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Ancient Greek Theater, 2006.
A paper on ancient Greek drama, the Greek theater and ancient Greek playwrights.
2,413 words (approx. 9.7 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 73.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the role of ancient Greek drama in Greek society. The paper explains the stage styles, how actors performed and the main types of plays performed in ancient Greek theater. The author discusses tragedies, comedies and a special form of theater called "dithyramb," which was sung by a large chorus. The paper goes on to discuss the importance of the elements of prose, lyrics and dancing in the ancient Greek drama. The paper then goes on to discuss some of ancient Greece's foremost playwrights, as well as theories about the origins of drama.
From the Paper
"The word 'Drama' as such has originated from the Greek words that mean 'to do', or 'to act'. When a story is acted out, it becomes a 'play', and this was the medium used by the ancient Greeks to act out their stories, which were either humorous and were about funny situations in their everyday lives, or they would be great tragedies, which would act out some important episode or period of their lives at the time. The speech and actions of the play would therefore, recreate human lives and its flow. It can be stated that ancient Greece was in fact the real birthplace of the future 'drama' of the Western world. In Greece, these plays or dramas were presented on stage twice a year, in honor of the God Dionysius, and there would be choruses made up of men who would be dressed up in goatskins, and who were meant to represent 'satyrs' or those mythical creatures who were partly goat, and partly man."
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National Ballet of China, 2006.
This article looks at the history of the National Ballet of China. The paper also discusses the history of the Chinese dance form.
1,318 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 7 sources, APA, $ 44.95
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Abstract
The writer looks at the National Ballet of China and its history. This article also studies the form and history of dance in China. The writer describes how the objective of the National Ballet of China is to introduce to the Chinese audiences Western classical ballets and contemporary ballet works. The National Ballet also aims to explore the unique and possible fusion of classical ballet and the Chinese culture. The author explains that in 1957, the classic "Swan Lake," was performed on stage and signaled the formal entry of the ballet form into the country. The paper glances at recently produced successes and at how the company experiments with different modern styles.
From the Paper
"One of the world's top 10 ballet companies, the National Ballet of China was founded on December 31,1959 (CCTV 2005, Orange County 2005) and has, in the past four decades, consisted of generations of striving and gifted artists. The dance company has turned out outstanding artistic achievements in Western and Chinese classical and contemporary ballet. It had rough and tough times too as when it was under-funded and its members became over-aged. Its only reward was art itself and its artists continued to devote themselves to their career to become the pioneer in China's unique ballet style."
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Butoh Dance, 2006.
An overview of this modern form of Japanese dance.
1,902 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 14 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
Butoh is a Japanese art form that emerged in 1959 as a response to western oppression. Western political dominance had a serious impact on the aesthetic sense of dancer Tatsumi Hijikata, who developed a new form of dance that comprises strange body movements, gestures and jerks. This paper provides an overview of the history and make-up of Butoh and shows how it is also accepted as a form of movement therapy.
From the Paper
"Artaud rejected the views, beliefs and values of the theatre of his time. He was not interested in projecting reality and sanity as they were accepted by the mainstream theatre-goers. For him, artistic skills represented the ability to fully embrace the unknown, the untried and the unseen. Artaud did not view insanity as a problem. Everything that treaded on the dangerous was found exciting as it opened a new medium of expression and challenged the classical traditions of Japanese theatre."
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Exotic Dancing, 2005.
This paper discusses the profession of stripteases also called inter alia strippers or, the expression chosen by those in the profession, exotic dancers.
2,005 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that exotic dancers can be well-paid working as house dancers and feature dancers, who have an independent name as a starlet and move from town to town, providing "feature appearances". The author points out that male strippers dancing in front of female audiences, have become widespread; male and female strippers perform for gay and lesbian spectators respectively and both sexes perform together in pan-sexual contexts. The paper stresses that exotic dancing training has more to it than learning to dance in a sexy manner; the trainee needs to learn how to go into the greater fathoms within oneself, locate their own hidden beauty and grace and mingle it into a sensual movement.
Table of Contents
What the Career is
What Training is Necessary and how is it Essential to the Field of Dance
The Insights of Persons who have Chosen this as a Career
From the Paper
"Essence, another local dancer who is a graphic designer with Pima, replied that the negative typecast concern her. 'They're simple, they're sluts'. However, things do not unroll in that fashion; simply it is about girls who are at ease with their bodies. According to Essence regarding the striper's current earnings that there is nothing called as average income, you end up either winning or losing. While at school, she would not truly talk about what her performances were until the topic came through, which she states that never happened very frequently. She stated that her advisor had full knowledge regarding it. In the education environment, it crops up as a discussion in some type of women's studies class; these matters do not crop up."
