal art form, dance can directly contribute to socio-political change by combining the best features of theater with those of more abstract art forms like music. The body can be used to convey torture, anguish, pain, and death. Choreography enables the acting out of complex battles fought between multiple players, helping the audience to envision multiple possible outcomes. Dance sometimes makes a statement about current affairs in succinct, immediate, and palpable ways.
This week's content highlights the ability for dance to become a vehicle for social change. Though not typically associated with politics, dance has traditionally served as a political medium and continues to do so. We have witnessed the political function of dance in multiple cultures and historical epochs. Dance has been used as a tool by the political elite to establish or reinforce social norms and codes…

art form, dance provides the means by which to fuse political and creative power. The body can communicate political ideology, subverting social norms in subtle ways. Dance frequently communicates issues related to race, class, gender, and power. Dance can also be used to either reflect or change values and norms.
For example, ballet was born in the Baroque court of Catherine de Medici, who recognized the potential for dance to symbolize the bringing about of order in a chaotic world ("Baroque Court: Catherine de Medici"). A similar function of dance can be found among the Bedoyo of Java, for whom dance undertook a cosmological as well as a political pertinence: creating or exhibiting order in a world that was otherwise chaotic or unpredictable. Dance reveals the potential for human beings to be disciplined and use their bodies to create order, as opposed to allowing themselves to slip into temptation. In…

And farther west on the Great Plains were the Teton Sioux, among them the Oglalas, whose chief was Red Cloud, and among the Hunkpapas, was Sitting ull, who together with Crazy Horse of the Oglalas, would make history in 1876 at Little ig Horn (rown 10).
After years of broken promises, conflicts and massacres, came the Treaty of Fort Laramie, said to be the most important document in the history of Indian-white relations on the Great Plains (Marrin 94). The treaty basically set aside a Great Sioux Reservation on all of present-day South Dakota west of the Missouri River up to and including the lack Hills, and barred all whites except government officials from the reservation and from a vast "unceded" territory lying between the lack Hills and ighorn Mountains (Marrin 94). Under the treaty, these lands belonged to the Lakota "forever" unless three-quarters of the tribes' men agreed to…

Jonas (1992) points to the first signs of life as the quickening of an unborn person in the womb. From prenatal quickening, a person soon learns self-expression in different ways. One is in the form of a meaningful series of bodily activities or motions called dance. It has evolved into both a tradition and an unconscious external display of purpose, emotion or message. Through history, it can be a form of wooing, entertainment, mourning, praying, healing, teaching or communication. These expressions evolved into a people's culture upon which their society was built (Jonas). Sklar (2001), on the other hand, lists five premises for a culturally sensitive approach to, and an appreciation of, dance. He lists them as a knowledge of movement as cultural in nature; as conceptual, emotional and kinesthetic; as embedded into other kinds of cultural knowledge; as requiring a discernment beyond physical movement; and always an immediate physical…

Paul Taylor
Since his first dance routine more than half a century ago, Paul Taylor has become one of the world's most popular and respected choreographers. His works are performed by companies throughout the globe. Taylor has created more than 150 dance pieces. His style is unique and he is often seen as a distinctly American artist.

critics and audiences all over the world agree that Taylor is a giant among modern dance choreographers. He has developed what is very much his own style of dance -- a style that celebrates vigor, athleticism and strength -- making Taylor, in a very special sense, an American choreographer. (iography of Paul Taylor)

Taylor has been responsible for the choreography of more than ninety performances with his own company, which has a distinguished history. The company has also performed in more than 300 cites in the United States, as well as performances in…

Cheyenne Indians and the Ghost Dance
The Cheyenne people are Native Americans of the Algonquian language family. They are of the Great Plains culture area. The name Cheyenne means 'people of an alien speech,' and was given to them by the Sioux.

The Cheyenne call themselves Tsetschestahase or Tsistsistas, which means 'beautiful people' or 'our people.'

Originally farmers, hunters, and gatherers in the land that is now central Minnesota, however, during the late 17th century, the Cheyenne were driven out of the area by the Sioux and Ojibwa tribes.

Gradually they migrated westward and settled in the area that is now North Dakota, but were forced to move south when the Ojibwa destroyed their settlement in 1770.

When the Cheyenne reached the lack Hills of South Dakota, they changed from farming and hunting and living in permanent villages to a nomadic life following the uffalo herds.

When the horse was…

Capoeira brazillian dance martial art originally Angola. All sources MUST BE McFarlin Tulsa City/County Library. I updated a file guide line understand I .
In spite of the fact that many are familiar with it, Capoeira remains a mysterious concept in the contemporary society. The masses are likely to associate it with a dance or with a fighting style, but very little people are likely to pinpoint exactly what it entails or to describe how it developed. Its name leads people to think it is Brazilian and it actually seems it was developed in the second part of the twentieth century, this largely being owed to the fact that it became more popular around the world during this period.

One of the first reasons why people generally have a wrong understanding of capoeira is the fact that they attempt to associate it with a particular activity. Some call it a…

inception in 1974, the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre has established one of the firmest foundations of modern dance in America. The company has since formed Ailey II to showcase budding, emerging talent -- something that completely keeps with the original spirit of the Ailey brand and which helps keep modern dance fresh. Integral to the Ailey II project is education, but admission remains tight and exclusive, limited to only twelve members at a time (The Ailey School). The Ailey II mission is to provide first-hand experience with choreographers and master classes to develop the next generation of talent.
Ailey II has been called "iconic," a "powerhouse," and "jaw-dropping," and for no small reason (Boynton; Dalzell). Any viewing of an Ailey II performance is a treat. The most recent performance includes "Gemeos," choreographed by Jamar Roberts with music by Fela Kuti. This hyper-energetic piece exudes masculinity and invokes archetypal male energy.…