Yoruba body attitude

Once again, the article brings about the unique similarities that exist between traditional African dances and the black dances of America. It is not difficult to realize that the balance and rhythm that is considered a central part of the Yoruba culture also shows up in many of the American dances. In performing their dances, we are told that the Yoruba strive to strike a balance between being excessively energetic and also trying to maintain composure. This is comparable to the clowns in the hip-hop dance DVD ‘Rize’ where by the clowns and majority of the people in California used dances to vent out their anger and frustrations but made sure they maintained their composure. They managed to do this so well that many outsiders thought they were fighting.

The article also talks of gestures being integral to Yoruba dancing. In the Yoruba dances, gestures are fully utilized but they are not coded in any specialized sign-language. However, this is not a new concept in black American dance. From the videos watched in class, we can draw parallels to the clowns and hip-hop artist in LA who used different types of gestures but they did not have any deep meaning or convey a certain message.

Lastly, the accompaniment of music to the dances is important in both traditional African forms and American forms. In both the dances, music helps give form to the movements. All in all, it can be seen that even though black dancers in America don’t have folklore about balance and rhythm, there is a strong connection to their brothers back in Africa.

Anthony

Dance 0163

Balancing Concepts of the Yoruba Culture

For me, having both negative and positive energy in the body is certainly not a hard concept to digest. The Yoruba reading is an enlightening read that gave me a much needed introduction on the fundamentals of our bodies. I like the fact that the Yoruba culture invests a heavy interest in viewing their bodies as the physical development and manifestation of oneself. The concept of balance is also a prevalent outlook in the Yoruba culture. I find the good the evil balance very interesting and true within our bodies. I like the fact that a dancer, no matter how energetic he or she may be, should maintain some stability (balance) in some way, shape or form. However, I personally find it possible, but difficult to require the body to have symmetrical balance despite the arduous movements the body may be performing. There were many interesting notions presented in this reading, but the notion that grasped my attention the most is the belief that body language and body signs are more communicative than verbal signs because the link between sign and signifier is not subjective. I find much validity behind this statement, which makes a lot of this article valuable overall.


Kereem Morgan - 163

Body Thinking

Like Sophie, I too am always looking for new ways of synthesizing information. Body thinking and the understanding of the concept is certainly not new to me. However, the way in which the author introduces his/her interpretation of it forces one to realize how essential it is as a dancer. It is interesting to know that I am not the only one who found validity in the statement: “It is the dancer's whole function... to lead us in imitating his actions with our faculty for inner mimicry in order that we may experience his feelings. Facts he could tell us, but feelings he cannot convey in any other way than by arousing them in us through sympathetic action." I interpret this as a dancer responsibility of giving himself to the movement through sympathetic action. I find this imperative for my dancers to know because it would serve as valuable information in the development of my piece. More importantly, body thinking reveals our identity and is a way of disclosing ourselves, our interest, and our talents to the rest of the world. This reading was very enlightening and beneficial.


Kereem Morgan - 360

Reading 4 Response: Yoruba Body Attitude

This article gave me a greater appreciation for our class and served as a hub that connected the dots between the techniques we are learning in class, prior readings, and the movie series.

I am contented by how the article gave insight on Yoruba religion and saw how the concepts of their beliefs manifested themselves in other cultures as well as in the dance they perform. The iwon-otun beliefs parallel ying/yang principals and I question if they are historically related and if so which is the chicken and which is the egg? After careful thought it struck me that themes of balance and contrasting forces are represented in our work. For example, I reflected on the segment of the warm-up where we contract in from our core and push out with our hands before us followed by raising our sternums to the ceiling. There is an iwontunonsi principal that governs the contrasting forces between our outreach and inward pull and our uplifted sternums and forward-pushed tailbones respectively.

My colleagues in Chinese and Arabic begroan the rigor of their courses along with complex tonalities and guttural utterings that are so foreign to them. After reading this article, part of me wants to believe that learning the Yoruba language would be almost daunting when I consider the gesticular requirements and the use of inverse discourse which often interweave cultural and allegories. Another something that struck me is how we in America facilely attribute the adjectives the Yoruba associate with those who exhibit good body behavior to those who are simply outwardly beautiful and there is also a correlation to privilege.

I really appreciated the authors academic take on Yoruba culture and their adjective choice used to describe the mannerisms; “eloquent, serene, composed, expressive, holy, and dignified.” I feel that it really helps to uplift and change the vocabulary of the ignorant when it comes to African dance.

The article also sparked some questionsWhat is and how does one become a self-respecting elder in Yoruba culture? Are there rites of passage for language competence and mastery?

Response to Yoruba Body Attitude

I found this reading very interesting and usefull in many ways. I thought that the whole notion of symmetrical balance and the way that concept shapes Yoruba society, brings up some issues of our own culture on how do we perceive beauty, but more importantly, how we express and value it.

In the reading we were given a definition of what Yoruba society considered beauty is, they think is the overall personality of the individual, which is made up of stance (stance being the inner quality of the individual), posture as well as appearance..

This strong bound of the elements of beauty can be seen as a more complementary way of looking at it, because it encompasses the physical aspect as well as the individual personal characteristics. Beauty is also seen in terms of moderation, where there is a perfect balance between the goods and the bads of the individual. If this two aspects are in balance, there the individual is seen as perfect and thus, attractive.

There is also a direct relationship between friendliness and approachability of the body. This relationship suggests that a friendly and attractive person will have an approachable body.

The importance given symmetry, perfection and balance is applied to body language which is an important part of the daily communication. The members of Yoruba community have to be able to interpretate and express their ideas using their body language only. This means that they have to be much more perceptive in order to understand what is not being said in words but it is still there, and that is something that societies obsessed with information lack. The ability of interpretation, observation and having creativity to find own ways of expression broadens your mind and makes your senses work together with your brain. If we were able to do this, we will become more perceptive and attentive to what is going around us.

Gabriela Juncosa

Sophia Levine, DNC 360, Body Thinking

I am constantly looking for new ways of synthesizing information. The idea of body thinking is not new to me, but the way that the author revealed it, reminded me of how integral it is to the work I do. I have this idea that environment, identity, and movement are incredibly connected. And it seems like an obvious thing until I try to describe just how they relate to each other.
As I was reading this article, I realized that body thinking is just it. Body thinking reveals our identity and is a way of opening ourselves to the world around us. Yes! Our body is our way of relating to ourselves and the world. Kinesthetic experience is a way of discovery and learning. Furthermore, all of our movement memories are stored within our body and can be drawn from the body to physically, viscerally, and psychologically revisit, reassess, and reexperience the way we felt in a certain place and time.
Often our brains get in the way of our processes and intellectualism becomes a replacement for actual experience. But if we (especially as dancers) allow our bodies to take the principal role in our thought processes and let go of our brains a little (maybe a lot), our work and learning will be that much more "embodied" and profound.

Body Thinking - 360 Cat

I found this reading more useful then I expected it to be. Although for the majority of the chapter was pleasant thinking, two topics really stood out to me. The first was the emphasis of psychology and neuroscience. My academic life here at Middlebury is basically psychology and dance, and I can sometimes see parallels, but not articulate them. In the chapter the authors weave little connections to psychology and neuroscience together with the concept of body thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed the short section calling out psychologists and neuroscientists about the two assumptions they make (1. body thinking only has to do with movement & 2. Therefore it can only be expressed as movement and should be left for dancers, athletes, and performers to express). I especially liked their connection to psychology because it was so simple, and quite easily overlooked to the over-analyzing mind (most psychologists). The connection being that our movements and posture reflect our moods, which are part of our minds and internal world. I am tempted to make the chair of the Psych department read this, and that section in particular.

The other section that pertained to neuroscience was the section on the phantom limb. I really liked the end of that because of the description of the dancer and the way he thought of the poles as being extensions of himself. Although that is a very common image used in classes, the idea of needing to move with actual poles makes it more real and exciting. This was also fascinating after reading about prosthetic limbs and feeling with "them."

The second idea that stood out for me was the John Martin quote, "It is the dancer's whole function... to lead us int imitating his actions with our faculty for inner mimicry in order that we may experience his feelings. Facts he could tell us, but feelings he cannot convey in any other way than by arousing them in us through sympathetic action." I would like to share this quote with my dancers because my piece is based on emotional energy, and each dancer has her specific character. Hopefully, this will inspire them in their portrayal of their role and me as the choreographer of their roles.

Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication

This article helped me to understand the fundamental role played by non-verbal communication for the Yoruba people. Understanding the strong connection between the verbal and non-verbal is essential to grasping the speaker's true meaning. It is easy for me to understand now why the Europeans were confused by the Africans they encountered, not being accustomed to the complex set of rules for communication.
The philosophy that forms the basis for the Yoruba culture struck me as being very similar to the concept of yin and yang from Eastern philosophy. The idea of complementary opposites rather than good or evil is foreign to Western thinking. The gods of the Yoruba people seemed very similar to the Greek deities who controlled the natural forces of the universe. The Yoruba gods embodied the emphasis of symmetrical balance by being divided into hot and cold deities.
Both the philosophy and the emphasis on body aesthetics are illustrated in the dance that comes out of the culture. I was struck by the statement that Yoruba dance is "actually a dialogue between the music and body" which seemed to summarize everything I have learned about African dance up to this point.
Martin Breu
Dance 163-A

Yoruba Response

Body attitude is an integral part of the Yoruba culture. Their understanding of body as the physical manifestation of the person is also very fascinating. The Yorubas are keen on body language. Since the body is the biological concept, it allows for clearer communication rather than verbal communication. Furthermore, I was also intrigued by the Yoruba philosophy of balance, especially the balance of good and evil. Without the two companions neither would have any meaning of existence. And their philosophy is also influential in their dance forms. Yoruba dance forms require a symmetrical balance of the body despite the strenuous movements the body may be performing. The balance is present in the dance form. Although the dancer may be involved with energetic movements, they should also maintain a balance state.
The philosophy of balance is also prevalent in their cosmology. The hot and the cool deities. The hot elements and the cool elements balance each other and would be destructible without the other. Moreover, either would not be in existence without other. The balance and order in this society sort of remind of an unrelated topic. The functionalists theory that inequality is needed to modernize a society since there will be hierarchy of labor, competition and development. Without inequality the essence of equality would not exists similar, to the Yoruba's philosophy of good and evil, that without evil, there would be no point of having a good side.

Yoruba Body Attitude in communication

Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication was a very striking article in that is brought to light many of the staunch differences between western cultures and that of the eastern world. One part in particular that stuck out to me was the part about body language and how to the Yoruba people value body attitude as a very important part of communication. We see in many cultures people talking with their hands or bodies, however in the U.S. it is something that is frowned upon. I distinctly recall when I was younger being excited about something and wanting to communicate that to an elder and was told that talking with my hands, neck, and shoulders, was something “uneducated” people did. Ironically although talking with my body was nothing something I was immediately exposed to in my house household I feel as if it was something innate if me that showed when I wanted to stress a point or really express how I feel. Even today when I am speaking with someone I have to be aware of my audience and body language because I have the tendency to touch people when I speak. To me touching someone or “acting” out my speech is something I believe brings intimacy and clear communication to whomever I am talking to. It is also interesting how different cultures have different protocol persay when speaking. Italians are known for their hand gestures, Yoruba are known for their body language, and from personal experience West Indians jovial tactile space invaders. All in all, this article brought to life just how cultures thousands of miles away share similarities with those on the other side of the globe.

Mona Quarless
Middlebury 2012

Response to Body Thinking—

This article speaks a lot to my beliefs in understanding through embodiment. During the Clifford Symposium I heard a talk given by Daniel Dennett, a renowned philosopher on Darwin who spoke of the process of Natural Selection as being ‘competence without comprehension.’ As very analytical beings, this statement seems very counterintuitive, but like the example in the article, Chimpanzees don’t understand the reasons and impulses to get a banana; they simply do. These processes are developed senses of reason that have evolved within our species. But since we are humans, we are to a certain extent able to recognize and develop our skills of proprioception. This development can then lead us to more spacious and fully realized concepts and perceptions of the world around us.
William Wordsworth stated that ‘poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.’ Although Wordsworth is speaking of his own medium of poetry, the statement reveals the universality of all art making in that it begins with an impulse from the gut, from our visceral body, which carries itself through to the medium of the artist. Of course, this is a very Romantic-era style of thought, but one I find rich with possibility.

Anna Briggs - Yoruba Dance

This week's article about the Yoruba dance and culture I found to be very interesting because it illuminated links across various different things we have discussed so far.  In particular, I was intrigued by the notion that body language and body signs are more communicative than verbal signs because the link between sign and signifier is not arbitrary.  Verbal and written signs are innately problematic, as they are only arbitrarily linked to their signifier and so are defined relationally to other signs.  Body signs, on the other hand, can be more clearly expressive as the signs have a physical connection to the signifier they are communicating.

This theory that bodily communication is more effective than verbal communication reminded me of the crumpers from "Rize".  Their reason for crumping was to express through dance their intense emotions in a way that they could not with words.  What is obvious to those viewing the crumping is the energy, the sense of freedom, but at the same time the sense of rebellion involved in the dancing.  This concepts come across concretely through their movement, whereas through words their message might not be as clear.

Body Thinking 360 Response 4 AV

"Body Thinking" is the article I've liked the most so far. Early on, I was very skeptical of people who dissect dance in writing, but slowly, I am beginning to see how someone else's view of dance can help me form my movement. My basic feeling about this article was that I received explanations about stuff that is normal to me and surely the rest of the human race. When you repeat/practice something, you start to enjoy doing it because you slowly are putting things into muscle memory and your personality can shine. You no longer have to think about what you are doing. One must trust their limbs because it holds "intelligence" as Jean Cocteau put it.

It is also good to think about the ways ideas are expressed on a body. You have so many parts to use that it isn't always easy to be mindful of that pinky or that foot and so on. But, doing so can help reach a better "identification" of things. As Rodin said, one must "test to what extent my hands already feel what my eyes see". By the way, his quote on Le Penseur is great and very true! One could express thinking with intense eyebrows, however the rest of our body will naturally exhibit that tension. Our body parts are connected and can be used in many ways to express simple things such as thinking, since they are reacting to our emotions all of the time!

This of course plays into what the author talks about on mood. She gives an example of a person who is about to speak and before the speaker starts, the audience has already figured out what will come out of their mouth. Body language can speak in many ways, and I think this article will help me think beyond the movement I want to put on my dancers.

Vanessa Evers; 163; Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication

The Yoruba’s attitude toward the necessary balance between good and evil is the complete opposite of western cultural views. Further, although body language is a crucial form of communication in all cultures, it is clear that the Yoruba put far more emphasis on the importance of this type of communication.
The fact that parents train their children in appropriate ways to move their bodies and good stance exemplifies this difference. In the western world, dance and body movements and posture are considered separate talents or hobbies. If parents are interested in teaching their children to move creatively, they generally will encourage their daughters (not their sons) to take dance classes. The responsibility does not fall on the parents, and the culture of dance does not permeate day-to-day life. In fact, dance is seen as a compartmentalized special interest (similar to our notions the separation between good and evil). On the other hand, our society does emphasize athletic ability and physical competition. Although one could argue that there are aspects of playing sports that involve creative movement, this type of bodily engagement is generally thought to be much more linear, regulated, and goal-driven.
Similarly, the Yoruba approach to attractiveness is far more global than the western approach. According to the article, attractiveness in Yoruba culture is an amalgamation of outward physical appearance and inward beauty. Although western cultures ultimately acknowledge the difference and the interaction between these two types of attractiveness, we generally put much more emphasis on the superficial form.
Overall, the Yoruba focus on balance seems to lead to a much more integrated world perspective in terms of ideas about good and evil, body movement, and attractiveness than the western worldview.

Yoruban Dance- Ricky Chen DANC163 Brown

 

            I enjoyed learning about the social, spiritual and communicative values of dance in Yoruban culture. Dance is not simply just an art form, but also a reflection of society and culture. Thus, there is much more emphasis on the dancer when he or she performs such dances because the dancer must convey and carry the cultural weight and significance of every move.

            The article sets out to explain the idea of complementary opposition that is the principal driving force of Yoruban society. It is described as the balance of good and the bad to create completeness in life, iwontunwonsi. This symmetrical balance is reflected in dance because each dancer must portray calmness (inner balance) and stance (exterior balance). I believe that such balance is not only necessary in dance but necessary in life when we must achieve composure and calmness when dealing with changes in our surroundings. After the article describes complementary opposition in Yoruban culture, it continues to compare this philosophy of good and bad to the western thinking of binary opposition, the idea of good opposing evil. I never thought about categorizing these philosophical ideas according to geographic regions, but it appears to be true that Eastern philosophies often advocate complementary opposition, such as ying and yang. Dance also has a specific role in Yoruban spiritual beliefs: spiritual dances. In spiritual dances, there is a sacred distance between the audience and the dancer while the dancers pay tribute to the “hot and cool” deities.

            The most interesting fact I learned in this article about Yoruban dance culture is the idea of individuality and identity—stance. In the context of complimentary duality, the dancer interacts with the divine overseer while interacting with self. In dance, each dancer shows improvised movements that portray their individuality and personality. In Western dances, audiences observe a tendency for dancers move in synchronized and organized choreography, rigid within a certain framework and structure. However, Yoruban dance force allows freedom of expression of self and freedom of all body parts—democracy of the body. 