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Dance Therapy, 2005.
An overview of this therapy which uses dance as a means of treatment.
738 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 26.95
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Abstract
Dance therapy is the use of choreographed or improvised movement as a way of treating social, emotional, cognitive, and physical problems. This paper examines the benefits of dance theory to the patient and how the treatment works.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
The Realm of Dance Therapy
The Solutions that Dance Therapy Provides
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper
"The state of the different components of our body can affect and influence how we emotionally and physically feel (Wholehealthmd Online). This is usually connected to the tensions and patterns of muscles (Wholehealthmd Online). Since movement is a form of relaxing our body, especially our muscles, the effect of movements found in dance can help in treating our body."
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Frankie Manning, 2006.
A study of Frankie Manning, the father of the Lindy Hop swing dance.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 57.95
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Abstract
This paper studies swing dancing, focusing on Frankie Manning, the father of the Lindy Hop. As the paper explains, Manning created some of the Lindy Hop's most famous moves and continues to teach it today, at the ripe old age of 90. The paper demonstrates how Manning is one of the most important swing dancers ever, detailing his influence on the genre. The paper points to Manning's role in the widespread resurgence of swing dance and swing dancing popularity today. The paper also discusses Manning's continued influence through choreographing films, Broadway shows, and television shows.
From the Paper
"The jazzy, rhythmic beat of swing music just urged people to dance, and so, a new dance form began, called "swing dance" that went along with the big band beat and rhythm. One of the first popular swing dances was the "Lindy Hop," first danced at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in the early 1930. Legend has it that the dance was named after Charles Lindberg and his famous solo crossing of the Atlantic in 1929. After he successfully landed in Paris, newspapers across the country reported that "Lindy Hops the Atlantic" ("Happy Feet" and Editors). In Harlem at the Savoy, the most popular swing dance was simply called the "hop." However, after Lindberg's success, "a reporter, looking at the crazy antics of the dancers at the Savoy, asked what the name of the dance was. 'It's the Lindy Hop!', came the reply. And thus the first real swing dance was born" ("Happy Feet"). The story is as plausible as any about the dance's origins. This Lindy Hop eventually evolved into a conglomerate of swing dance and jitterbug that is generally known simply as 'swing.'"
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The History of Hula Dance, 2006.
This paper explores the history of the Hula dance and describes how the Hula maiden, with hips swaying in the breeze, has become a legendary symbol of Hawaii.
752 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 26.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper details the history of the Hula dance and its significance as a ritual of religion, celebration, mourning and communication. This brief, yet concise paper, examines how, in ancient times, dancers were selected for hula training in childhood, spending their formative years under the care of a hula master, separated from the outside world and dedicated to the goddess Laka, patron of the hula. Hawaii's history of births, deaths, loves and battles were expressed in the Hula dance. The writer also details the accompanying music and melodic poetry, to which the dancer's swayed, which include the double-gourd drum, called ipu heke.
From the Paper
"The history of births, deaths, loves, and battles of the people were preserved in chants and dance. Since Hawaii's history was recorded as dance, "hula dancers were expected to remember and repeat every dance step perfectly and under punishment of death," for "to change the dance was to change history." Hula was the written word for ancient Hawaiians, told through the movements of the dancers' feet, hands, and body movements. Through dance, stories were told, genealogies were kept, and beliefs were shared and imposed, thus to change the steps would be to change the message."
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The Lion Dance, 2005.
This paper describes the Chinese Lion Dance.
2,080 words (approx. 8.3 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 65.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the Lion Dancing is a unique art form from China traditionally thought to bring happiness, good luck, prosperity and longevity. The author points out that the Lion Dance is performed during celebrations such as the Chinese New Year and the August Moon Festival and at grand openings of restaurants, martial arts school and other businesses. The paper relates that it might have originated during the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) when, according to legend, the emperor dreamt he was attacked by demons but was saved by a mysterious creature, a lion.
