Katie Nooning
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Sam Gill
Samoan War Dance: Seducing
To quote William Faulkner, “the next time you try to seduce anyone, don’t do it with talk, with words. Women know more about words than men ever will. And they know how little they can ever possibly mean.” Faulkner knew what he was talking about when he said this. He knew that words do not hold as much substance. Dancing holds more substance than words do, in particular the Samoan War Dance – Siva Tau.
The Siva Tau may include the rebel war cry yelled by the rugby players, but the words do not do the actual dance justice.
The Manu Samoa, may you succeed in your mission
The Manu Samoa, here I come
There is no other Manu (team) anywhere
Here I come completely prepared
My strength is at its peak
Make way and move aside
Because this Manu is unique
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa
The words that the players cry out are powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the dance and the powerful seduction that the players carry out. It is the seduction of power, respect, tradition, intimidation, strength, energy, inspiration and culture that seduces the audience as well as the participants. Unlike the bolero dance, the Samoan War Dance does not have the “elegantly romantic affect”, but it does have an elegant warrior affect. There are no feminine roles in this dance; therefore there is no seductress, which means that the person doing the seducing is masculine. The gender roles that were established in the lectures as well as the gender roles that are stereotypical in dancing when it comes to the seduction characteristic are broken in this war dance. The male is no longer absent in the dance; however, one could say that man is actually absent and that the warrior is present.
The warrior is the seducer. The warrior performs a type of game/war foreplay that engages the opposing team The opposing team and its players are, in a sense, hypnotized and seduced into this culturally rich war cry. They are seduced into a state of rivalry, competition and future athletic movement that the Siva Tau is like an overture. Just like the bolero dance, “it allows [players] to experience a kind of physical unity with one another, but the dance is over when the music ends”. The dance and Siva Tau is over when the war cry is complete, but the seduction from the dance enables the start of the game and transfers the seduction (the game foreplay) into game play and competition.
Once game play ensues, the reversibility factor now becomes present. The hypnotic seduction of the Samoan War Dance has now ceased and is taken away from the field. It is a reversal of roles from being the seducer to being a warrior. This is what makes Siva Tau so unique and genuine, in my opinion. What also makes Siva Tau so unique is the fact that it also entrances the audience. Jennifer Birkett said, “The mask of art is the means through which corruption is spread. The mask makes vice seem beautiful, turns squalor and nastiness into glamorous thrill, seduces the onlooker into the game – and leaves him or her with the corpse on his hands.” The mask in this case is the warrior mask. The warrior mask that the players wear is the art that seduces. It makes the imminent competition (the vice) seem beautiful and not barbaric. The game turns into “glamorous thrill” from “squalor and nastiness”. The Siva Tau seduces the opponents and the audience (onlookers) into the game and leaves the defeated (the corpse) at the end.
Not only does the Samoan War Dance seduce both parties, but when being performed, the dance holds and establishes a certain aura. This aura is created by the dance and by the players, and the aura seduces and once the aura is established it is held and present throughout the rest of the game. It helps to establish the initial foreplay and helps to transfer the foreplay into game play. It is a smooth transition between both performances and what motivates and creates the intensity behind the dance. However, without the desire of the dancers (players) the aura would not be strong enough to seduce and be held throughout the entire game.
Unlike other seduction techniques that occur in dancing, I do not believe that this form of seduction “operates by deception and secrecy”. Additionally, here, there is a “time of seduction” and “a time for seduction”. The time of seduction is before the game and the time for seduction is before every game. It has a rhyme and it has a reason. It creates an aura that establishes a seduction. The characteristics of this seduction, strength, sweat, culture, faith and war, pulls in everyone watching and participating so that even though their message and chant is powerful, the movement being performed is even more powerful in seducing those around them.
This is the beginning to my essay that must have gotten chopped off:
To quote William Faulkner, “the next time you try to seduce anyone, don’t do it with talk, with words. Women know more about words than men ever will. And they know how little they can ever possibly mean.” Faulkner knew what he was talking about when he said this. He knew that words do not hold as much substance. Dancing holds more substance than words do, in particular the Samoan War Dance – Siva Tau.
The Siva Tau may include the rebel war cry yelled by the rugby players, but the words do not do the actual dance justice.