Response 4: Yoruba Body

Ele Woods

This weeks reading was about the Yoruba body philosophy and how body movement and symmetry is heavily ingrained in their society and their religion.  The article began explaining how in the society a person can be physically beautiful but if they had a "bad body" they would not be valued. It also explained that physical movement and body language is key in their society. As I kept reading the essay I began to wonder, if someone had a bad attitude but was a great dancer would they be appreciated or not? Also if they could not keep up with the sort of moral body code that the Yoruba's keep would they automatically be considered a "bad body". Some people just can't read body language. I laughed a little bit thinking about how some of my friends would do in their society. 

One thing that I wondered about was the Yoruba heavy emphasis on symmetry. Does this mean that a dance that is a-symmetrical is unappealing? This goes back to a question I had the first week about limitations on expression in dance. If expression is limited to symmetry surely a capability to emote is limited as well.

I enjoyed this reading because I felt that it was helpful to me as a person who likes to dance. I know I will be able to use knowledge I acquired from reading the piece next time we go accross the floor exploring the Yoruba tradition.  Also the conclusion reminded me of the class Christian lead today and the "democracy of movement". The Yoruba philosophy is that everything has a counterpart pushing against or complementing it. I think this can be applied to our dance in a certain way because we are learning to use opposing muscles and balancing our bodies.

Liz Edouard-Danc 163- Yoruba and body language

This article describes the Yoruba, their body language and dance culture in general terms- in class we have seen it demonstrated in the context of Haiti and I have recently seen it in Brazil. While in Salvador de Bahia, I went to watch Candomblé, a religious practice that stems from Yoruba oshishas. The event was held in a tent known as the house of Candomblé, which was located in proximity to the houses of the orishas. In the tent, women sat on one side and men on the other, but tourists and locals were mixed. When we arrived, the dancers were already in a trance and in the process of becoming the physical representation of an orisha. We were told that it had already been 10 hours that they had been dancing and typically they would continue until the next morning. Those moving or dancing were wearing white and either held or wore costumes that represented their deity. Aides in the center wiped the sweat off the face of the dancers or arranged their costumes as they were so entranced by their movements that they were unaware of anything happening around them. At times the dancers would approach people touching their head to the floor or offering a hand as a symbol of respect, but otherwise each person moved in his or her own manner, without really interacting with the others that were dancing. Throughout the whole ritual, a group played the drums and the public clapped their hands keeping a continuous rhythm. At times members of the public would fall into a trance, begin shaking and join the dancers or remove themselves from the tent overpowered by the rhythm and the power of the orishas. Food, traditional of West Africa was served- a mix of rice, palm oil and fish. It was a powerful experience and after reading this article, I realize how much was being communicated across this form of dance and unfortunately I was not able to appreciate it all as I am not familiar with the Yoruba body language. 

The body is powerful tool for communication and one that adds complexity. In the United States, we talk about body language and in magazines all sorts of articles are written about what movements communicate what messages. Body language is universal, but in certain cultures it is better understood and more complex such is this case for the Yoruba. In the US, body language is not as emphasized and more importance is placed the verbal form of speech such as the nuances of words. In the text, it is explained that to be considered well-cultured in the Yoruba culture one must understand the intricacies of body attitude. This task seems daunting, especially as a foreigner, as I can’t even begin to imagine how much one would miss when communicating with a local and how easy it would be to be misinterpreted. I would be interested to know more about what we are saying through the dances, in a way it is as though we are learning a whole new language. 

Darkowaa A-K; Dance 0163; Response 4: Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication

Being a person of African heritage, I never paid close enough attention to the technicalities and the importance of body stance in 'African' dance. This article places a lot of emphasis on body stance/language and how it is perceived according to Yoruba aesthetics.

After reading this article, I came to the conclusion that everything about Yoruba dance and even culture is balanced and in moderation. There are not to be excesses of anything, as that is considered to be bad or evil. Only balanced measurements of everything are the best. These characteristics are also evident in social and religious activities of the Yoruba, but of course, in moderation.

Anyone who has an admirable sense of proportion in physical beauty, internal beauty, behavior and body posture is seen as a true beauty. If a person is not physically attractive, but has a proportionate body stance and posture, their beauty is still appreciated. If a person exhibits unblemished physical beauty, the person could be seen as a possible product witchcraft. I found this observation funny and familiar, as such beliefs and superstition are common in many other African countries, not only Nigeria.

What was highly noteworthy about this article was the use and interpretation of body language according to the Yoruba. They are known to be highly perceptive and sensitive to body signals as the body is seen as the 'index of person' or 'physical manifestation of person.' They also tend to view the body as an accurate signifier of conceptual thought, rather than a person's speech. Personally, I do not believe that a person's body language is an accurate measure of ones thoughts and feelings. I prefer to live by the expression, "Do not judge a book by its cover" because for some people (like myself), they do not express their feelings and thoughts through body language. Some people unconsciously frown or look anti-social, so its not the ideal measure of who the person is or what he/she is feeling. Nonetheless, I do respect the fact that the Yoruba consider facial expression to be an essential component of respect. I am actually familiar with that, as in Ghana, a pleasant face is always seen as respectful.

Finally, music is an integral part of the Yoruba dance. Music is more or less used like dialogue/conversation with the body. There can be dominance of the body opposed to the music, or even dominance of music opposed to the body. But most of the time, music and body movements are intertwined evenly, as the Yoruba believe in balance. The fact that dancers dance with 'unseeing eyes' was an eye-opener to me. I never actually realised that when dancing, a dancer can be so immense in giving a lot of energy in the dance steps that he/she would actually feel as if in a different world.
This entire article definitely opened my eyes to certain cultural aspects and functions of Yoruba dance that I would have never known.

Hallie Gammon - DANC 0163 - Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication

What struck me the most in this article is the way that, according to the author, Yoruba beliefs and attitudes are actually lived out in their physical life. In many ways, the values espoused by the Yoruba people are in line with those we in the western world claim to adhere to: we are forever talking about valuing inner beauty over outer beauty, about finding balance in our lives, respecting our elders, etc. But our words and our bodies tell very different stories - outer beauty is clearly highly valued in our culture, often, though not always, at the expense of personality and inner beauty. We claim to seek balance, but we are a culture constantly on the move, running toward our futures, reaching for our goals. The complementary balance to that, stillness, is practically a sin, looked down upon as laziness or lack of direction. If the author's points accurately reflect the daily life of the Yoruba, rather than the ideals they are likely to talk about (in much the same way that we all have high ideals), then they are a culture whose behavior is admirably consistent with their philosophy. They "walk the talk" far more genuinely than we in western culture generally do.

The concept of ìwà l'ewà (presence is beauty) is particularly relevant to dance, not only in Yoruba culture but in all forms of dance including the western world. As far as I can discern (this being my first dance class and first real exposure to performance-type dance), dance has a somewhat different aesthetic from the rest of the culture. Although physical beauty may be valued, what makes a beautiful dance (and by extension a beautiful dancer) is a kind of "presence" in the dance - more of a spiritual quality than a physical one. The dancer values balance, both physical and mental, and inner strength, beauty and energy. This similarity between Yoruba philosophy and the philosophy of dance brings up a question for me: are the Yoruba a culture of dance (dance being undeniably socially important to them), or does dance as an art, regardless of place and culture, invariably adhere to this type of aesthetic?

One could argue that, since much of American dance has arisen from the African diaspora, in which the Yoruba very likely played a part, dance took its aesthetic values from those of black dance/culture. On the other hand, I think we see a similar phenomenon in typically European dance forms like ballet. Neutral, skin-tight clothing, tightly contained hair, and an aesthetic that values extreme skinniness are in some ways, I think, ways to downplay the actual appearance of the body and subordinate it to the appearance of the movements. A ballerina's slender form and tight clothing, while exposing the body to the viewer, ultimately turn the attention away from the body itself to the movements of the dance, since every muscle and bone is articulated. One is not so much looking at a person as at motion itself. When you talk about a beautiful dancer, I would argue that, no matter the form of dance, what you really mean is a dancer with grace, spirit and presence, regardless of what their face or figure looks like. In this way, the culture of dance is the truest manifestation in the western world of a philosophy the Yoruba apply to all aspects of their life.

Response 4: Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication

JJ Janikis
DANC 163

With all the stress of academics and extracurricular at Middlebury it can be hard to remember the importance of finding a state of balance. In the Yoruba’s beliefs, a beautiful physical body is one that is balanced with internal beauty. In addition, the attention of symmetrical posture in dance provides an outlet of communication and religion. In the Yoruba culture of southwestern Nigeria both music and dance compliment the philosophy of iwon that “everything must be balanced and in moderation”. Similar to the eastern practices in Yoga, the Yoruba’s philosophy of balance in mind and body demonstrates a unique perspective in the aesthetics of African dance.

I think that many times people forget that “to be balanced”, means to have a relationship with both the positive and negative and good and evil. In my life at Middlebury I try to “balance” the difficulty of my courses with the positive energy of my extracurricular activities, like the theater. In the Yoruba’s philosophy one must find “complementary oppositions” in which one maintains “a continuous balance of powers”. For example, “opposite forces serve as complementary agents in creating a suitable balanced existence or environment rather than acting as destructive conflicting forces” (40). Therefore, over-commitment in activities that reinforce a negative personal environment creates an unbalanced emotional atmosphere. As in dancing, one must maintain balance in their bodies to personify the “complementary oppositions” of the music.

