Reflection Paper On Dance

Dance began as a form of communication and storytelling. Thousands of years ago dancing served as a way for people to tell a story and helped distract themselves of the hardships they faced. Furthermore, dance was a form of storytelling through communication, which then turned into using storytelling through dance as entertainment. According to the History World, many dancers during the BC time danced in front of only a few people to get a story across. That later turned into hundreds of thousands of people as dance was used by many. Today, dance is also a form of entertainment and storytelling, but in a modern sense. However, today perfection and technique are stressed more than they were in the past. Yet, the passion for dance has not changed. Many dancers who share this passion also have many of the same qualities. Among a discourse community of trained dancers, one expects to find individuals who are healthy and active athletes, expect perfection from themselves through competition, and religiously attend dance performances.

From kindergarten until high school, I was a member of the Jean Wolfmeyer School of Dance. Up to 5 days per week, I would be at the dance studio taking classes, rehearsing for shows, and helping out in the less advanced classes. Regardless of skill level, Jean never hesitated to speak the brutally honest truth about students’ performances and she never settled for anything less than perfection. Jean would often preach that she is only the instruction manual and she cannot make us good dancers, we had to do that for ourselves. However, it was not her critique or teaching alone that motivated dancers to perform well, it was her relentless work ethic and commitment to her studio. As a 70 year-old women, Jean held classes as much as 7 days per

Dance is a unique sport because it combines the grit and sweat of sporting events, such as track and field, with the style and extravagance of a fashion show (D.Fowler, 2000).

Some may argue that dance is an art and not a sport. Yet, it has the same characteristics as a sport does.

Jane Desmond introduces her article, “Embodying Difference: Issues in Dance and Cultural Studies,” by describing a dance that readers can picture as the dance of tango in their minds. This helps lead to her connecting dance, or body movement, with cultural studies and social identities. In her article, Desmond focuses on connecting how dance and body movement can be portrayed differently in social identities, such as race, class, gender, nationality, and sexuality.

4. Kealiinohomoku. “An Anthropologist Looks at Ballet as a Form of Ethnic Dance” Pg 533

Dance is one of the most beautiful, expressive forms of art known to mankind. It expresses joy, love, sorrow, anger, and the list truly goes on for all the possible emotions that it can convey. Dance not only can express how one feels, but it can tell a story or even be used to praise a higher power. Dance has intricately played an important role to every culture over the course of time. Two forms of dance that have not only stood against the test of time but have influenced the development of other various styles of dance is none other than Classical Ballet and Modern Dance.

Reading this article was very enlighten and intriguing. The South Bay Union School District implemented a dance program for their school district (Reichert-Montiel, 2015). The school district is in Imperial, California, with a student enrollment of fifty percent English Language Learners and Seventy-five percent that has qualified for free or reduced-price lunches.

The most common subject that dance falls under is fine arts, based off of how the term originated. When the world first learned about this unique way using your body, it was defined as a way of expressing ones emotions and feelings. That is why it was easier for critics

The Judson Dance Theatre had a significant influence not only on the direction of Trisha Brown and Steve Paxton’s artistic practice, but also the shift towards postmodernism. From the initial public display by aspiring choreographers from Robert Dunn’s composition class, Judson went on to become the first avant-garde movement in New York since modern dance in the 1940’s. There was an interdisciplinary flavour produced via collaboration with dance, visual art and music, and significant lack of grants and funding ensured that the Judson environment was that of willing participation and exploration. Consequentially, this spurred ideas of innovation and new ways of developing movement in terms of using inexpensive materials and space, allowing for exploration of performance in non-conventional

Dance is an ever evolving form of art; in much the same way that one can categorize and differentiate between eras and styles of architecture one can also do so with dance. These eras at times have sharp delineations separating them from their antecedents, other times the distinction is far more subtle. Traditional forms of dance were challenged by choreographers attempting to expand the breadth and increase the depth of performance; preeminent among such visionaries was Seattle born dancer and choreographer Mark Morris. Mark Morris' began as one of the millions of hopeful individuals attempting to simply make a career in dance; he not only succeeded but managed to have a lasting effect on the entire landscape of dance.

Having the distinct honor and privilege of serving as an international cultural ambassador and contributing artist has afforded me the rare opportunity to observe firsthand the perpetuation of African-American created art forms and social traditions around the world. In my professional development I have made it my personal mission to ensure that historic and modern Urban Dance forms are authentically shared, presented and celebrated. Sharing from this lens has allowed me to observe to the seeming disparities that result when authenticity and cultural reverence are relegated to the desires for mass enjoyment and profit.

As I reflect on my third semester at The University of Kentucky, I am reminded of how Ballet One, or TAD 142, has impacted me as a dancer. I have discovered my strengths and grown in my skill, as well as discovered areas that still need improvement.Initially, I found my interest in dance through my passion in the performing arts, specifically color guard. My interest in dance pushed me to enroll in two dance classes at my university, ballet one, as well as an additional course, introduction to dance. In the future I plan on furthering my dance education by pursuing a minor in dance, that could eventually effect my future job endeavors.

For most of my life, I have never considered myself a dancer. When musical time comes around in drama club, a mix of feelings flow through me. I enjoy singing and acting, but I cannot-under any circumstances-dance smoothly. In the musicals I have been involved with that have required dancing, I have skirted along, but in the end, I never feel free or like what I am doing looks professional. My awkward, shy personality embodies itself in the little dancing I have done in public. Due to this, dancing is associated with stress in my mind. Last semester, I decided to give a double minor a chance on top of my nutrition studies. I have always been interested in psychology, so that minor is not an issue for me. Deciding to give a COF performing arts minor a chance, however, was a different story. I was excited that I had the chance to try to obtain an arts minor, but the fact that a dance class was required honestly worried me. I love performing arts, however, so I decided to give it a chance anyway. Although I am somewhat terrified, I have decided to persevere through this class and learn how to get in tune with my body, understand ballet terms and techniques, and increase my strength, flexibility, and breath support in general.

“ Dance is the hidden language of the soul” ( Martha Graham). Dance is nonverbal and is often used by many people as a language. All people can tell emotions by dancing even beginner and amateur classes. In the world, there are many kinds of dancing, for instance, jazz, ballet, and samba. Each dance has completely distinct parts because all region`s cultures gave influences to each dance style in the past time such as classical Japanese dance and salsa. Furthermore, many people dance as entertainments and exercises and can trace many cultures by practicing dancing. Dancing is a necessary for people`s lives. The reasons why people dance are working as professional dancers, learning cultures and histories, and dancing with friends.