The Manu Samoa, may you succeed in your mission
The Manu Samoa, here I come
There is no other Manu (team) anywhere
Here I come completely prepared
My strength is at its peak
Make way and move aside
Because this Manu is unique
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa
The words that the players cry out are powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the dance and the powerful seduction that the players carry out. It is the seduction of power, respect, tradition, intimidation, strength, energy, inspiration and culture that seduces the audience as well as the participants. Unlike the bolero dance, the Samoan War Dance does not have the “elegantly romantic affect”, but it does have an elegant warrior affect. There are no feminine roles in this dance; therefore there is no seductress, which means that the person doing the seducing is masculine. The gender roles that were established in the lectures as well as the gender roles that are stereotypical in dancing when it comes to the seduction characteristic are broken in this war dance. The male is no longer absent in the dance; however, one could say that man is actually absent and that the warrior is present.
The warrior is the seducer. The warrior performs a type of game/war foreplay that engages the opposing team The opposing team and its players are, in a sense, hypnotized and seduced into this culturally rich war cry. They are seduced into a state of rivalry, competition and future athletic movement that the Siva Tau is like an overture. Just like the bolero dance, “it allows [players]
To quote William Faulkner, “the next time you try to seduce anyone, don’t do it with talk, with words. Women know more about words than men ever will. And they know how little they can ever possibly mean.” Faulkner knew what he was talking about when he said this. He knew that words do not hold as much substance. Dancing holds more substance than words do, in particular the Samoan War Dance – Siva Tau.
The Siva Tau may include the rebel war cry yelled by the rugby players, but the words do not do the actual dance justice.
The Manu Samoa, may you succeed in your mission
The Manu Samoa, here I come
There is no other Manu (team) anywhere
Here I come completely prepared
My strength is at its peak
Make way and move aside
Because this Manu is unique
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa
The words that the players cry out are powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the dance and the powerful seduction that the players carry out. It is the seduction of power, respect, tradition, intimidation, strength, energy, inspiration and culture that seduces the audience as well as the participants. Unlike the bolero dance, the Samoan War Dance does not have the “elegantly romantic affect”, but it does have an elegant warrior affect. There are no feminine roles in this dance; therefore there is no seductress, which means that the person doing the seducing is masculine. The gender roles that were established in the lectures as well as the gender roles that are stereotypical in dancing when it comes to the seduction characteristic are broken in this war dance. The male is no longer absent in the dance; however, one could say that man is actually absent and that the warrior is present.
The warrior is the seducer. The warrior performs a type of game/war foreplay that engages the opposing team The opposing team and its players are, in a sense, hypnotized and seduced into this culturally rich war cry. They are seduced into a state of rivalry, competition and future athletic movement that the Siva Tau is like an overture. Just like the bolero dance, “it allows [players]
Emily Fetterly
July 3, 2012
Dance, Religion, and Culture
Professor Sam Gill
Application Project #4
As we have read in On the Aesthetic Education of Man by Schiller, play is foundational to what makes something beautiful, and the movement between the gaps of the sensuous drive and the formal drive infuses life into religious tradition. The Yanggee is a traditional dance of China of the Han Chinese people that is meant to express their hope for a prosperous spring season as well as a way to instill the important tradition of story telling in the younger generation. The Yangge is also a way in which the Chinese people can connect with their ancestral Chinese identity through ancient tradition of dancing to eulogy songs that were sung in sacrifices to the God of the Farm (1). There are many forms and styles of the Yangge that can be found throughout the different areas of the country. The Han Chinese people are found in the Northern part of China, and they congregate together each year to in celebration and to carry out the tradition of storytelling.
Building on what I learned from Sheets-Johnstone, movement is foundational to being alive. As I examined in my previous application assignment, the Punta, the Yangge is also a means in which the dancers interact with their modern environment as well as exploring the ideas and values of their traditional Chinese roots. The movements of the Yangge celebrate the hope for a prosperous season and good harvest just as movement is vital to life, so is food crucial to the body. As the Han dancers physically sway and their arms bounce up and down to the drums and clanging cymbals of the music, their bodies are experiencing the doubling of self and other as they celebrate the joy of bringing in a new and hopefully prosperous season. Through the Yangge the importance of storytelling does not die, but gets passed down to the new generation. It is a way in which the Chinese people continue to bring to life the value of ancient folk stories to teach the coming generation of the lessons of their ancestors. As seen in this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXLUTxldQ_g, the gesturing and springing movement of the hands holding elegant fans are aesthetically pleasing to the onlooker as they slice through the air.