To the Yoruba, the ìwà l’ewà (presence is beauty) demonstrates their attention to the ideal “body beautiful” in posture and dance. Therefore, a balanced body is approachable and endearing. Within the context of dance, the expression of body language is able to communicate, “the body is the physical manifestation of the ‘person’”(31). In many ways the Yoruba dance is symbolic and very personal to the dancer and allows them to display their body in a way that is accepted by the society (33). In addition, the dancers have a strong relationship with the music in which, “any Yoruba dance event is actually a dialogue between the music and the body”(35). Therefore, this also establishes another definition of balance in Yoruba culture.
As in the practice of Yoga, a yogi finds the “union” of mind and body and of breath and stance. Many of these same principles are found within the Yoruba tradition. In my experiences with yoga, the emphasis of finding balance in each stance encourages full concentration and a unique conversation between the mind and body. While yoga is primarily stationary, the fluidity of the movements is like a dance choreographed to music of the individuals breath.

In our practices of dance in the classroom, I find it important to understand and the philosophy of the dances and music we are learning. We every new position we learn it is important to feel a balance in the body that communicates between the mind and the music of the dance.

Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication: A Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Religious Perspective

Florence DiBiase 163A

I really enjoyed and understood this article compared to the one we read last week. I found the Yoruba culture fascinating and in many ways practical and correct in beliefs. The concept of balance is one of importance as one can never have too much good or too much bad. Bad and good things have a symbiotic relationship, feeding off each other to make the bad so much worse and the good so much better. It is true with anything in life; a silver lining and a dark cloud are present in everything.

The Yoruba cultures appreciation of beauty beyond the skin's surface was one with which I related. They still call those who are physically attractive but not nice ugly and people who are ugly on the outside but good people beautiful and approachable. Inner quality is just as important to beauty (in fact more important) than one's outward appearance. To be beautiful in the Yoruba culture is not to be perfect however, and the little idiosyncrasies and flaws each person portrays are part of the beautiful whole. I enjoy this assessment of the human race as it is these little things that make us individuals and create such a widespread diversity of personalities and characteristics.

The body is a tool of communication, and to the Yoruba this is an essential part of their culture. As the article states, "the body can be regarded as likely to be a much more accurate signifier of conceptual thought than speech is." (31). This is a very interesting philosophy but in thinking about this concept I realize that our bodies do communicate tons of information. We unconsciously read into the body language of others and send signals ourselves. Certain people are better at reading into these signs and I agree with the Yoruba in that this is something that demonstrates intelligence and skill. The Yoruba seem to take this form of communication a little further than we do and have secret signals and signs for cults and secret groups.

The Yoruba's cultural focus on dance is one I think our society should have. Dance is an important expression that goes beyond written language and verbal communication. The relationship between the dancer and the music is something I can relate to. When I dance, I enjoy feeling the music, directing it in some places, and following it in others. While it is astounding when everyone completes the same actions in synchronization, I also liked the concept of each person dancing at least slightly differently to the music. The dynamic between agression and calm (again relating back to the balance concept) is one which I think all dancers should maintain. That pent up energy we humans contain acts as the aggression, begging to get out and our bodies are the cool and collected mediums that allow it to escape.

As far as religious beliefs, I can not say I necessarily agree with the many deities of the Yoruba people. I did, however find their religious system quite interesting and entertaining. Their overall society seems to operate under the theme of balance, their Gods further supporting the harmony between two very different sides. This relates back to our discussion of Black dance and how it is a "democracy of body parts" everything plays a role in our dance, from our legs and the way we stand, to our facial expressions, and the way we move our fingers and toes. The Yoruba culture certainly support this concept and fit nicely into the styles we are practicing in class.

Body Thinking - - - Philippe Bronchtein Dance 360

Blog post about Body Thinking:

I really enjoyed this article and how it approached the physical manifestation of creativity. The concept of Proprioceptive thinking that is at the core of the article's thesis is one that really extends beyond just dance. My favorite example that is referenced is Rodin's the sculptor. I got a chance to see this sculpture a few years ago and was really able to connect to the example and what it was trying to say about how essential the act feeling is to creation.

The article quotes Rodin saying, "What makes my thinker think, is that he thinks not only with his brain, with his knitted brow, his distended nostrils, and compressed lips, but with every muscle of his arms, back and legs, with his clenched fist and gripping toes." I think what is key in this quote is the manifestations of a larger concept through a series of minutiae. Compressed lips on their own do not establish deep thought, but in combination with every other physical detail, a strong representation of thought is able to be conveyed.

Body Thinking & Vocab Of Form (LizB)

“Body Thinking”

---“Jumping is a kind of thinking” (163)---The body has its own internal logic which we often ignore. In Andrea’s beginning dance class, which I took as a freshman and am now repeating as a teaching assistant, a significant portion of the class is dedicated to identifying how we know what we know through our proprioceptors. Additionally, the author notes that “proprioception also includes how we feel viscerally and emotionally” (165). This statement interests me as it relates to my current research on the Graham technique as a means of training the body to enter specific physical and emotional states. Visceral knowledge is also at the heart (ha,ha) of my current choreographic process, in which I am investigating how language and metaphor are derived from physical sensation.

Another quote which drew my attention was the following: “our emotions are expressed largely by our facial muscles; every one of them is a gut muscle…the psychical association between our emotions and our viscera is closer perhaps than we realize or would like to admit” (174). This is an element that I have been exploring in my choreography through the distortion and exaggeration of facial expressions. I believe that dance like any other discipline is a form of rhetoric, but as dancers we persuade our audience by inducing in them “sympathetic action” (175). Rather than solely repeating facts, we seek to communicate a fuller and deeper understanding, which engages not only the mind, but the entire body.

The author’s discussion of Jackson Pollock’s artistic process and how his paintings can be viewed as a record of his movement, reminded me of a dance performance I saw of Shen Wei. During the performance the dancers dipped their hands in paint so that as they danced a document of the patterns they were making in space was left behind. I thought that this was an interesting example of how even when work has a concrete product as its outcome; we must still keep in mind the physical process behind the final piece. I am going to take this into consideration as I begin Jen’s homework for the week of mapping my dance.

“The Vocabulary of Form”

Reading this article was useful as it clearly and concisely articulated elements I had recognized in successful choreographies but had previously been unable to adequately describe. The two definitions that particularly interested me were for “harmony” and “variety”. They are defined as opposites, yet both are essential to developing a cohesive and dynamic work. I am endlessly fascinated by paradox and paradoxes such as these are what drive my work. Thus as I enter the studio this week I will keep in mind how to balance my need for diversity and individualism with harmonizing principles that tie these disparate elements into a coherent whole.

Sophia Levine, DNC 360, Lighting Moments 2 and 3

1. The rain was pouring down from up above. The sky was black, but the streetlights reflected an erie electric glow over the rain-soaked grass and pavement. Large black puddles had begun to form, and as the light reflected from their surfaces, they seemed to come alive. I'd imagine that their shininess and the movement created by the change in the light caused by my movement past them was similar to magnesium.

To create the sensation of a light that changes as a consequence of your moving past it, I could coordinate a man-operated or mechanical light source that would react as the dancer moved onstage.

2. It was midday and drizzling. The power went out. All the electric lights shut themselves off, and all the light in my room was left without its habitual fluorescent hue. The remaining light was surprisingly bright. It was white from having bounced of the particles in the clouds and the rain. It was surprisingly calming and comforting.

The ideal way to create this sensation in a theater setting would be to replicate it. In CFA 110 we could allow the unadulterated light to filter through and be our lighting on a drizzly and gray-white day.

Lighting Moment, Week 4-Cat, 360

This morning I was walking out of the CFA when I noticed two light blue intense crystal-like strips of light on the white rocks. The general pattern on the ground was the shadow of a tree. The two strips of light was the sun reflecting off of the Music library windows.
Re-creation: First I could use an abstract tree/amoeba blobs gobo with the white lights from the overheads. Then I could use the top high-sides (in our theater which I think are blue)on one side to be the strips of blue. I would close narrow the light coming out of the high-sides by closing the shutters a bit. I think I would use the overheads at a slightly higher intensity than the the high-sides. I'm hoping that would give the strips of light the subtle look of the crystal strips on the white ground.

Lighting Moments, Wks 1,2,3! (LizB)

Sorry I kept forgetting to post these!! Enjoy!

