Dance as a Form of Cultural Expression - Essay Example

Dance as a Form of Cultural Expression Dance, is a form of art which is mostly concerned with body movement, and as a form of cultural expression is a very important tool in understanding a given culture. Bodily movement is a way in which different cultures convey their values. A given community can be defined by the way in which the members of that community dance, which allows them to express emotions and tell stories. However, dances differ from one community to another, depending on the communal interpretations. For example, the tango is a Latino dance that is more classical, as opposed to the African folk dance which is more functional. Over the years, there have been different forms of dance and choreographers who have steered the American culture. This essay seeks to analyze some of these dances and how they have contributed to the development of American culture. Iconoclasts from Denishawn Non-academic modern dance in America was first introduced by St. Denis and Shawn, collectively referred to as Denishawn, who coached their students to use their talents so as to express themselves through movement (Thomas 85). This dance group was created against the backdrop of the First World War, when America had developed a high sense of nationalism and the federal government took control of almost of sectors of the society. The Denishwan dance was characterized by ballets and exoticisms, adopted from Greek movements. According to Thomas, any person who was suspected of engaging in activities that could undermine national security was arrested and imprisoned (87). After the war, though, political goals posts changed and the then government minimized federal interference in business and other sectors. According to Thomas, progressive education during this era championed for change. The modern dance was characterized by different experiments with bodily movements, which did not rely on Greek methods of dancing. In short, the new age dancers were in search of dance methods that reflected the American culture, as opposed to oriental culture. The Americanized dance involved more profound body movements as a way of expressing art. In addition, the modern dances sought to establish the independence of dance from music, considering that Denishawn had always viewed dance as secondary to music (Thomas 89). Martha Graham, a former dancer in Denishawn became one of the modern age dancers, and produced numerous choreographic works in her career. Graham, for example, fused humor and dance as a form artistic expression relevant to the American culture. Graham’s choreography was characterized by increased torso movements, to go along with the breathing partners of the dancers (Thomas 89). The exaggerated contractions and expansions represented the inner conflicts within the inner self of a human being. Additionally, there was the inclusion of emotional intensity and expression of inner feelings in the modern dance as compared to the formal ballet dances that were more narrative. Humphrey’s choreography involved isolating music from dance, in such a way that dancers sometimes performed in complete silence or a spoken word (Thomas 89). The relationship between balance and imbalance, depicted by falls and the rises of the dancers from the floor characterized much of Humphrey’s choreography. In addition, Humphrey preferred individual work as opposed to group dances in her choreography. Dancing with the stars Dancing with the stars as a ballroom dancing reality show is designed to exemplify the American dream that encourages personal growth. The dream that everyone in America is accorded the chance to showcase their talents, regardless of race, religion, background, and other factors that make individuals different is what dancing with the stars is all about. The reality show serves to encourage people to pursue their dreams and believe that they can be successful regardless of any limiting factors. To this extent, therefore, dancing with the stars represents the American culture of perseverance for success. However, as McMains writes, Dancing with the stars misrepresents the multiculturalism of the American society (261). Essentially, even though the show claims to offer equal chances to all Americans irrespective of racial origins, racial minorities such as Latinos and African-Americans are not accorded equal opportunities. McMains states that African –Americans are required to dance as Caucasians, while Latinos must have a bit of Euro-American elements in their dance in order to qualify for the competition (262). Fundamentally, white culture in America and particularly in the reality show, is paramount and other cultures come secondary. In Dancing with the stars, national celebrities are paired with professional ballroom dancers, the latter who learn the routines every week. The couples’ choreography is made up of melodramatic scenes, where betrayal, lust, and euphoria are represented. Each couple dances solo and creates picture-perfect poses intended to catch the attention of the judges and audience (McMains 263). Latin dances, and in particular, the tango is the main choreography used in the reality show. However, the issue with the kind of tango encouraged by the judges of Dancing with the stars is that it undermines Argentinean tango in favor of the English tango. The Latina culture is, therefore, misrepresented in the very dance that originated from Latin America. Dance in exile American culture is depicted in the works of Balanchine and Stravinsky, who were both artists in exile and who continued to choreograph dances relevant to the American culture even in exile (Horowitz 59). As for Balanchine, choreography was characterized by humor and irony, in a sort of calm way. As for Stravinsky, dances were void of facial expressions since in his opinion, dance did not have the power to express anything via the face, an opinion shared by Balanchine (Horowitz 60). Both Balanchine and Stravinsky insist upon physical movement and a lot of variations in themes, including ballet and jazz. According to Horowitz, the ballet practiced by Balanchine and Stravinsky in their choreographies was full of momentum as opposed to expression (63). Fundamentally, the American culture is well represented in the dances choreographed by both Balanchine and Stravinsky, especially considering that they are works by people in exile, but who had not lost their American roots. In comparing the three works depicting the American culture, it is evident that there are some similarities in the three dances. The major similarity is that all these dances emphasize on defining the American culture. The modern dance by Denishawn and other modern dances sought to liberate American dance from dependency on other cultures, particularly the ballet. As for Dancing with the stars, even the Latino dances have been improvised to suit the American culture. Balanchine’s and Stravinsky’s dance served to remind them and other people in exile of the American culture and the need to preserve it using dance (Horowitz 59). Nonetheless, there also exists a lot of differences in the way the three dances were performed. As for the modern age, the dancers emphasized on more bodily movement as opposed the traditional more composed ballet. On the contrary, Dancing with the stars is usually more melodramatic ballroom dance with Euro-American forms of ballet (Horowitz 59). As for Balanchine and Stravinsky, the choreography was void of expressions and by use of movement, humor and irony. It can, therefore, be said that the modern dance era, and the dances by Balanchine and Stravinsky served their purpose of depicting the American culture (Horowitz 59). However, Dancing with the stars has not really achieved its purpose of providing equal opportunity for all Americans, considering that all the dances are made to suit the white (Horowitz 59). So long as Latinos and African-Americans continue to the subjected to “white” form of dancing, then Dancing with the stars is far from achieving the American dream (Horowitz 59). Generally, though, the above discussed dances have in one way or another led to the development and spread of American culture. Conclusively, dance can be described as art that entails body movements and a cultural tool. Each community has its own dance that expresses their culture. The essay focused on Denishawn, Dancing with the stars as a ballroom dancing reality and Balanchine and Stravinsky dances in exile. One would then argue that dances have been core activity of the American culture, and have contributed immensely in building that culture. Works cited Horowitz, Joseph. Artists In Exile: How Refugees From Twentieth-Century War and Revolution Transformed the American Performing Arts. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 2008. Print. Mcmains, Juliet. “Reality Check: Dancing With the Stars and the American Dream.” In The Routledge Dance Studies Reader, 2nd Ed., Edited By Alexandra Carter and Janet O’Shea, 261–272. London: Routledge, 2010. Print. Thomas, Helen. “Iconoclast from Denishawn.” In Dance, Modernity and Culture: Explorations In The Sociology of Dance. New York: Routledge. 1995. Print. Read More