We see beauty take place as Schiller would describe it because there is “oscillation or movement” between the gaps of the sensuous drive and the formal drive as the dancers play (1). This can especially be seen with the masks of the monkey and the pig. As Professor Sam Gill stated when describing masks, “Apart from the masked presentation this figure has no physical, no sensuous nature, but rather pure form, idea, or concept.” (3). The mask of the folk character of the monkey has absolutely no life at all. It is an inanimate object that reflects the animal represented from the ancient Chinese folk tale. But while the mask itself is dead in this sense, as Professor Gill taught us, the mask is a “conjunction of the two – mask and masker” (3). Masking, as Professor Gill states, “does however heighten some aspects of human sensuality” (3). The masker is providing the sensual drive to the mask itself by infusing it with a living existence. Simultaneously, the masker is being self-othered by the ancient folk animal by breaking the human behind the mask of his formal self.
This “oscillation” of the sensual and formal drives as Professor Gill describes “gives rise to the play drive and hence to beauty” (3). The Yangge not only looks beautiful, but also is truly beautiful as defined by Schiller.
The dancers involved in the Yanggee are both creating life, and permeating life into the religious traditions of the Han people. Story telling is an important part of the Han culture. It is a way in which values and lessons can be learned from ancient folk characters. It is crucial for the younger generation to know these values of old, and the Yangge is a way in which the interplay occurs between the formal traditions of storytelling and the sensual drive of the gestures and movement of the masked characters.
I would even venture to say that in this particular example, as seen from the video, that new values are also being instilled within the younger generation as well. The video shows dancers that are members of a hearing-impaired dance team organized by the Red Cross. Being a Speech Language and Hearing Sciences Major, I have first hand seen and heard the frustration and discrimination that is directed towards those who are hearing impaired. My heart instantly was drawn to this video because it was advocating a positive view for those with hearing impairment. While one part of their body may not function correctly, the whole body is not being denied within the culture. The dancers can move and gesture to communicate the important values taught from the othering in the folk character to connect them to their Chinese culture. The movement is merely an avenue in which these Han people can discover more about their culture while simultaneously binding them together in their identity as being people with hearing impairment.
The play of the sensuous and the formal drives fluctuates within the dance of the Yangge and gives way to beauty. We see this in the physical movement of the up and down motion of the fans and handkerchiefs. The visual motion evokes pleasure and elegance, and this is reflective of the beauty that is created through the interplay between the two drives of the dancer. As Schiller said, “With beauty man shall only play, and it is with beauty only that he shall play. … Man only plays when he is in the full sense of the word a human being, and he is only fully a human being when he plays.”(XV.8 and 9)” (2). As the Han people dance the Yangge, life is being infused into the mask of the folk character while at the same time giving life to the religious tradition of storytelling that is a beautiful sight to behold as well as experience.
References
1. China Dance. 2008. China Fact Tours. June 24, 2012.
2. Gill, Sam. “Go Up Into the Gaps: Play and Native American Religions-1” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
3. Gill, Sam. “Go Up Into the Gaps: Play and Native American Religions-2” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Cotillion and Seduction
I decided to take an in-depth look into cotillion and choose to analyze not only the event, tradition, and dance itself, but the entirety of cotillion with a particular emphasis on seduction. The course thus far has spent a great deal of time discussing seduction as an integral part of dance while Sam has provided us with a great deal of insight in an effort to reveal that seduction is not only an essential aspect of dance, but in order to be able to fully understand dance in its entirety one must be able to fully understand seduction as it relates to dance. I plan to go into detail about the history, origin, evolution, significance, and practice of cotillion and will provide you with an in-depth analysis of seduction and how it not only pertains to dance, but how seduction is present, evident, and embedded within the traditions of cotillion and cotillion in and of itself. Lastly, I plan to discuss how the presence of seduction in cotillion differs from Bolero and the seductive nature present in other dance forms that Sam has discussed thus far.
To begin, I’d like to carefully define cotillion. Cotillion is the dance itself, but today in the U.S., the term debutante ball is commonly used interchangeably to refer not only to cotillion as a dance, but it is also used to describe the event and its various meanings. As previously mentioned in application 3, cotillion is known and referred to as a social dance having originated in France circa the year 1850’s, and has since spread and is currently practiced in the U.S., Italy, Austria and all over Europe (Whitaker 2009). Contrary to common knowledge, cotillion originated from French country dancing, but has since evolved a long way and today bares little connection to country dancing, as practiced in most places.