Lighting Moment 1
It is either too late or too early. Night never truly arrives in the city, where electric signs burn and flicker. We look out over the rooftops of apartment buildings to where the dome of the old monastery looms up out of the murky greyness…

“in the early hours before the dawning Breath steaming and bodies heaving Seeking safety in the Other lights from the city contaminate the luscious darkness that envelopes us Liquor glows like electricity in our veins Raspy whispers snake from our throats Secrets spoken softly, silkily slither and disappear in the shadows In-Between Us”

How would I recreate this onstage?
I would want to capture that murky half-light in which things can only be half-seen—the “in-between” aspect referred to in the poem. Then there are the shadows, so I would want to use a high angle of lighting to recreate them. Next there is this idea of electricity and artificial lighting, so maybe unnatural blues, purples, yellows--almost bruised colors. Is it possible to make lights appear to “flicker”?

Lighting Moment 2
Sitting in the dining hall I notice the indigo blue of the sky and the sun making one last attempt to break through the clouds in a day that has otherwise been grey and rainy. It is early evening and the light filters through the branches of the trees weakly swaying in the breeze. A lone ray of light slides over the slick surface of a table in the dining room.

Lighting Moment 3
A constellation of small light bulbs attached to a wire hover over the buffet tables. They twinkle like overgrown Christmas lights; a few emit a violet hue. Behind them on the wall is the circular clock face bathed in electric blue light, strangely out of place, like an object stolen from a 1950’s sock-hop joint.

Lighting Moment, Week 3-Cat, 360

This week as I read on the floor with my green yoga/pilates ball, the lamp light reflected into the see-through green ball and ended up casting a green shadow of my hand on the paper. Despite having seen this a couple of weeks ago when we were playing with lights, it was still super cool, especially because I wasn't expecting it to happen in that setting.
How to recreate this: I believe we had the high-sides on on one side at about 85% and the colored gels overhead at a lower power (50%?). When the dancers move, their bodies will block the light from the high-sides and cause the only the light from the colored gels to be seen. I would use teal (closer to green) gel to recreate the right color.

Yale's Project O

Project O, as an ongoing dance experience and as a final presentation, delves deeply into the conflict between looking back and not looking back.  Explicitly, the dancers and choreographers examined the myths of Orpheus and his eternal regret for looking back at his wife Eurydice as they ascended out of Hades.  Looking closer, however, the tensions between looking back and not looking become more complex.  The title of the final performance: "Don't look back!: A Rock 'n' Roll Orpheus" implies a danger associated with looking back.  Looking back inherently impedes forward movement, and in terms of the racial issues the project sought to unpack, looking back could render racial equality impossible.

On the other hand, looking back is essential.  As the authors of the article put it, looking back and not looking back are "irreconcilable imperatives."  The subject matter for this project is drawn from the past - both the culture of televised teen dance parties and the ancient myths of Orpheus are pulled from another time to examine our current racial understanding.  

I think that this essential conflict is most interestingly manifested in the discussion of the current generations self-identification as "post-racial".  The "don't look back" attitude of this group leads to a "not our problem" mentality, which is essentially elective ignorance.  At the same time, if an entire generation is not looking back, this means that some things are already lost.  I found it very interesting that the muscle memory of the younger students was different than the one dancer who had been born before 1965.  He was the only one who had an actual memory, albeit vague, of segregated dance floors and the social conditions of that time.  The rest of the students could only learn from being told, which does not impart the same emotional impact as experiencing segregation during the time it took place.  This led to their extreme unease during dances in which they were segregated - they felt it called attention to their race and felt it portrayed attitudes they themselves did not hold.  

What is unclear is what effect this looking back had on the students.  After not looking back until participating in Project O, did they take on new attitudes?  Is that a positive thing?  Would it have been better to not look back and move on as if it never happened?  These central questions are ubiquitous in "post-racial" America.  Ultimately, looking back gives us a deeper understanding of where we are now, and where we're going as we move towards "the reality of a shared culture, and...overlapping of identities".

Theatre Topics. Yale's Project O

The article assigned for this week was particularly different to the ones we've already read. It is a more academic type of text, based on research and observations of the authors.

The article mainly intended to described the project but also to present interesting arguments on the relationship between dramaturgy and history and how our historical background inevitably influences the way we perceive things.

This is well pictured in great contrast seen between the young dancer and the older ones. The adult dancers have gone trough a period of history in which the struggle between Black and White people was present everywhere and that experiences shape the way they feel their body, their judgement and their minds. Thus, the young dancers have grown up in the technology era, in what they call the post-racial epoch, where, according to them, struggle between races is not a reality anymore.

Personally, I can't agree entirely with this statement. race struggle must not be as big as it used to be but I definitely think that there is a need to keep thinking of how we can make society more inclusive. Black people might not be the target anymore but there are some other communities that have become objects of silent discrimination. It's easy to say that we have become a post-racial society from the perspective of a well situated social class, but in my opinion those struggles can only be seen in the less advantaged places, where there is a lack of money and therefore basic needs.

I finally wanted to point out the last paragraph which I thought it was particularly illuminating. When they quote one of the students who performed and he suggests that in order to understand things we must step back and look forward. It is important to not forget that there are still things happening around, and even though we are going forward in many aspects, we can't take many things for granted

Yale’s Project O

The work done by the members of project O brings about similar racial issues that were discussed in our previous readings. Racial tension is something dancers and many artists will have to deal with for a while. For example, most of the members of project O considered themselves “post-racial” but it was evident that they could not comfortably discuss issues of race. This in a way reflects the attitude of present day America despite the fact that they elected Barack Obama as president. Interestingly, some of the group members claimed they did not notice race yet there was conflict in chatting the way forward for the group.

From the onset, we are told that as the project confronted race issues, the phrase “don’t look back!” became more resonant within the group. I feel like this was a way of avoiding the race issues that many black artists find themselves tackling on a daily basis. For example, it was laughable that this group that considered itself racial blind did not want to be reminded of Hurricane Katrina or the number of young black men going to jail. For this group of post racial students, the solution for them seems to be “forget the past” and carry on from where we are. Unfortunately, race issues still exist albeit not as pronounced as they were in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Nonetheless, the article concludes with the discussion of a paper done by one of the project members who reveals that in order to take a step forward in the issues dealing with race, we must take a step back. It’s only by analyzing what went wrong, that we can get solutions to permanently fix the problem.

Anthony

Dance 0163

Teaching AA Dance/ History to a "Post-Racial" Class: Yale's Project O

This article was more academically involved than the previous articles that were given to us and I appreciated it because not only did it generate rousing internal discourse about dance, but it caused me to really think about the state of our nation in terms of race and reflect on my stance in a “post-racial” America.

Though I was not alive when original Soul Train programming was being aired, I did live to witness the reruns nonetheless before they took the show off the air completely in my area. The article gave me additional insight on race relations and how separate but equal jurisdiction was represented in the media- something I feel was frequently overlooked and not included in pre-college curriculum, especially pertaining to dance. The literature caused me to question what it was like to be an African American during those times and see people that looked like themselves represented on television when they were once not able to fathom that notion. Shows like “Teenarama “ (which I had never heard of) and “Soul Train” reiterate Professor Brown’s proclamations pertaining to how dance has been used to establish a sense of culture and identity for Africans and African Americans and its stimulating to see how history continues to repeat itself.

I feel that television casted fatal shadows on Separate but Equal jurisdiction and eventually lead to its self-demise. The media has historically been a conduit used to amplify social change and thusly assisted (along with numerous cofounding factors) in changing the psyche of the American people at large. For instance, when semi-interracial shows and “dancing” became more common, television helped to exponentially expose the less progressive to images counter to their mindset and subsequently changing it- if not the adults, their children.

I appreciated the way the authors did not agree with notion that America is entirely post-racial- one that is backed by countless reports like the Zogby Report referenced in the corresponding section of the article. Though I feel that my generation does not have the hatred and suspicion that I (potentially ignorantly) feel jurisdiction and times ingrained in generations before me- I feel that a lot now comes down to social class. Honestly speaking, if I were put in a room with peers in predicaments similar to those in the movie Rize, I’d feel initially uncomfortable regardless of being of the same race given that I had no grounds upon which to relate. I digressed: to be more dance and article centric, I understood how the students in the program found it difficult to relate to the race tensions of times prior to their birth, however, I do not think that that should have inhibited their creative prowess. I feel that if they were to have engaged primary sources, historic documentaries, and had proper coaching, they would have eventually been able to generate moving, appropriate choreography. I do acknowledge that time was of the essence for them and also am mindful of my lack of experience with creating my own choreography and am thusly cautiously critical.

