Dance Midterm Flashcards
Positionality
someone exists in relation to their social identities, (including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion etc.) my positionality would be white, female, straight, middle income background
Intersectionality
intersection of social identities one holds and how they relate to systems of oppression
Cultural Relativism
all cultures are of equal value and need to be studied from a neutral point of view
Ethnocentrism
judging another culture with our only frame of reference being our own culture, and therefore, making assumptions, misconceptions; different cultures do things differently
Polyrhythmic
the feet might be doing one rhythm while the body might be doing another, holding more rhythms than just one in the body
Cultural Appropriation
the stealing/ borrowing of dance forms without credit or conscious effort to ask for permission
Cultural Appreciation
the investment/curiosity of stepping into another culture with the understanding that you are an outsider
Clave Rhythm/Pattern
Rhythmic pattern used as a tool for temporal organization in Brazilian and Cuban music
Minstrel Shows
Location: US and Britain, Originated in New York, took place mostly along the east coast and in the Southern US but spanned over the country
People Involved: Poor white folks were most of the people involved, they wanted a place to feel included and superior
Social Reactions: white people loved these performances because they often had other performances happening within the show
Historical Context: There was slavery happening during this time, the Westward expansion was also happening, Civil War, 13th Amendment, segregation, American imperialism
Other: “Daddy” Rice was the person who started the character of Jim Crow which carried on through the performance of Blackface
Africanists and Europeanists Aesthetics
Moves, styles and aesthetics of Latin American dance came from African roots; this is connected to slavery and migration
These styles also utilize Europeanists Aesthetics too
African Aesthetics: polyrhythmic, polycentric, repetitive, curvilinear, dimensional
While also showing up as European Aesthetics such as a straight spine, fast and precise movement, ease and flow
The Palladium Ballroom
- opened in 1948 in NYC
- place for people to come together and dance the Mambo
- this turned into dance competitions where winners would be awarded cash prices
- “Big Three” acts were Machito, Tito Rodriguez, Tito Puente
- all kinds of people came together to dance
- closed in 1966 due to a drug raid
The 5 elements of Hip-hop
MCing- rapping, vocal elements
DJing- mixing music/sounds on turntables
Breaking- dancing
Graffiti- visual art expression
Knowledge- understanding and being immersed in the culture
The 5 Premises for a Culturally Sensitive Approach to Dance as argued by Skylar
“Movement knowledge is a kind of cultural knowledge”
Meaning: Different dances have unique cultural backgrounds and identities
“Movement knowledge is conceptual and emotional as well as kinesthetic.”
Meaning: Feelings come from our movements as our bodies change; can reflect concepts , ideas and beliefs; your physical body as well
“Movement knowledge is intertwined with other kinds of cultural knowledge.”
Meaning: Understanding dance includes understanding its environment
“One has to look beyond movement to get at its meaning.”
Meaning: All movement has meaning/understanding; knowing a form of dance Takes practice for a better understanding; music and interpretation aid
“Movement is always an immediate corporeal experience.”
Meaning: We have to embody dance to fully understand; actually dancing and moving your body gives you a better experience/understanding than just talking about it
Cumbia
A Latin American dance and musical style that originated in Columbia in the 19th century. This dance is a blend between European, African and indigenous cultures. It is often associated with celebrations and social gatherings. Cumbia is often characterized by its infectious rhythm, which typically features a 2/4 time signature and a distinctive use of percussion instruments like drums and marimbas.
Krumping
a dance style that was derived from Clowning. Clowning was initially created as a dance to entertain children, Krumping then evolved from Clowning into a popular street dance. Krumping was created by Ceasare “Tight Eyez” Willis and Jo’Artis “Big Mojo” Ratti in South Central Los Angeles during the early 2000’s. Krumping is a fast, aggressive, freestyle dance style and is characterized by explosive moments. This dance style mimics a fight but without physical contact.
