Thesis: Australia’s perception of dance is determined by societies cultural values which also influence individual values Hook: Dancing in Australia has until recent times been seen as a famine sport with male participation being frowned upon. By breaking down Figueroa’s frame work we are able to see how the influences in society affects ‘dancers’ in their sport. History of dance: Australian dance has been influences including the traditions and history of dance as an art form, as well as the different cultures and trends in society. Australian dance is an important part of Indigenous Australians' cultural traditions.
Through hours of rehearsals and performances, I repeatedly noticed the similarities between dance styles. As a result, when I dance, I am able to merge my two cultures. I no longer feel torn. Today, I am confident in my identity as a Sri Lankan-American dancer, who is often mistaken for an
In her article, Embodying Difference, Jane Desmond argues that dance offers important insights into the ways moving bodies articulate cultural meanings and social identities. In other words, she explains the importance of studying the body’s movement as a way of understanding culture and society. She has two main arguments. First, she argues for the importance of the continually changing relational constitutions of cultural forms. Desmond further explains that the key to shedding light on the unequal distribution of power and goods that shape social relations are the concepts of cultural resistance, appropriation, and cultural imperialism (49).
Hula dancing, a Polynesian dance that in traditional form dramatizes a song specifically through arm movements and hand gestures, has expanded beyond Hawaiian shores and has introduced island movements to the world. Since the early 1970’s traditional Hula dancing has provided islander communities with the ability to tie together body movements with homeland recollections and personal experiences. Originally, Hula was seen as a ritual and cultural dance which was developed by polynesians who settled in the islands of Hawaii. “Through hula dances and songs, memories of people and events endure long after they have passed” (Stillman 2001). As time passes Hula dancing has had a dramatic impact on Western cultures and as a result Hula dancing has
The Sun Dance is a very well known ceremony that was practiced by the Native American tribes. The Sun Dance is a “great religious drama in which individuals pledge vows to the Great Spirit in return for his help” (Dolittle, 118), and contains self sacrificing arrangements between the people that represent the ignorance that need to be let go of. It takes at least a year for this dance to be organized, well thought and planned for. Using Deidre Skylar’s article “Five Premises for a Culturally Sensitive Approach to Dance” helps us understand and take a greater look into the Sun Dance. Three of her five premises that will be used to express the culture significance of the Sun Dance are “one has to look beyond movement to get at its meaning, movement
High School: As you can see from my resume I have been involved in a lot of extracurricular activities. In high school I was on the varsity Dazzler Dance Team all four years. I was recognized as a leader on the team not only by the team, but by my coach. I helped lead our team my senior year to a 2nd place finish at nationals in lyrical. I also trained and was on a competitive dance team outside of school, at Miller Marley School of dance.
When dance and social activism intersect, I get excited. All of my experiences with dance as a tool for social change have been profound and evoking. The work I do with Donald Byrd and Spectrum Dance Theater company (SDT) is tremendously relevant. It unapologetically challenges and disrupts societal systems, people’s beliefs, thoughts, and their relations with others who are different from them. Working with SDT has taught me that dance, my passion, part of my identity, is a tool for social change.
This 2016 documentary depicts Royal Ballet London’s youngest male principal’s life and the toll ballet took on it. Sergei Polunin, one of the most famous ballet dancers in the world, struggled his whole life devoting his time to ballet to bring his broken family back together. Polunin’s mother pressured him to dance to escape the small, poor Ukrainian town he resides from. Overtime, Polunin became extremely depressed, partying, doing drugs and becoming the ‘bad boy’ of ballet. However, his amazing talent bought him a ticket to success, despite how controversial his actions were.
There are many reasons as to why I want to lead. Especially this group of girls. One reason being this group of girl’s have become my sisters. I want to work harder and I feel as though leading will help me achieve that goal. I also, want the girls to work harder and become better dancers.
Day dreaming of the talents I have absorbed over the years, I thought about the process of learning something new, specifically in dance. When I was learning to dance on pointe, the thought of putting all my weight directly on my toes sounded excruciating. The effortless movement of the ballerina as she tiptoes across the stage was something I always wanted to achieve. I wanted to be blessed with the grace and poise of a professional. After seeing countless dancers in the upper level classes catch on quickly, I undoubtedly bought a pair of pink Grishko slippers for myself.
Demanding physical practices created flexible, poise and athletic human bodies. Social dance went through significant changes along with changes in attitude, acceptance along with changes in musical evolution.
The second section begins by laying out theoretical dimensions of the theme, culture, style shifting from ballet to contemporary, especially in terms of philosophical aesthetic foundation. Starts with the question of What is ballet ? As Balanchine (1974) suggests that “ballet is an art of example. ” and Sparshott(1988) have attempted to defined ballet as “ centered on the figure of the ballerina dancing on the point” and “ the art of dance which is impersonal but highly specialized and academic.” It is well-known to us that ballet is sleeping beauty, is swan lake, is the art of dance that ballerina dancing with tutu and point shoes, is the story about fairy tale and fantasy world.
While things in the realm of academics came fairly naturally to me, everything about my body and mind reacted hostilely to dance’s challenges. I had no flexibility, strength, endurance, short-term memory, or love of the limelight. As I watched my more naturally talented peers literally leap in front of me, I couldn’t help but to feel anything but “good enough.” Forget occasionally crying in the bathroom at school, at dance I felt every ounce of confidence I had maintained seep away. I gave up completely, resigning myself to hide in the back of the class and attempt to claim as little of my teachers’ attention as possible.
While I was growing up and something did not go my way, my mother would always say “everything happens for a reason.” While sometimes this saying seems hard to believe and often hard to rationalize, it does seem to be true more often than not. This philosophy has been my mantra and number one belief for as long as I can remember. It is uplifting and can influence me to think positively, even when nothing seems to be working out the way I want it to. This belief has been tested over the summer before ninth grade at my dance studio.
I have always had a burning passion for dance since I was a young girl. My first time on a stage, I was immediately hooked. The overpowering feeling of a crowd of people watching me as I do what I love, is a feeling I have always admired. Dance has developed my character and personality in many different ways. I have been taught responsibility, discipline, integrity and much more.