Response to Experimental Art—

Ok, so I really am going to try and keep an open mind to this article. I think with the past two articles I might have jumped onto concepts I agreed with and disagreed with too quickly. So in keeping with the spirit of the 60’s why not take the plunge?
Ok, step one. “Detachment of cultural experimenters from the body of culture.” I’m not sure how to go about this because I’m definitely heading towards playing with theme and variation of concepts that have already been seen in the dance world, but adding my own voice to it.
Next stepping stone. Trying to understand innocence as “an intellectual invention, which we are forever in danger of losing as soon as we seem to attain it.” This interests me because I am reading William Blake who in his poetry tries to destroy the dichotomous relationship between experience and innocence by showing how the two are in fact, inextricably bound. I hate to always bring up my literature studies to these readings, but currently movement and language are the two lenses through which I seem to be viewing the world, which brings me to another point of departure.
“Violate” my beliefs of art. Although I don’t have an internal checklist for what I think makes Art art, I am willing to become aware of what my beliefs might lean towards and think about ways to violate them. Hm, that sounds a little dirty.
This has been a really philosophical week with the culmination of the readings in our discussion and with Marciela’s residency. I very willingly take in and absorb all this information, but I also recognize there does come a point where I just like to let everything go and WORK! I will follow my intuition as far as my body knows how to return.

Teaching African American Dance

Dancing and its relation to teenagers in this day and age is something I find very interesting. Teens are young adults who are still in their experimental and developmental stages. I think this is something that is apparent and exemplified in the dances they “coin” or how they act at a party when the lights are off. They have not yet solidified there disposition and yet to find and solidified their opinions and interest in specific areas. Ironically, the entertainment industry today has a record number of teen superstars from Miley Cyrus, to the boys who “created” the Jerk, to I-Carly and lastly Keke Palmer. Dancing and entertain are something that has become deeply entwined with my generation and how it is viewed. TV stars, delve into action on the big screen, which then leads to a record deal. It’s a rapid cycle where one week you are in and the next you are old. It has come where it’s almost as if stars are dispensable. Despite, the popularity I think that this has an adverse affect on the quality of performers we have coming out, however this is another topic.


Something in the article that caught my attention was the discussion about a “post-racial” generation. I have to disagree with this statement. It could simply be my personal experience or the neighborhoods I have grown up in or simply my tendency to over analyze things, but I think race is an issue just as prevalent now as it has been in the previous years. Granted certain things occur in a more under handed manner, but I think it still exist. Teenagers even more than adults in some cases see and pay attention to race more because it is our tendency to pre-judge and scope people out before we officially them Not that this is a negative thing but I think that issues of race come into play everywhere, whether it college acceptance, organization establishment or simply expected talents. Teenagers live and breathe their expectations and subconsciously/consciously project them on others. In relation to dance I think there is still the assumption that all blacks can dance we are a born with rhythm. I believe that until color and expectation are no longer accepted as visual indicators race will be an issue in this country and on the dance floor.

Mona Quarless

ExPeRiMeNtAl ART

Where does she come off?

In my opinion there is no line between art and experimental art because the validity in art is based on opinion, which ultimately exes out the “line” factor of this discussion. It is interesting to me that Alexandra mentioned that she did not “experiment” too much in dance because she is still trying to master the techniques she is being taught. However, the phrase “trying to master the techniques we have been taught” is experimentation because this new movement vocabulary that Professor Brown is teaching her is not familiar, rooted, or recognized by her own personal body vocabulary. The entire idea of the line exasperated me profusely because I may limit myself physically as a dancer, but I do limit myself or draw the line so to speak mentally when I dance. I consider each time I dance a new experimentation, where I may develop something new in my body or explore deeper what I already know. If she chooses to classify a difference in art and experimental art, then so be it. As an artist and human being, she is granted creative license to do so with her right of free speech. However, I don’t think it helped me in anyway. What her defining of experimental art did do for me is convey that there are always going to be people in a profession who want to assert their opinion to the masses, and it is up to you as the reader value it or disregard it, and in this case I plea the fifth.

Kereem Morgan - 360

Post-Race: Discussing Yale's Project "O"

Project “O”

I like the fact that Project O embraces the issues of race and dance from a historical point of view into an influential modern composition of work. Most importantly, the concept and term “post-racial” immediately grasped my attention. I do not understand the idea of post-racialism or someone who views themselves as “post-racial.” How can one not see race when there are so many factors apparent in our day-to-day lives that reminds us of racial supremacy and inferiority. We see this on the bubble in sheets on our standardized test or the box instructing us to identify our race with a simple check when filling out a job application. Taken from an exert in the text, “They thought of “post race” as an achieved reality in their lives, not merely as an aspiration.” If that is the case, there would not have been any surprise when President Obama won the election, making him noticeably the first black man in history ever to become a U.S. President. More interestingly, according to the text, the most outspoken student on the issue of “post-race” was apparently white. She exclaimed that she never noticed race, never thought about race, didn’t know who in class belonged to which racial category, and didn’t really know what racial categories were.

Honestly, I think that mindset incredibly far-fetched for the non-white students in the class and to be perfectly honest, as a white individual in America race does not affect her because she is in fact white and represents “White America.” Race for her was never a factor impeding on her day-today life nor was it a factor for her ancestors, so fortunately for her, her race is never questioned in America because her race gives her the privilege not to think about her race. In closing, in regards to the students feeling uncomfortable when they performed a racially segregated scene, I agree with Vanessa that we as a society we need to be okay with feeling uncomfortable and speaking frankly about sensitive issues and ideas if our supposedly post-racial generation wants to genuinely move forward on racial equality; an argument well stated.


Kereem Morgan - 163

Experimental Art - Cat; 360

Like Phillipe, I did not like this article. I did not appreciate the way the author made experimental artists so matter-of-fact. For some reason the way she (he?) spelled everything out really rubbed me the wrong way. I think that by defining experimental artists, it went against my concept of an experimental artist, which is strange because everything she said was mainly my concept of one.

However, I did appreciate the idea of the experimental artist as being compelled to “live” art in uncertainty. Although I would hate to live in uncertainty all of the time, I think it would be fun to court with it occasionally, which is what some non-experimental artists do. Perhaps that is what frustrated me most about this chapter; the author rarely acknowledged the fact that “art artists” also experiment with their art in new ways. When she does mention this happening, she stigmatizes traditional artists, specifically the way they practice their art, by making them analogous to druggies and criminals going straight and monks turning away from worldliness. Maybe I am offended because I come from a very traditional background and have not broken tradition yet.

Sophia Levine, DNC 360, Reading Response 3

Experimental Art: Does it really matter what it is?

I am not sure if it has to do with the era in which this text was written or the maner in which it was written, but there is just something that I think I failed to grasp about this article. Experimental art is great, but why is the author so passionate about defining it? And how through defining it is he/she helping me as an artist? I am content not to label my—or for the most part anyone else’s—work as experimental or not. I think it is this labeling that often interferes with our ability to absorb a work of art and form our own opinion about it. Furthermore, I get the impression that the author values experimental art over other ways of going about art, but he/she never exactly pinpoints why. Why should I care about all this philosophical babble?

            I was further bothered by the fact that the author insisted that to do experimental art, one must not acknowledge the history of the art before them. To me, work becomes experimental when it acknowledges and then contradicts earlier traditions. And in my readings in my Italian class about futurism, I found that the futurists did not want to destroy museums to be “unencumbered by a seductive past that blinded them to the present”. They wanted to destroy the museums because they represented an aesthetic that they wanted to eliminate.

            What the author does acknowledge, however, is that in order to progress as artists, we must constantly reassess our concept of what we know and do not know, making a judgment as to whether to continue down the same path or try something new. But then he/she confuses me again, writing, “The university training that most artists receive today gives them reasons to doubt art and the means to both destroy it and re-create it.” This implies to me that you can be educated into being experimental—an idea that I don’t have much of a problem with but that seems to contradict many of the ideas of what experimental art is according to this article.

            And, much to my chagrin, I have to agree with Philippe on the fact that the ending is just silly. “This act is tragic because the man could not forget art.” Common. This sentence (repeated three times) reeks of stereotypical artist. This is what turns people off to art. And for someone trying to define, and therefore on some level, defend experimental art, the author seems careless to conclude his/her argument in this way.

