Book: Jamison, P. (2015). Hoedowns, reels, and frolics: Roots and branches of Southern Appalachian dance. Concise Summary: In Hoedowns, reels, and frolics:
Alvin Ailey was one of the Pioneers of Dance. Alvin Ailey was well respected and cared for. He started off his spontaneous dance career when he debuted on broadway in 1954. It took him 4 years to develop his own dance company in 1958, which helps african americans to start off their massive and successful careers. From how he grew up to his death, in 1989, I will take you on a journey through his amazing dance career.
The Alvin Ailey Dance Theater was created after a famous performance, led by Alvin Ailey and a group of African-American dancers in March 1958, dramatically changed how individuals viewed American dance. The theater’s goal was to celebrate the African-American culture and preserve the legacy of modern dance, which has since, been achieved through performances, “for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 28 states and 71 countries on six continents[...] (by) more than 235 works by over 90 choreographers,” (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater). Alvin Ailey, born in Texas, grew up knowing that his experiences living in the South would have some influence on his works later on his life. In Los Angeles, Ailey began to dance when he discovered the beauty of dance by the performances of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company. Soon after, his friend persuaded Ailey to join a class in one of the first racially-integrated dance studios which existed in the United States, led by Leston Horton.
One of his male friends introduced him to the dance world at Horton’s Dance School. This school had a dance company that was actually the first company that accepted dancers of all races. At the age of 22, Alvin began complete training at Horton’s school. At the end of 1953, Horton passed away leaving the company without a choreographer. Though Alvin had little training and was only 22 years old, he was well known and respected in the Horton School.
But then, in 1954, Ailey dropped out and went to New York, where he made his Broadway debut in House of Flowers, a Truman Capote's short-lived musical show. After then, he stayed on to dance in many other Broadway shows. While in New York, Ailey also got chances to study dance with Martha Graham and act with many famous dancers like Stella
Alvin Ailey Alvin Ailey was an iconic symbol for modern dance during the 20th century. He broke barriers for African American performers and inspired many others. From being raised by a single mother in poverty, to establishing his own company, Alvin Ailey really made an impact in the world of modern dance. When Ailey passed away, The New York Times said of him, “you didn’t need to have known [him] personally to have been touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multi-racial brotherhood.” Ailey was born January 5, 1931 in Rogers, Texas to seventeen year old Lula Elizabeth Ailey.
He then started studying modern dance with Lester Horton who was introduced to Alvin by a friend in 1949. Alvin hung around the stage door during the run of Dunham show, so often that he was asked by a dancer to join her at the back stage into the
In starting his professional career Horton created his own modern technique mostly based on Native American traditional dances as well as anatomical studies of the human body. Horton technique consists of flat blacks and laterals; Horton was interested in clearly defined shapes, and manipulating those shapes through space. His technique also focuses on lengthening the body and many say the technique helps, “develops the body as an instrument of movement and improves the dancer's physical limitations”. With his studies and choreography he created for TV, film and broadway. Soon after defining his technique Horton created the Lester Horton Dance Theater in 1946.
The video introduces the idea of “in between people. These in between people were of European Decent and could be transformed into Americans by Americanizing them into the White American. They would be apart of a term known as the “melting pot”. A melting of all European Descent to mold them into Americans. Italians, Germans and other European could be apart of the American way of life by being taught the language and customs.
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).
The Federalist Papers, essays written on behalf of the ratification of the Constitution, by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, are testaments to our Founding Fathers’ steadfast belief in a strong, national government; unified against the ills of those wishing to impose their tyrannical beliefs on the nascent country. More specifically, these eighty-five pieces of political brilliance truly shed light on just how divided our country was, with the Federalists believing in a national government, administered by a strong, core Federal system, and the Anti-Federalists, those who were opposed to the federal system, and alternately believed in a strong state system, with no strong, core federal government uniting the states. These Federalist papers were in essence a plea, then, to the people of the
Mambo Girl (1957), a movie musical, follows Kailing, a talented young woman widely admired for her singing and dancing capabilities, as she searches for acceptance after learning the truth about her background. Shall We Dansu? (1996) follows Mr. Sugiyama, a Japanese accountant who goes on a secretive and intimate journey into the world of ballroom dance. Both Mambo Girl and Shall We Dansu? emphasize the close relationship between intimacy and Latin dance by linking Kailing and Mr. Sugiyama’s manners of dancing Latin to the emotional connection each has with other characters.
The dancers were observed to be full of energy which showed through their movements and dancing. Every movement was sharp and clean. Furthermore, the action portion of the basic dance elements was seen through the dancer’s basic movements that turned into dancing. For example, in one scene, the actor jumped off the table and broke into a little skip-glide dancing movement.
Is Dance a Sport or an Art? Some people think dance is not a sport. They think it’s an art because it is nothing but remembering dance moves. However, I believe dance is a sport.
Ever since i was young i fell in love with the art of dance. When i finally joined i felt like i was a little behind hence everyone was in my class was dancing since they were toddlers. My first day of dance was pretty nerve racking. My teacher would say to do something and i wouldn't know what to do because i didn't know any dance vocabulary. I would have to look around and try to fit in as much as possible so my teacher wouldn't think i wasn't fit for the class.