In application 3 I briefly discussed my experience as a participant in cotillion, or as we referred to it in the Southwest, Tux & Boots, which actually does bare some resemblance to country dancing, however, more so out of a cultural significance rather then country dancing itself. I’d like to elaborate on my experience before I go into depth about theories of seduction in regards to dance. Although it technically was a cotillion, the only difference was that the girls were bright red cowboy boots under their fancy white gowns. It was such a wonderful experience that I’m extremely happy to have been part while learning a thing or two about ballroom dance.
However, upon reflection of my participation, I started to think a great deal about the presence of seduction in and of this event itself. Today cotillion, as practiced in the U.S., is a presentation of young ladies to society, and is also referred to as one’s coming of age debut. However, cotillion has evolved a long way from its original practice. Originally, cotillion was practiced by the elite social class and by aristocrats to introduce and pair eligible young females to young eligible wealthy males, also known as a coming-of-age event. Tux and Boots was also a coming of age event, but it no way did it serve as an event to introduce and pair wealthy girls and boys. In fact, I picked my own escort to accompany me, and in general this event did not entail a sense of courtship in comparison to the origins of cotillion. I’d like to return back to the topic of seduction for a moment. Originally, I had thought the reasoning behind all the females wearing bright red cowboy boots was just to add a spice of Southwest desert flare and culture, but then I thought about the symbolism of the color red, or what Baud. refers to as ‘signs’. Red represents the color of seduction and symbolizes sex, at least that is the color that comes to most people’s minds when asked about sex. I started to think that perhaps there was some seduction present in this event in which I hadn’t before considered. For instance, at one particular point in the dance the girls (all of us in unison), while dancing with their partners raised their dresses just a tad to reveal not only the boots, but also their ankles and upper legs. Prior, to the lecture series on seduction I had not thought about this simple choreographed gesture twice, and I certainly had not considered it to have a seductive nature to it, that is until Sam and Baud’s. detailed description of seduction.
I’d like to move on to incorporate and to discuss theories of Seduction and how they are prevalent in dance, but in specific I’d like describe the ways in which seduction is present in cotillion, and how the nature of seduction present in cotillion slightly differs from mainstream theories of seduction. This course has spent a great deal of time discussing play in and of itself, but also play is also related to seduction. In addition, it seems that seduction itself serve as the ‘rules’ of a ‘game.’ Sam and Baud. describe seduction as ‘smoke and mirrors’, all made up appearances, in which have no real meanings, because after all it is just a game, however, even though seduction is deceiving and doesn’t necessarily have meaning to it, it serves to offer a point of meaning. According to Baud., seduction is meaningless and powerless, yet at the same time seduction is source of power itself. At first I thought that statement and its associated meaning was an oxy-moron, and didn’t at first understand what was meant by that powerful statement However, when I reconsidered this statement in regards to cotillion, I was able to grasp a fuller and better understanding of this concept, especially in regards to feminine seduction.
I started to grasp a better understanding when I realized that cotillion is just one big annual event, staged, and even produced, everything from the dresses to the make-up, the dance steps, and the ballroom itself! That was my light bulb moment, when I realized that although it was reality, and I experienced it, and it indeed did occur, nonetheless, it wasn’t exactly a REAL-ity. In fact, it was far from. The moment I came to this realization I was able to see not only seduction as it relates to dance, but the inseparable nature of seduction to the study dance. I found Sam’s distinction and description of Baud’s idea of production as seduction, not only to be extremely helpful, but it also was the missing piece to the puzzle. And that one has to view dance as having a seductive nature in those terms put forth. My other mind-blowing moment came along when I internalized Baud’s connection to seduction as feminine. Moreover, the entire concept of seduction became mind-boggling when I not only applied it to cotillion, but when I applied this entire lecture series to my female and very feminine life!