Table of Contents:
Lion Dancing and Revolution
Elements of Lion Dancing
Lion Dancing Routines
Choi Chiang "Get the Green"
From the Paper
"Lion dancing has long been associated with kung fu, an association that dates back to the Ching dynasty, when revolutionary martial artists used the dance as a secret means of communication. Under the guise of celebration, revolutionary martial artists traveled from village to village performing the lion dance. As part of the routine the dancing lion woould eat lettuce which often contained money and information hidden within its leaves. In revolutionary days, the dancer holding the lion's head would cry out choi ching ("get the Ching") to signal that he was a fellow revolutionary and could receive secret messages. Of course, any Ching informers present would know the dancer's intention upon hearing the battlecry. Since ching was very close in sound to chiang (meaning green, as in lettuce and money), the lion dancer's password became choi chiang or "get the green.""
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Isadora Duncan?s "My Life", 2005.
This paper discusses modern dancer Isadora Duncan's autobiography "My Life".
1,390 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 0 sources, $ 46.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses Isadora Duncan's book "My Life" and her life in relationship to 'Section I' of Walt Whitman's poem "Song of the Open Road", which Duncan professes to be her favorite poem, probably because it reveals Duncan's specific philosophies of freedom and dance. The author points out that, in her life as a mother, a lover and a wife and her work as a dancer, who developed modern dance, Duncan broke away from conventional views seeking freedom from social and professional taboos and constraints.
The paper stresses that nature is Duncan's source of technique and dance content in which she expresses unbound freedom through her use of arms and upper body movements combined with simple steps, a style which Duncan intended to be the divine expression through the body of the human spirit.
From the Paper
"The fourth stanza in "Open Road" moves on to a depiction of nature, as well as acceptance. The sufficiency that he finds in nature feeds the poet's freedom. Isadora Duncan finds in the freedom of nature the freedom of her inner expression. She was born at the seaside: "...I have noticed that all the great events of my life have taken place by the sea. My first idea of movement, of the dance, certainly came from the rhythm of the waves." Thus the freedom and movement that make up the radical free-form dance style that was Duncan's invention, are profoundly inspired by the sea. Again, the restriction placed upon her by the public school is sharply juxtaposed by the afternoons when she danced and played next to the sea. Duncan is also much influenced by the stars and astrology."
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Isadora Duncan, 2006.
A look at the contributions that Isadora Duncan had to the modern age of dance.
1,058 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the life and works of dancer Isadora Duncan. It explains that Duncan was unknown as a classical ballerina, in which she trained, but became famous once her style changed into a free modern style, which became her trademark. The paper discusses how Duncan's free style impacted the modern dance industry today.
From the Paper
"At twenty, she arrived in London, having studied classical ballet in New York. She stayed in London one year, acted and danced in such plays as Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream" but she was restless, fame eluded her (she had then, and later, always expected that her every movement would win her applause and stardom). She started to learn about and love everything Greek. No wonder that, when she arrived in Paris, she utilized her version of a Greek dancing outfit: bare legs, a diaphanous long skirt, and grand gestures that defied the "classical" tradition. Her words were often as outrageous as her dancing. "Dance is a religion and should have its worshippers." (Terry, p. 27)."
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Samba, 2005.
A discussion of the roots of the samba dance.
2,215 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that as a dance form, Samba was rooted in the African heritage of the slaves the Portuguese brought to till the lands of their newest conquest, Brazil. Ripe in their own culture, the slaves outwitted their keepers by celebrating their own culture under the guise of party and dance; popular continued dedication to the holy forms of traditional culture invoked the preservation of the sensual dance form. The writer points out that as the world scene grew more international and Brazil developed its own government separate of the European thrones, Samba was encouraged on a national level for patriotic reasons, spread internationally for the beauty that had been suppressed for centuries, supporting its power to overcome racial segregation through simple movements.
From the Paper
"The power-hungry political motivations of Vargas did not detract from the many advances he made in the country and the society as a whole; his attention to the power of the people remains unvanquished. By providing financial and governmental support to those dedicated enough to the dance of Samba, he achieved not only an image of native power but also succeeded in popularizing a culture that had been ignored and suppressed by its rulers for centuries. Vargas played upon the political theme that Brazil was a racial democracy, where Afro-Brazilian heritage could not only be accepted but received the honor it was due."
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Paul Taylor, 2005.
An analysis of the life of Paul Taylor and his contribution to contemporary dance.
1,568 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 19 sources, MLA, $ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how, since his first dance routine more than half a century ago, Paul Taylor has become one of the world's most popular and respected choreographers. His works are performed by companies throughout the globe. Taylor has created more than 150 dance pieces. It also discusses how his style is unique and how he is often seen as a distinctly American artist.
