Critical Analysis and Interpretation

Dance History 2- Research Paper by k_ematthews



















CULTURALISM PRESENTATION: DANCE AND IDENTITY


SLIDE 1:

What is America’s dance and why?
America is the world’s melting pot. 
(image)

SLIDE 2:

“A culture is a blueprint for a way of living.  As such it must, of course, prescribe a means of obtaining foodstuffs, but is must also prescribe patterns of kinship, ethics, political organization, religion, cosmology, and all the other systems which taken together organize and structure a way of life.  If everyday movement patterns and dance are an embodiment of culture then one must expect that they embody all of these systems- many of which are far removed from the concrete techniques of food production and preparation and which, it could be argued, may even shape these techniques themselves.” – Ted Polhemus


SLIDE 3:

How does culture affect dance and why is it important?
Since America is the world’s melting pot, diversity in dance allows variety and freedom.
Deidre Sklar’s “Five Premises for a Culturally Sensitive Approach to Dance”
1.     Movement knowledge is a kind of cultural knowledge
2.     Movement knowledge is conceptual and emotional as well as kinesthetic
3.     Movement knowledge is intertwined with other kinds of cultural knowledge
4.     One has to look beyond movement to get at its meaning
5.     Movement is always an immediate corporeal experience



SLIDE 4:

Multiculturalism versus Pluralism: What is the difference?
(image)

SLIDE 5:

Multiculturalism:
Relating to, reflecting, or adapting to diverse cultures. Sub-cultures are equally present, with no dominating culture.

Example: In the contemporary style, dance is beginning to fuse together and different dance forms are represented in one company.  Dancers are required to be technically diverse.
(Netherlands Dance Theatre)

SLIDE 6:

Pluralism:
A state of society in which members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain and develop their traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization. Other sub-cultures are not as represented.

Example: West Side Story clip of women talking about how America has so many great ideas and men argue that white Americans are separated and Puerto Ricans have their “place” in society.

SLIDE 7:
What are some subcultures in America?
How do we fit ourselves into these categories?
(Alvin Ailey image)
Question for Emily- having a husband with a different ethnic background, how does she fit into this category and how will her children fit into this category?

SLIDE 8:

Can we intermix culture within other cultural dances?
(image)
When it comes to dance, does technique have a part even though it is a cultural dance? Is it about the dance or is it about who is dancing it?
(Appalachian Spring with other races dancing it)


America allows the ability for dance to be diverse and for dancers to represent who they are.  The melting pot introduces freedom of dance and expression.
(Which leads into politics)


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