Anyways, I’d like to mention how much of what was just discussed is present in traditional and modern practices of cotillion today. At first I thought that Bolero, which emphasizes the absence of the women, was completely different from cotillion, which I felt to be based upon my experience and common beliefs, very much female centered; as in, an emphasis on the female presence, and an absence of the male. However, I understand the concept of both the creation and being of presence and absence in regards to seduction, and I get that both are there. However, cotillion differed a great deal and upon consideration of this upcoming quote in light of Beaud’s concepts, I realized that perhaps I just felt that way because things have A). evolved and are now more contemporary practices and B). I have grown up during and have been influenced by feminist thought, as Sam mentioned in his preface. Consider this quote, which I think nicely sums up early traditional cotillion, “The cotillion brought with it certain social graces typical of the courtesies of the day. Though males taking part in a cotillion dance chose a partner early upon arrival at the event, the cotillion afforded both male and female the opportunity for a flirtatious encounter with other dancers of interest” (Whitaker 2009). In two sentences, it becomes clear that early cotillion practices were produced by the males who would pick there dates, but at the same time both sexes got to play, interact, and flirt with members of the opposite sex, which is characteristic of seduction.
As mentioned practices have very much changed, and I picked my own date and made just about every other decision regarding cotillion for that matter! Baud’s description of the femininity of seduction was rather eye opening along with Sam’s discussion of Billy Elliot and what the movie/play actually did and did not create and portray. In addition, I appreciate both these insights because I most likely would have never considered my experience in this manner. In addition, Baud’s description also allowed me to get a better understanding of the ways in which production is often male-centered. I don’t know if I entirely agree with his reasoning’s that guide him to this viewpoint, however, he brings up many great points that I found to be agreeable, and it also got me thinking in a way in which I most likely wouldn’t have thought otherwise.
Lily Grace Nolan
APP #4
Fireknife and the Role the Fire Played
The fireknife dance of Hawaii is a topic that is completely rich in historic precedent but also has extensive applications to play, seduction and self othering. The fireknife dance, is malleable changing from region to region, for this paper I will be focusing mainly on how the dance is practiced contemporarily. I will touch on how the affects of play, seduction, and othering, played a vital role in the transformation and modern birth of the fireknife dance. As well as focusing on the local aspects that greatly drive and intertwine with culture and the dance traditions of certain cultures.
The fireknife is a dance that is as bold as its name. Most, although not all, have experienced or been exposed to some sort of luau, or have seen Samoan fire dancing on the internet, or movies. That being said, most who have witnessed dances like these would agree that there is a bold and powerful quality to them. An acute sense of grace and fury that create and intersecting dichotomy between movement and expression.
The dance involves a solo, or in some national traditions, groups, lighting the end of traditional Mauri, pacific islander, weaponry on fire, and twirling it to rhythmic drumming. Interesting to me, the dance itself, when broken down via movements, is rather simplistic. That being said, I do not believe the performance is simplistic. This observation really brings what we have learned about play into focus.
The fireknife steps, although ranging in variety across islands and venues modernly, really all involve the same type of components. The first would be marching steps, turning and facing the body different directions, and the swinging of the torso. These movements, I believe are put into focus to help draw attention to the performance, in which a new environment precedes the dance, encapsulating the audience and shifting the performances interactional identity.
The rhythmic repetitively of the dance and the revert back to it throughout the performance, despite the complexities of the dance building throughout, establish a type of new threshold in which new relationships can be formed by the performer and the audience. Simply, the repetitive motions and rhythmic patterning of the dance act as a way to establish a call and response between the performance/er and the viewer as highlighted in Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Bill Viola discussion on how repetition and attention are linked. Moreover, the dance’s significance is tied to the ability for a encapsulation between viewer and dance, in which all components are play become linked and new. Body, dancing body, watched body, danced body, form one threshold in which play takes place.
This interaction fuses the viewer and performance, as one vital component of the fireknife dance is that without the audience, the dance does not hold as much precedent. Derrida, an authority on play focused largely on how the structure disrupts the formation of play. It is my belief that the incorporation of fire and separating the gestural movements of the fire component from the rhythm of the dance, was a way that fireknife breaks the grounded structure where it is performed. Moreover, fireknifes central focus on fire, once a new threshold is being built by rhythm, allows for complete submersion into a new and infinite number of subset structures. The movement of the twirling fire and separation between that gestural movement and the rhythmic patterning draws attention, but does not close the performance by establishing a fixed center, creating the freeplay (jeu) within the performance. This, un-centering, while maintaining a new establish threshold of performance, really allow the identity of the performer to become performance- embodying the dance and all of its components seamlessly.