From the Paper
"As has been mentioned, central to works was the focus on the experiences of common human emotion. The works that he produces are essentially about the way that people feel and interact in relation to the social intuitions around them. The use of body language in his works includes a wide range of both physical motion and creative imagination. Most important in these works is the focus on the human condition. His style is based on the underlying basis of dance as the expression of human existence and experience."
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Gregory Hines, 2005.
A tribute to actor, dancer and choreographer, Gregory Hines.
1,228 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the life and contributions of Gregory Hines, one of the most highly acclaimed choreographers, dramatic and comic actors, singers and directors of his time. It explains how his childhood and upbringing helped him develop the unique form of tap-dancing which became his trademark. The writer also mentions several of the shows that Hines was involved in.
From the Paper
"The "Pied Piper of modern tap", Gregory Hines, died of liver cancer, on August 9th, 2003, at age 57, in Los Angeles. When he died, "the shock reverberated through a number of worlds (because) he had shone in so many ways" (Jowitt). Gregory Hines was not only a superb dancer, actor, director, and choreographer, but was also a major figure in the revitalization of tap dancing in the late 20th century, in America ("Hines, Gregory"). He was "noted for his virtuosity, rhythm, and expressive style, and was credited with having modernized the form and facilitated its return to motion pictures" ("Hines, Gregory Oliver"). In his honor, the lights of Broadway were dimmed three days after his untimely death (Brennan). It was a memorial to one of the most gifted artists to have ever graced Broadway."
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Martha Graham, 2005.
A look at the exceptional life and contributions of dance and choreographer, Martha Graham.
1,987 words (approx. 7.9 pages), 14 sources, MLA, $ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how Graham transformed two areas of American dance: First was classical ballet that dated back several hundred years and included prescribed body positions, defined geometrical relationships among the dancers and, most of all, precision. Second were the folk dances of Asia, Africa and native America, which had long been considered popular art or craft forms instead of high art. The paper looks at her life's work, her contributions and achievements.
From the Paper
"When she was a freshman in high school, Graham went with her parents to see the early modern dancers Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn in Los Angeles and was immediately hooked. She spent her next three summers at their Denishawn dance school and enrolled in the company after completing junior college. In 1920, Shawn created for himself and Graham his most original vaudeville spectacular "Xochitl" about the legends of the New World (Kendall 167). Shawn had already recognized Graham's outstanding dance and theatrical qualities and wanted to feature them. In the play Xochitl dances Salome-like for the emperor, then fights him off as he advances on her in a drunken state. The success of the melodrama was crucial to Graham's future. During her three years at Denishawn, she had begun to develop her new dance movements. "This production gave her the chance to experiment night after night with dynamics-that link between the visible dance shapes and the dancer's inner passion." "
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Tango and Mass Culture, 2005.
An examination of Theodor W. Adorno's theories of mass culture and how they can be applied to the tango dance.
2,415 words (approx. 9.7 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 73.95
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Abstract
The paper begins by introducing Adorno's theories on mass culture and commoditization, which were one of the fundamentals of post-modernism as it appeared in the 20th century. It then looks at how the tango dance is one of the most representative forms of manifestation of the Argentinean spirit and people. Born in the mid-1800s, tango was quickly exported to Europe and became a true success story, until its downfall in 1955. It was reborn in 1983 and has been a success ever since. This paper investigates Adorno's theories and applies them in the case of tango, and looks at whether this is the best example we may choose to argument the truth in Adorno's statements. It explains that, while on one hand, tango can be considered an element of mass culture because, in many ways, it has partly embraced the mercantile character of mass culture that Adorno insists upon, in many other ways, tango is still something in its own, a form of art, a form of expression.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
Adorno's Theory of Mass Culture
History of Tango
History of Tango
Adorno's Theories applied to Tango
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Tango is still too imaginative and too expressive to be assimilated as a product of mass culture and classified as a commodity. If we were to pursue on this theoretical path, we would tragically arrive to the conclusion that feelings, emotions and passion are all for sale. However, there were inspired people, like in any other forms of cultural manifestation, that were keen to partly transform tango into a form of entertainment. As any for of entertainment, it could be sold and profit could be obtained by promoting something that was well received in its audience and segment of consumers. Passion sells, many might say. While this argumentation may work in some occasions, passion isn't always understood and passion only addresses a certain category of people. Passion is not a mass culture product."
