While not entirely Puerto Rican, the song has distinctly Latin tones that make it kind of a generic Hispanic song. It doesn't entirely embrace Puerto Rican culture specifically, but groups the Puerto Ricans in with Mexicans and other Hispanic cultures as a whole. This was not uncommon for the 1950s, and is still not uncommon today, as American society has had a lack of interest in distinguishing between the different nuances of distinct Hispanic nationalities and cultures, and the dance in "West Side Story" reflects this.
Another example of how dance presents a cultural identity on stage in America is the musical "Fiddler on the Roof." This play focuses on a Jewish Russian community in the 19th century. The play is nothing but cultural references to the Russian Jewish people of this time period, including clothing, dialogue, and dance. The concept of the fiddler on the roof, the traditional Russian dancing during the songs "Tradition" and "To Life" are all very accurate. Rather than stereotyping the whole community under one umbrella of a generic, similar cultural heritage, such as was done with the Puerto Ricans being generalized with all Hispanics in "West Side Story," "Fiddler on the Roof" accurately and rather sensitively for its time, portrays the 19th century Russian Jewish community as far as their culture goes, and this includes the traditional dancing incorporated into the play. It is not modern dance, and can in no way be considered American; rather, it transports the viewer back in time to 19th century Russia into a community of Jewish people and shows them as they are, with their traditional dances and music (this includes the squatting, jumping, and kicking moves that are so closely identified in Russian dancing).
Finally, the musical "South Pacific" incorporates both American and Polynesian elements in its storyline, its music, as well as its dance. This is a hybrid musical, and was written about the same time (mid-20th century) as "West Side Story" and "Fiddler on the Roof." What makes it a hybrid is that it is about...
Dance in the 21st Century Worldwide history of dance Hip Hop dance Thesis- A thorough deconstruction of this sort of dance reveals that history and various tools today (most of which involve technology) have helped to catapult it to be one of the most influential styles of dance in contemporary times. First Support Type of Hip Hop dance Breakdancing to dance troupes Happy medium -- the Pharcyde Fluid, compelling, unique Second Support "Boy band" Hip Hop dancing New Edition Bobby Brown exemplifies
Lyrical jazz, another jazz form has a more ballet feel and look to it. In jazz dance, the motions are mostly slower and also have a fluidity that goes on to create longer lines and also to express stronger emotional connections. The movements are more strongly based upon the lyrics of a song and they express a similar if not identical ideas. Street-funk is also very similar and is related
The dancer signs a contract to work. Union contracts govern those who perform in public, such as major opera ballet, classical ballet or modern dance corps. These belong to the AFL-CIO and those who appear on live or videotaped TV programs belong to the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Those in films and on TV belong to the Screen Actors Guild and those in musicals are members
Black dance performer Norma Savoy documents that this happened in the form, technique and structure in black ballroom dancing. Savoy specifically expresses her fears over loss of control over the form to whites who would appropriate them (ibid., 13). Fusion is the combination of the two disparate above cultures. As documented above, the development of the Lindy Hop during the Harlem Renaissance is typical of this. At this time, millions
Strangely, the sense of freedom is observable even as the viewer consciously recognizes that it is not really present in the dance. Rainer's complete and continued avoidance of the camera's gaze mimics the original relationship between the dancers of Trio A and the audience, and the feeling it gives is one of avoidance due to oppression rather than the dancer's choice. In many ways, this sort of controlled freedom can
Dancing Skeletons - Life and Death in West Africa This paper reviews the book Dancing Skeletons - Life and Death in West Africa by Katherine A Dettwyler. It charts events in the book and aspects of the work of this physical anthropologist in the field of child nutrition in Mali during 1989 as an assistant professor of nutritional anthropology. Discussion questions on Dancing Skeletons - Life and Death in West Africa What were
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