The Music And Dance Of Kabuki

Dance has always been the focal point in which Africans are able to let free through movements of emotion. In this essay I will discuss the history of African Dance and its importance to the African Culture. Also will be discussing the general information of African dance, the different types of African dance and the ones that I like the most. Dance in the African culture is something that cannot be taken advantage of in the African Culture because it holds such a strong meaningful moment at the time of any occasion.

"A Philosophy of Theater « " East of Mina. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2011.

The Eagle Dance is a traditional Native American dance that is widely found on the current powwow circuit. The overall rhythm is both repetitive and one with a changing pattern. The rhythm of the drum is also mostly repetitive, but at the points when the action of dance increases so too does the rhythm. The text of the Eagle Dance is a traditional chant of the Native American culture. In the beginning of this chant the voices are following a free rhythm, the voices are moving with the pulsation of the drum beating. As the chanting continues the voices move to a more bold tone with the drums at the same beat. In most traditional Native American music the texture

This essay will compare and contrast the dance styles of the European Americans and the Native Americans that were born from the cultural beliefs and expression that shaped how dance played a role in both cultures. The dancing styles of the Native Americans had ritual and spiritual meaning to the people of the tribes, who believed that certain spirits could be contacted through these dances, which would lead of a bountiful hunting trip or help protect warriors in a coming battle (Overture Center, 2010). The dancing styles of the European Americans were very formal and structured dances that were performed in many social occasions as courtship rituals between a man and a woman, but often would see partners shifting and moving around the room

Since I was a little girl I’ve always been part of something. But none of the activities I did really filled me. I became part of a dance academy when I was 13 years old, and it was because my sister wanted to learn to dance for her Quinceañera. It’s kind of ironic how something that would be very important to me started so simple. But I guess that’s just how the best things in life happens.

The music played a large role in determining the style of the pieces in the show by Koresh Dance Company. It set the theme and mood for the dances. Also, the choreography was dependent on the beats and variations in the music. This basis added to the themes of the dances as well.

In 1603, the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate allowed Japan to stay at peace until 1868 (Theatre histories 203). The return of peace allowed for a new culture to emerge that was the opposite of samurai elegance and control; there was a new form of entertainment called Kabuki. These types of performers reversed gender roles and mocked samurai rulers, which caused the samurai, traders and workers in wealthy towns to disapprove of these performers. Even though they were annoyed at these performances, it “confirmed what they took to be their innate superiority to the rowdy culture of the cities” (203). The success of these performances can be explained by the cultural hierarchy theory. The cultural hierarchy is the idea that cultures create a divide to depict the ethical differences. There is a high-status

On Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 8pm, I took a trip to the Public Playhouse located in Cheverly, Maryland to witness the “World Dance Showcase”. The “World Dance Showcase” was comprised of six different dances. However, I decided to focus solely on the dance titled “Night in an English Village Pub” that was performed by Charm City Rapper Sword Dancers. This dance was performed by Sindee Ernst, Miriam Hack, Jack Hemler, Rhonda Keilholtz, Kappy Laning, Megan Philippi, Laura Robertson, Joe Shelby, Alexandra Sjaardo, and Jerry Stein and accompanied by traditional tunes that were played by Cyd Shelby. The movements stemmed from traditional figures by Laura Robertson and clogging steps by Anna Marley. The Charm City Rapper Sword Dancers are stationed in Baltimore, MD but are based on a ritual English dance company. The swords that they employ in their dance were derived from a coal-mining instrument. In total, there were ten performers all of which who were White Americans, mainly woman, and above the age of 40.

The strong presence of military occupation resulted from a bottom-up process in which settler’s desires for the economic prosperity and opportunity compelled them to migrate and stake their claim to these territories. Interactions between the local Hawaiians, international tourists, and the US military shaped the theory of settler colonialism. Trask writes “Just five hours away by plane from California, Hawai’i is a thousand light years away in fantasy”. She continues saying “Hawai’i is the image of escape from the rawness and violence of daily American life. Hawai’i-the word, the vision, the sound in the mind-is the fragrance and feel of soft kindness. Above all, Hawai’i is ‘she’, the Western image of the Native ‘female’ in her magical allure”

Dance has always been a part of my life, and it was always fun to look back at old pictures and reminisce about all of the dance issues I had when I was younger. But as I got older and better, the growing stopped. I wasn’t learning as much new stuff, just perfecting old choreography. Ballet has never been my favorite dance style, my studio is more invested in lyrical and performance styles, like tap, jazz, and musical theatre. I originally only wanted to take ballet here because I wanted to be in the Nutcracker because it was something my studio doesn’t do. But this class brought me back to ballet basics, and I have seen major growth in my ballet technique, enough for my mom to notice. I’ve gotten a lot stronger at certain ballet barre warm

Secondly, dance is a big part of Native American culture, and thus will be incorporated into my teaching of physical education. Native Americans have used dance as a way to connect with each other and honour longstanding traditions. Dance is an important part of socialization, as well as preservation of fascinating and distinct cultures. Overall, traditional Native American dances reflect cultural beliefs. The dances define their values in life, their environment, and their relationships.

When reflecting back on my journey with West African Dance, I can honestly say it has been one of my highlights of my first semester. When I first signed up for this course, I had no clue what to expect on the first day. All I knew is that I wanted to explore my artistic side seeing that I have never taken a class that involves any type of art. Nevertheless, I always have loved to dance for fun, and I figured I should try something I am already reasonably comfortable with. I knew West African Dance was all about fluidity and individuality compared to that if Ballet or Ballroom dance, so I decided it would be best for me to try the course. After the first day of the class, I learned that while the dancing may not be as rigid as that of Western dances, this style of dancing is no easier, and possibly harder. Even though I knew West African

I must say that my hole spring quarter has been dedicated to deepening my overall understanding of West-African dance alone. In preparation this to study with the Urban Bush this summer I wanted to make sure that I was able to develop a stronger foundation in my West-African dance technique this quarter. My Mondays and Wednesday from 2:00-6:30 were dedicated to Professor Parker's ( Makeda- Kumasi) West-African dancing and drumming classes held at UCR. I also seeked outside the classroom to gain a community experience of this dance genre so that I could compare and contrast the similarities and differences I found. My goals were to truly embody the many elements that are associated in this dance genre. In my discoveries I was able to

To what extent does stage design impact, influence, and enhance a traditional Kabuki theatre performance, more specifically, in the eighteenth century play Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura (Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees) written by Takeda Izumo II, Namiki Senryû I, and Miyoshi Shôraku?

In Kabuki theatre, everything that is seen on the stage is the result of a meaningful inner dynamic which completes the performance by the coordination of the actors with all the various components of the mise-en-scène and then by the traditions of all the various elements being assembled into an organic whole (Kawatake 1990, 247).