Commonalities in African Dance: An Aesthetic Foundation

African dance has seven aesthetic senses. African dance is very exciting and emotion stirring and graphical. In general, African dance has been difficult to define in organization, structure, and codifying the movements (144). Why so? It is because it has aesthetic techniques senses company by: polyrhythmic, polycentric, curvilinear, dimensional, epic memory, repetition, and holistic. The dancers from all over the world are attracted to the distinctively stylized techniques and qualities, and many forms are complex art. As it happened with many cultural dances, people have been danced by epic, memory, and oral tradition.

In addition, it depends on where the dance develop makes a huge difference culturally and geographically. Even the highly trained professional dancers and scholars are not able to identify and label into certain code. The stylized African dance is noticeable and can be dance individually and practice in a group or village. Traditional beautiful African dance style is changing with mixed influences from other countries (144-145). 

Because Africans are all people of Africans decent, the code of African dance must: give condition of historical value, mythological, and religious world view to understand the African aesthetic; The role of dance within the African dance society; and traditional rural dance. The oral tradition then is the organic, creative process. Many of the African art of dance is not signed (145).

I very much appreciate reading how the author humbly acknowledging the creator responsible for the art of dance. “The signature of the African artist is inherent in the creation and spiritual or divine creator deserves and given the credit. It is understood that the artist is a conduit and therefore nor responsible for the greatness of the work. This does not mean that the artist is irresponsible, in fact, the responsibility is awesome” (145).

The beauty of African is the rhythmic not only in hearing of the music, but in their movements. Combining the breathing, motion, along with music to me it is polyrhythmic itself. Polycentric and a great deal of sense in form, shapes, and styles when I am dancing with African dancers. I felt the simultaneous movements with head, shoulders, hands, chest, knees, hips, ankles, and feet all together. Moreover, the high emotions are indescribable.

With combination of: polyrhythmic, polycentric, curvilinear, dimensional, epic memory, repetition, and holistic, the dance is another world. It can bring the sense of movements to feel, hear, and multidimensional enjoyment. I am concern about the complexity of Africa dance be more influence by city and the modern choreography will change to depreciate the original meaning of dance. Rather than improving, it deserves to be preserved the style. However, inevitably, form of African dance will continue to change with Bravo! From audience in other place than in Africa (145-146).

Please see the following video.

Teye-Sa-Thiosanne (Mask Dance)

Journal Entry #1 Looking at World Dance Please answer the following?

1.      In this reading it states “Why and for what purpose do we dance?”  List several reasons you dance and what the purpose is for that.  Use complete sentences and depth in explanation.

In the beginning, growing up in South Korea, I unconsciously developed the love of Folk dance through culture. I learned to dance because I was with happy people and in a good environment. Later on in life, I was more moved by music and learned to express my emotions. I participated in studio and dance schools. I have been teaching because I want to share what I have learned to embrace; therefore, I am studying further to dance better, inspire, and teach others.

New ways of thinking, creating new moves, and teaching all bring joy to me. Watching students become enlightened by the discovery of their potential is always rewarding.

 

2.      The subject comes up about political influences in dance.  Do you see political influence in the USA dance culture today?  How do you see it?  Or explain if you don’t see it.

The United States is a pool of diversity. USA dance has evolved and mingled with everything from native Indian dance to Hip hop, etc. The movements and expressions have changed drastically as the lifestyle and influences from all areas of life. Such as religious, agricultural, social, recreational, artistic, political movements, etc. It will continue to change.

3.      Name three ways you have seen dance transform a community setting and/or personal setting.  Explain the setting, occasion, your part as a participant or not.  Relate it to the article reading.  You may reference and quote the article as long as you reference the page, paragraph number, and sentence in the paragraph.

 

1.    Korean:

The dance settings were more of pleasing to the Kings, masters, entertainment, agricultural, futility, funeral, celebration, spiritual, condemning, cursing, children playing, and business, etc. Today, a variety of modern dances are being created, while struggling to preserve the traditional form and styles, and purposes. Therefore, the dance is practice without the same kinds of settings and occasions. For example, the court dance is no longer practiced since the Royal kingdom does not exist. However, Koreans have a ceremonial dance at the old palace. (P. 95 para.1).

2.      Polynesian: Traditional Hawaiian dance has also changed as the King and Queen are no longer in existence. Instead, while tourist style dances are demonstrated, the Kumu Hula (teacher) are in desperate search of younger dancers who can carry on the traditional dances. In Hawaii, there are several dance competitions. In St. George, we have several groups of Polynesian dancers who are teaching and learning. I belong to a traditional dance group, most of whom are Kumu from different Islands of Hawaii, Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti. Our setting is simply to carry out traditional style having fun as the old Hawaiian local people did to enjoy each other (reason to get together) and sometimes to entertain others with master artist, I can see the different styles of Hawaiian dance are practice locally. Some are very pleasing and some are displeasing to the souls of many traditional dancers. When I invited Jenny to Kumu Anela, she said, “I love to come to DSU and teach”.

  VS

3.      USA: As the years went by, dances in USA have changed and continues to changing from Native American dances to Jazz, Swing, Modern, Ballroom, Disco, Street dance, Free dance, Electric, Hip pop, etc. African American, Asian, European, Middle eastern, and fusion, etc. Settings and occasions are more independently practice, school and studio settings and has entertainment value than the ceremonials. As practice in the past. (P. 92, first paragraph).

4.      What is your definition of ‘World Dance’?  We all have similar mind and body, but with cultural difference and philosophies we move drastically different in dance.