Throughout my life, I have always been interested in different cultures from my own. I grew up in two worlds—my Colombian life at home and my American life once I stepped outside my house. I always compared the two cultures which I was part of and from those similarities and differences grew my interest in the traditions in the different parts of the world. As I grew older I noticed that one of the countries in south America had one major difference when comparing its culture—Brazil. This country speaks Portuguese due to its history.…
Many people often wonder, “How is ballet dancing and writing similar?” The only good answer to that commonly asked question is that both require alone time to hone individual skills and time with peers to get feedback. If one were to look at Dancers in the Foyer by Edgar Degas, they would see multiple ballerinas stretching in an otherwise empty room. The image of the ballerinas stretching on their own reflects how writers often write freely without restrictions to release their mind and flex their writing muscles. While most writers generally start and finish works on their own, unlike ballerinas who usually perform together and are judged together, both receive constructive criticism from others either during their preparation or after their…
Hi Everyone! After going through this week’s class work, I discovered the correlation between cultures ultimately unifying various traditions to make what’s called Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. I did further research on Ballet Folklorico de Mexico and came across this video which was great example displaying both mestizaje and indigensmo traditions in their dancing. Here is a link to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mkqUffnzjk.…
Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing the performance The Future's So Bright performed beautifully by the Castilleja Dance Department and Production Workshop at Castilleja Private School. At first glance, this performance space looked like an average stage in a small auditorium, yet then the lights dimmed and it turned into a bright, musical, spectacular performance of dance. Prior to the actual dance, the school put together a well written slide show to help the audience visualize the issue of focus, which was to help create a better learning environment in east Palo Alto. After this was shown a wonderful ensemble of dancers proceeded onto the stage. The upbeat music started playing and all the dancers began to carry out many exciting and…
Client: GeoEx Dance Your Way Through Cuba While it’s true that the colonial architecture, classic cars, great food, and great cigars are all fantastically representative parts of the whole of Cuban culture, nothing is more truly representative of the island and her people than the music and dance of Cuba. A visit to Cuban club or dance festival should be a highlight on any Cuban travel itinerary. But, if you really want to experience Cuban culture through the music and dance of the island, you’ll want to book a journey that takes exposes you to as many of the various styles and traditions as possible. Dance and Music in Cuban History…
Growing up in Jamaica, Queens, NY, I had a small voice and I still do. I was insecure about talking and speaking, especially in public. However, when I danced, I felt heard. Dance helps me express myself and instills love and confidence in my personal and professional life. It’s where I found my sense of place and power in this racially and socioeconomically charged world.…
I never had been to any live Jazz performance in my life so this was actually a fun event. Now I can say I’ve been to a live Jazz performance. At the beginning of the semester I did my project on the city of Chicago. Through that I learned how Jazz originated there. In the future I hope to travel to Chicago and go visit some of the Jazz clubs which are known across the nation.…
Some basic steps for salsa are the basic forward and back, backwards basic, and side basic (ArtsEdge). When you dance salsa, you find the beats in salsa music you are given and dance on the phrase labelled as “1, 2, 3” and “4, 5, 6” (Salsa Dance Patterns) (HowcastArtsRec). You can start on the one-beat and you do two quick steps and then a slow one and repeat to fill the 8-count (ArtsEdge). With a partner, the woman is only “marking the time” and “helping the man to execute the steps” while showing her sensual side with her hips (Me Priva Pictures). The man’s movements are aggressive, tougher, and stronger with hips (Me Priva Pictures).…
Hermano Vianna the Ethnomusicologist has drawn the attention of others to the new change in perspective of samba. Instead of being referred to as the persecuted/victimized music of the poorer Afro-Brazilian community, it is now understood as a symbol of Brazilianness. From there forward, samba would be recognized as the “national identity” of Brazil in celebration for its mixed cultural heritage, blacks and whites, after the 1930s. These two times in the past had a gap and Vianna referred to this as “the mystery of samba.” The sociologist, Gilberto Freyre, was the first to express his feelings that Brazilians should turn to their Afro-Brazilian culture instead of trying to copy the European nations.…
At about 4:12 p.m. Christina and I stopped to listen to a band play on Washington St and saw a few people even dance along to the music. So far at this point I was a little overwhelmed with all that was at the Arts Walk and…
The intense lights, colorful costumes, and ribboned pointe shoes decorated the stage. As the lively music played for those dancing in the spotlight, I waited in the wings, nerves jumping in my stomach. Every little movement would be seen from the peering eyes of the audience. Preparation for this role was packed into a few weeks, and both the honor of earning this part and the pressure of performing well accumulated on my shoulders. Originally, I had an ensemble part with the rest of my dance class, only understudying for role of Autumn, one of the four soloist positions offered in Milwaukee Ballet School’s Spring Showcase, Snow White.…
Krump and Tango are two very styles of dances. Krump is a street dance consisting of high energy movements made to express yourself. Tango is a partnered dance to form a connection between two partners, usually a man and a women. Although they were both made to express feelings, they are different kinds of feelings. Krump was made to release anger or aggression in a nonviolent way.…
The tango is a partners dance that originated in by the Rio de la Plata in the 1890’s. The Río de la Plata is the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The young form of the tango was known as tango criollo (the Creole tango). There are many forms of the tango today. The tango dance is a dance that has influences from European and African culture.…
When Americans tend to discuss South America, Brazil is usually the country that most people will think of first. However, this does not mean that we know that much about Brazil. Unfortunately, some of the topics that could interest people, such as the history of music in Brazil, are usually glossed over. This would be why most Americans can only name the Samba and the Bossa Nova when asked about Brazilian music. Brazil is an extremely diverse place, with ethnicities ranging from the people of European origin, people who are African or of mixed race, and the Native Americans.…
The formation of dance has lived on this world for many generations as we continue to pass through history. When I went to the wonderful performance at Pierce College I experienced a whole new perspective on dancing. The concert had many types of students performing mixed dance projects of all types like solos and duets. There was an average size of one to eight dancers per project which made it the ideal size for the concert. I really enjoyed the creativity and effort put into this performance.…