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Globalization and Culture, 2004.
An analysis of the hip-hop culture, its origins and the effect globalization has on it.
1,254 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the hip-hop culture that originated in the United States in response to the oppression of African-Americans. This paper explains that this art form is therefore deeply integrated with the social consciousness from which it arose. The paper examines how other cultures adopted this art form and then illustrates the subsequent implications.
From the Paper
"On the surface, there are four physical aspects that can be attributed to hip-hop as a culture. These include deejaying, breakdancing, graffiti and rhyming. These, according to, Richardson, are not the heart of the culture. Instead, the central message is the platform from which the technical, teachable aspects arise. The message relates directly to the struggle, the poverty, the oppression and the hardship suffered by the African Americans who were refused the rights of other Americans as a result of their skin color. This is a very specific group of people who created a specific culture. The technical aspects merely exist as an outlet for a specific kind of creativity."
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Eating Disorders in Dancers, 2004.
An analysis of the problems of eating disorders among dancers as opposed to non-dancers.
2,070 words (approx. 8.3 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 65.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses eating disorder patterns among ballet dancers and non-dancers. The paper examines what anorexia is and presents the causes of anorexia and the reasons that it is seen so much in ballet dancers as opposed to non-dancers. The paper explores the impact of ballet dancing on children with respect to eating disorder patterns and identifies whether any difference is seen in the frequency of eating disorders in professional ballet dancers and non-professional ballet dancers.
From the Paper
"Anorexia nervosa is a growing psychological and physiological disorder in the society of today. A surprisingly large number of people are affected by eating disorders, the major cause of which is anorexia nervosa. The cultural ideals especially of the western world cause young women to believe that they should maintain thinner bodies than intended by nature. This causes them to alter their eating patterns and this leads to eating disorders like anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is most prevalent in young girls from the upper middle classes and generally between the ages of eleven to eighteen. Anorexia nervosa is fatal in about twenty percent of the cases and this is the reason for concern. Psychiatric assistance is able to help about thirty percent of anorexics to overcome the disease. A person is considered as anorexic if the body weight of the individual is twenty percent less than the normal weight of a healthy person of that age and height."
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Javanese Dance Rituals, 2004.
An analysis of Javanese dance rituals.
1,239 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
This paper examines and compares the erotic court dances of the 14th century Javanese culture and today's local folk-dancers, ronggeng. The paper explains that, in addition to expressing the age-old dichotomy between the masculine and feminine principles, Javanese dance is also useful in preserving what the Javanese believed would be lost through colonialism, their culture. The paper claims that the first schools of classical Javanese dance were founded out of a desire to retain and maintain the true Javanese culture, with its Hindu and Buddhist elements.
From the Paper
"Two sons of a Javanese sultan, both of whom were nationalists, founded a dance school, Kridha Beksa Wirama, in 1918. Moro notes that the school was "groundbreaking" as it was the first effort to make court dance democratic, and less 'feudal.' Its first students were the youth affiliates of Budi Utomo, the first nationalist organization in the region. However, because members in these somewhat avant garde groups were primarily aristocrats, the elite continued to have a hold over the arts. Still, graduates of that school went on to teach in the Taman Siswa schools, a system dating to 1922 that " linked education and experimental pedagogy to the goals of Indonesian nationalism" (Moro, 2004)."
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Mask Dance in Indian Culture, 2004.
An analysis of the mask dance in Indian culture.
1,369 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the Indian culture's mask dance. The paper explains that the nation of India has a long history associated with dance as a form of communication and expression. The paper contends that dances are more than just a fusion of choreographic movements; dance in India represents a way of telling tales of historical events, passion, romance, and even tales of treachery and woe.
From the Paper
"Dance in the culture has always represented some of the more inner reflections regarding the country's combination of historical turbulence mixed with the nation's religious and inner peace oriented factions such as Hinduism. "The Arts of India are the illustration of the religious life of the Hindus. Like their faith, the arts have been preserved for the past three thousand years, from change and decay, from foreign invasions, and from the fury of the nature. We owe its preservation to the future generations. For, it exemplifies how life can indeed revolve around the arts." (Kamat, 2004) In other words, dance in Indian culture is seen as more than just a fusion of detailed and non-meaningful movements; it is more a system for delivering aspects of the culture to the masses."
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