Yale's Project O

This article walks the reader through the creation of a dance/musical blending the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus with 1950's and 60's America. Despite not understanding some of the more advanced dance/choreographing lingo, I found the article to be very interesting as it explained how the class dealt with the racial tensions implicit in this time period. Most of the students described themselves as part of a post-racial society which did not see, or attach any importance to, race. The article points out how, in performing the dances popular in the 50's and 60's, the body language and movements of the students reflected the multicultural world in which they grew up. In adapting the myth of Orpheus which focuses on looking back, the dance project focused on looking back in history. This retrospection raised heated questions- if you can't imagine a segregated world, is this necessarily a bad thing? Should a post-racial society try to remember what segregation feels like? What role should history play in our lives? These questions were central to the creation of the dance and provided the dramatic power for the performance. The conclusion that the authors seem to have arrived at is that to understand the present, you need to look back while still moving forward.
Martin Breu
163-A

Experimental Art (LizB)

In Body Knowledge/Body Prejudice the author argues in favor of the philosophical view that “man has no nature but, instead, a history.” It is this history that Allan Kaprow (author of this week’s reading) demands the experimental artist to reject. According to Kaprow, the avant-garde is developmental in that, it too, relies on knowledge of what has come before. The experimentalist on the other hand is certain of nothing and questions everything. “For them all existing values are equally good and equally unconvincing” (pp.74).
One of the themes I see emerging out of this article is the idea that all boundaries are artificial; as Kaprow points out the lines dividing the arts are blurring, and it becomes more difficult to define just why painting is so different from-architecture from-commercial art. Yet in his attempt to erase all boundaries and open up a palate of infinite possibility, he has in a manner placed another limitation (albeit much grander in scale) on the work. This limitation being that the experimentalist must kick the art habit, and he acknowledges that “abstinence of this sort only functions in a context of knowledgeability” (pp.76). In my opinion, the act of creation requires tension; something to push and pull against in the work. Thus experimentalism requires traditional art in order to exist. The boundaries have to be established before we can play with the idea of erasing them. I enjoyed Kaprow’s suggestions for activities the experimentalist might engage in, but ultimately I don’t think that I could hold myself to the lifestyle he proposes.
One of the paragraphs that did catch my eye in this article was concerning the Futurists who considered the idea of burning down museums in an attempt to return to a state of “innocence” and proceed unencumbered by the past. While I certainly am not a fan of this rather extreme idea, it does bring up an interesting point: Why are we so fixated on this idea of “preservation”, of keeping everything in an essentially static, unchanging state? For instance, I often think of the contrast in oral and written historical traditions. In oral histories each new generation weaves themselves into the retelling such that the story never stays quite the same. In some way then, I can relate to Kaprow’s point of view: What’s so wrong with letting go?

Vanessa Evers, 163, Yale's Project O

Yale’s Project O deals with the space where racial history and dance collide, and it examines the implications of a generation who self-identifies as post-racial. Joe Queenan’s eloquent review about the difference between being “color-blind” and ignorant perfectly verbalizes the issues associated with considering yourself post-racial. In highlighting the reality that Hurricane Katrina “happened in 2005, not 1955” and bringing attention to “the numbers of young men going to college as opposed to those going to jail,” Queenan states the obvious: racial inequalities in the United States are still very pronounced. Just because we elected a president who happens to be black does not mean that our country is in a position to simply forget about our history (and continued struggle) with racial discrimination. The participants of Project O ultimately confronted uncomfortable racial realities about “looking back” on American history and learned a valuable lesson about keeping history alive in order to continue to progress. The article mentioned that the students felt uncomfortable when they performed a racially segregated scene, but if our supposedly post-racial generation wants to genuinely move forward on racial equality, we need to be okay with feeling uncomfortable and speaking frankly about sensitive issues.

Experimental Art, 360 Response 2 AV

The reason why we don't experiment too much is because we are still trying to master the techniques we have been taught!! (or at least that is the case for me!). I know the author speaks of all artists, thus more experienced ones should maybe try to reach the experimental zone, but I'll just focus on me here! Ha! I don't just follow the footsteps of my teachers, but I do take in the essential techniques that I know will allow me to grow, and when I perform, I want to show that I have done so and I am very grateful.

As for the leaps that random people in history have taken and thus, have been labeled experimenters, as the author describes, THIS IS NOTHING NEW. THIS WILL NEVER CHANGE. Yes, I have no hope for the future. No, I'm kidding, but what I mean is that someone will always upset the intellectuals, the experienced, the masters, but that is life and it grows on us. The evolution of women's clothes in 20th century is a perfect example, especially with bathing suits! In the 1960's, wearing a bikini was risque. A little before that, women went swimming fully covered. Again, this is life and something will always scratch out the norm. Who cares if people find Lady Gaga weird. That is the way of life.

Lighting Moment AV 360 week 2

Written on 9/14/09

I woke up this morning and had a Poltergeist flashback! My room was very dark and my shade was down, BUT the sun was shining very strongly, and it reminded me of the scene from the Poltergeist movie when the mom is in the hallway trying to save her daughter (the hallway is dark, but there is a strong orange light shining through the frame). Very freaky.

I wonder if we could steal a prop door from the theater dept., put it in an upstage corner and have a light shining strongly behind it (one with a boxy shape would work with the door's shape). Another option could be to simply light a orange rectangle on the backdrop, but I'm not sure if that would create a freaky feeling!

Body Knowledge/Body Prejudice, Reading 2 AV

Written on 9/14/09

What I really enjoyed about this reading is how the author writes about dance being a part of "man's social history". Reading the section about body movement being our original extension system really allowed me to understand how I have viewed dance for a long time. As children, we seek approval with "tricks" and there are many other ways we interact socially. It's interesting how your first decade on earth can affect you for years to come.

I also appreciated finding out how we gain knowledge of things (through the author's ladder examples). "Any human experience...must be abstracted and categorized if it is to become a form of knowledge." In thinking about possibilities for the fall concert, it is so easy to say you want to make a piece about relationships or your childhood or your mother. However, the more specific one gets, the easier it is to find choreography, lighting possibilities, etc.

Yale Project O Elizabeth Edouard DANC 0163

I enjoyed the reading for today as it offered a new perspective. As opposed to the writing of an anthropologist or historian, this collaborative piece was written by dancers as well as students in dramaturgy. They have a much wider spectrum of views and are able to offer in my opinion a more insightful and even critical perspective. It is interesting to read about the process of putting up such a show and the way that everyone involved grew and developed his or her ideas throughout the process. The idea that we need to know where we come from to move on was discussed last Wednesday in class, and is brought up in this article through their theme of “Don’t look back!”. The importance of the origins and the history of a dance are significant as there are normally multiple influences that are simultaneously reflected through different body movements. The authors explain that in the teachings of dances from the 1950s/1960s, the students were tended to juxtapose their contemporary social dancing with the older dances. This occurrence can be explained by the near unfeasibility of erasing prior knowledge, and in this case the ‘multicultural world’ in which the students were raised contributed to the their movements.

For this project, allowing all parts of the body, not only the brain to take part in the exploration of topics such as the civil rights movement and segregation resulted in the deeper growth of many of the students. It was interesting to read about the difficulty the students had when they were asked to perform as though segregation still existed. While the students were aware of this period of time historically and were able to capture it in their mind, their lack of first hand experience prevented them from being able to portray it through their body. While reading this section, I began to question the authenticity of all older dances that we perform… As many dances that exist today stem from a social movement, in performances today, do dancers give them justice or does their lack of personal experience in certain cases hinder the performance? Does each dancer when performing adapt the dance to reflect not only the origins of the dance, but his or her own origins- leading to the creation of new dances that are influenced by even more cultures and periods of time? 

Black Dance/white public

The impact that consumer American culture has had on representations of art and identity is in my opinion the greatest tragedy of our society. From the way we receive our news to the ways in which deep intellectual thought and artistic vision is presented, the emphasis on quantity over quality, profit over profundity undermines the many purposes artist and thinkers should serve within a society. While the conveniences and accessibility to many of these imitations art surrounds us through advancing technology, and excessive over supply, the ability to appreciate and value these representations becomes lost and convoluted.
In addition to this consumer mentality is a general misinformed/ misguided perception of racial construct. The racial constructions within this society run so deeply and so subversively, that it is often difficult to identify the definition of the term Black. The article from last week touched upon this conundrum briefly. However, to go further on this point, since an “afircan” is only an African when he/she leaves Africa, and enters a sphere where his identity is ambiguously linked to arbitrary and elitist constructions of race, nationality and identity- completely undermining the plethora of ethnic groups that make up the massive land mass that is the CONTINENT (not country) of Africa, what then are we labeling? I do not say this to suggest that racial constructions are not relevant, or impressionable, but rather to illustrate the role that power plays in the black and white dichotomies. The syncretisms that are inherent within American ideology become lost, and replaced with dichotomous and essentialist attachments to art and identity.
The article touches on this sentiment with its discussion on the perceptions and consumption of white audiences towards black dance (or perhaps only black aesthetics or assumptions of blacks in dance). The concept of an artist being so, in addition and not as a consequence of being black is a highly contested point. Brenda Dixon writes: “Black dancers are defined and delimited by the white consensus that black dance and black dancers are synonymous.” Because the white view point of this statement is rooted in the former assessment, it keeps black artistry in a very confined box, and perpetuates inferior power complexes within black communities.
The point in the article regarding the definition of black dance is particularly salient, because its digs to a deeper point about black identity and issues around “authenticity” within the trajectory of black art. Whether it be music, literature, dance etc. The question around the origin of content often comes in to play. Is simply being black a transformative agent? When will this not be viewed as the sole defining element of expression for blacks? Is the ability to sell this identity coupled with consumer/capitalist nature of this country allow this to be truly challenged?

Yale's Project O- Flo DiBiase 163A

I found this project to be an interesting study of cultural and generational styles of dance and race's role in dance. The concept of "looking back" at history is one that fascinates me. I believe history should play a constant role in our lives in order to help us make better decisions and maintain a more educated view on life. While I understood the intentions of the students who vehemently argued that they did not even notice the color of people's skin and the existence of racial categories, I am not sure whether this is the ideal for society. While all should be given the same opportunities and treatment, I still believe that our knowledge of our historical backgrounds is a beautiful and important thing. I do not think people should be grouped and separated by our backgrounds. Diversity should be celebrated and add dimension to our everyday lives. Our histories should also be shared with and explored by others.

Project O took this concept and explored history from the 50's to today. It was interesting to see the transformation in the use of dance through decades. Reading about the discomfort and dislike experienced by modern day dancers when practicing older dance styles shows time's influence on our art and entertainment forms. I think their adaptations of past influences and dance styles to the present was really cool, taking history and transforming it into a fusion that fits with modern day culture. That is, to me, what history should do; stay in the backs of our minds and guide and shape our decisions.

As far as the project is concerned, I think it was a great idea. Exploring the diversity of the ages, people, and their cultures is something I wish I could someday participate in. Discussing these topics of "post racial" ages and how we move and use our bodies is important and often difficult. I think I will always look back in order to look forward and hopefully will be able to contribute my history alongside others. In the art of dance, and beyond.

Response 3: Yale's Project O- JJ Janikis

I have always believed strongly in the collaboration of art with a social movement. Yale’s Project O challenged the traditional classroom setting and experimentally constructed a performance that observed the message of “looking back” in a “post- racial” society. Using music, dance, multimedia, and theater the students studied classic 1950’s and 60’s popular dance and music create their performance. While the students studied history the piece was inspired by their experiences. It is also interesting to observe the context of this performance that they defined in a “post- racial” society. Can these students “look back” and study from a time that they did not experience?
“Don’t Look Back!” observed the differences of the historical context of the Civil Rights Movements of the 1950’s and 60’s in contrast to the “post- racial” America of the Obama administration. I was amazed at the passion that the students wanted to tell in this social piece. Each student had a message that they wanted to tell the audience through their art. I wish that more students at Middlebury would take risks in the arts and create performances that challenged the social norm such as in Project O.
While Project O meant to bring together the students experiences, they were physically limited in their movements without the “physical knowledge of segregation”. The article explains that the group “brought to Project O our own memories and attitudes that were individually shaped by our different generational experiences and outlooks”. However, since they were observing social movements from a time when most of the students had not been born they were physically limited in their movements to accurately portray the emotions of the period. The students therefore had to use their imagination and a combination of their modern social dance experiences to relive the piece on stage.
In addition, the reference to a “post- racial” society is shocking to me. While we are more progressive in our ideals compared to the Civil Rights Movement, many racial groups are still oppressed in their everyday lives. While modern social dance might reflect a “multicultural world”, it still reflect a sense of assimilation that many groups such as African Americans and Latino’s had to face to be accepted in popular society. In addition the dances of the past had a different objective, than the sexual motivation of social dances of today. The differences of age suggests that while one can be aware of the conflicts of race, we still do not live in a “post- racial” era.
Project O’s “Don’t Look Back!” examines the importance of social awareness and progressiveness in the context of dance and the arts in the United States. While we can “look back” and study the dances of the past, we need to look forward and continue to use the arts as a public forum for critical social dialogue. I hope that in my future at Middlebury College and beyond that I can participate in similar project that observes the importance of social movements in America.

JJ Janikis
September 22, 2009

Darkowaa A-K - DANC0163- "Post-Racial Class," Response 3

In the article, the Yale World Performance Project members, created a production where students would stimulate dances and music from the 50's and 60's and link these dance forms to the classic Orpheus story and their well known present day culture. They called this production, "Project O."

The most interesting section of this article was, "Are we 'Post-Racial' Yet"? This discussion was very intriguing in that, many believe that in this present day, the United States of America is post-racial. It was shocking to read that a white student (also in the production) discussed the fact that she never thought about race and did not know what class belonged to which categories, etc. Though this notion of America being post-racial is debatable, Obama's victories in various States during his campaign, and moreover, his presidency, further strengthen this belief. But the students brushed off other issues, like discrimination during Hurricane Katrina and the blatant statistical evidence of less blacks furthering their tertiary education as opposed to spending time in jail. These issues grabbed my attention and had me thinking if America is really post-racial yet or even if our present generation has the 'first colorblind Americans.'

Another notable section of this article is the differences in bodily motions of present day students, as opposed to dance styles of the 1950's and 1960's. The article addressed that, in the 50's and 60's, 'black' dance was whitened. Hence, from the students' perspective, the past dance moves were more rigid and simple, as compared to present day dances in night clubs, parties, etc. The functions of dance nowadays seem to be more skewed to debauchery, as opposed to its earlier functions like: alleviating pain and releasing stress. Hence, students' dance movements consist of more bumps, grinds and 'hooking onto one another.' But on a whole, it was noticed that, the students' perspective of social dancing had a multicultural aspect to it, as the students adopted come Asian and Latin American dance into their dance styles.

Hallie Gammon - DANC 0163 - Teaching African American Dance/History to a "Post-Racial" Class: Yale's Project O

I think this article raises some very insightful points about our supposedly "post-racial" era. I, like the students in the production, would like to think of myself as post-racial, colorblind, but, as the authors suggest, it's not so much that I can't see race as that I am indiscriminately, idealistically committed to ignoring it. I am bound by the "stubbornly exhilarating buoyancy of an imagination for what the world is like" to the point that I no longer know how to acknowledge or talk about the concepts of race without becoming desperately uncomfortable - to engage in a bit of meta-analysis, I've run up against this issue often already in this course when trying to conceptualize black dance, or even decide whether it's a good idea to try to quantify it. On the one hand, I move through my day to day life without often having to consider the concept of race; on the other, when the question comes up, I am excruciatingly aware of my own (white) ethnicity, which somehow seems to disqualify me from discussing the concept of race at all. As the authors discovered, forcing their students to explore ideas like segregation that went fundamentally against their vision of how the world should be caused them at some points actual physical discomfort, but I think this uneasiness is worth something. Although our "arguably better" lack of imagination for such situations certainly indicates some kind of progress in cultural understanding, it also leads us to ignore ever-present social issues out of a desire to avoid awkward feelings. To me, our "post-racial" world seems not so much an unconsciousness of race as a conscious ignorance of it.

In the same vein, I found the authors' hypothesis about a physical type of "historical knowledge" very interesting. It would seem that, though we profess to be intellectually unaware of race, our bodies are a melting pot of racial expressions, recording changing attitudes throughout our lifetime as expressed through mediums like dance. Though the students cited in the article seem to have deeply multiracial muscle memories, I would argue that there are those among the "post-racial" generation who unconsciously still have deeply racial physical memories. Though I was raised by liberal parents who taught me the importance of equality and the evils of racism, I still went to predominately white, private schools and (probably a particularity of my own school/social circle) spent more time practicing ballroom steps than learning to dance like a "normal" teenager. The concept of a "democracy of the body parts" is completely foreign to my own body, and I'm far more comfortable with the "quaint, simple, controlled, and innocent" dances the students in the article found so constraining. If the authors of the article are correct, my physical "knowledge" is at odds with my own intellectual beliefs. Still, for the majority of my generation I can see how multiracialism has marked not only our minds but our bodies with a blend of converging cultural ideas that are increasingly impossible to sort out (as previously discussed when talking about the concept of "black dance"). I agree with the student cited at the end of the article who argues that we can view this not so much through the lens of "looking back" as by acknowledging that who we are now is "not a revolutionary transformation, but a discovery" of how things have been for a long time.

Reading Response #3 Ricky Chen DANC-0163 Christal Brown

The article is interesting in a way that it is written in a different style than other articles on the subject of dance. First, it is written by a group of authors ranging from different academic disciplines and performance scholarships. I believe this is a great idea because in order to understanding African American dance, a subject so extensive and complex, we must look at the context of the time period, the history of the dance, and the culture of that society. This multiple-author style can provide in-depth study of Black Dance that is usually only criticized in single-author publications, written usually by a white critic.

“Don’t Look Back: Rock n’ Roll Orpheus” is a production that resulted from the Yale World Performance Project’s team-taught seminar on African American dance in the context of 1950s and 1960s. The article discusses how the course explores the premise of African American dance as a major impact in American cultural performances. It also examines how the “post-racial” generation reacts to kinesthetic movements that were characterized by racial identities during the 1960s and Civil Rights movement. I find it interesting that Roach, the only person in the class who has experienced the Civil Rights era still has muscle memories of the social dances such as Watusi, the Monkey, the Hand Jive. However, the rest of the class have not lived through the time period and do not have exposure to those dances. Is then, the new generation, colorblind or post-racial? If so, I believe the advantage of teaching African American dance to a new generation with colorblindess is to finally accept African American dance as a part of the American performance culture, as opposed to a distinct, separate genre. Black dance will then lose the idea of racial identity, and become more of an art form. However, the disadvantage of teaching Black Dance to a post-racial generation is that we forget the context in which the dance rose out of. Thus, it is necessary to “look back” when studying Black dance.