This separation of the fire element in the fireknife is one, if not the most important component of the dance. Fireknife, rooted in a long practiced cultural and religious tradition in the pacific islands, is very different today, shifting in how the performance was executed in the mid 20th Century. This shift occurred when one authoritative performer, by the name of Freddie Letuli added fire as a central component in 1946. The dance, which was traditionally done as a victory dance of war, “ailao”, was changed as a response to cultural shifts happening at the time. With the rise of technology and middle class, tourism began to have more a pertinent focus in the middle of the 20th Century. That said, fireknife, rooted in tradition and as a dance which so perfectly exemplifies the meeting-place between viewer and dance, had the unique documentation of adding a new component to ramp up the drama of the performance in order to compensate for the changing social and cultural structures in the Pacific Islands.
Freddie’s canonization of fire, acted separately from the rest of the dance. In this way fire became the seductive element that incorporated a realm all its own from the already established play.
Baudillard’s emphasis on seduction revolved around this central root of seduction as power because of its ability to incorporate a space all of its own, being a one; separate element and two;f using the space between its occurrence and precedence all at the same time. Fire’s incorporation into ailao to become fireknife, was the physical representation of seduction. The fire element of the dance creates a space that is not bound by the other patterns, or linear time of the rest of the performance (Baudillard). Thus, the fire acted as a way to enhance the power of the performance (seduction) in order to be more “attractive” to an audience that might not otherwise understand all the historical implications and rich religious background of the ailao.
Today we see this manifested in the different types of fireknife performed as “traditional” dances in the pacific islands and Hawaii. The dance’s shift truly illustrates how the elements of play, gestural movement, performance, and seduction, participate in shifts in culture. Socially, as we see in fireknife, spatial relationships between the viewer and performer, as well as the spatial relationships that have occur between cultures due to institutional and economic shifts, affect a dances evolution.
-This video gives a brief and rather tourist oriented tutorial of fireknife, illustrating how the culture of fireknife has changed.
REFERENCES:
Noland, Carrie. Agency and Embodiment. Performing Gestures/Producing Cultures.
Gill, Sam. Play 4 -: Jacques Derrida.
Baudrillard, Jean. The Ecliptic of Sex.
Georgina, Dianna M. Performing Selves: The Semiotics of Selfhood in Samoan Dance. Washington State University. 2007.
Evan Sticca, RLST 3838, Garba as Making
Garba is a Hindu dance tradition that is integral in the making of a cultural identity that revolves around respect for femininity and the manifestation of the divine in every living soul. It helps individuals achieve this identity through many ancient rituals during Navratri. The aforementioned respect manifests itself through these rituals, out of which include the Garba circle, the construction of the Golu and the metaphor of nine different incarnations of Shakti, the mother goddess.
When I attended the Garba ceremony, the atmosphere was light-hearted and welcoming. The Garba I attended did indeed fall during one of the five traditional times of Navratri, but was intended as more of a cultural interchange rather than an actual religious holiday. In Guajarat, the atmosphere is still joyous, but there is also a solemnity and purpose of action when performing the Garba. In Guajarat, most communities see Shakti as the supreme form of Brahman since she is its female form. The Garba represents the endless cycle of death and rebirth by its circular nature. During the dance, the encircling can cause trance like movement, and removal of the individual contributing to a community identity. Indeed, the circle can be very hypnotic with the many colors of the dancer’s robes blending to create a giant mosaic representing life as a whole. Additionally, the Garba circle is intended to continue until dawn of the next day, further enhancing the trance like devotion of the dancers. The flowing back and forth is better seen than described. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFES_t3AxQI
In the middle of the circle is the Golu, a clay lantern shrine that symbolizes the divine light of Shakti, and how mothers are the link that allows the cycle to continue. In Shaktism, Garba is absolutely essential for life to continue on Earth. They believe that without respecting Shakti, she will grow weary of the world and fail to imbue life with her divine spark. Thus, without Garba the endless line of mothers will cut short. In all fairness, this is likely superstition, but it serves a greater social function. Females in the community of all ages are respected for their ability to create life and nurture life that has already started. It seems odd, but this has even reached a competitive status around India. Troupes attempt to perform Garba in many categories including best form, longest running Garba and best Golu. It seems that Garba dancers take their respect of femininity to the extreme. Garba allows for a respect for motherhood to develop from ritual devotion to a loss of self, the formation of a community and of course the dance itself.
Perhaps the most important religious aspect of Navratri is the construction of the Golu. The Golu takes form based on the literal Sanskrit translation of Garbha Deep. Garbha means womb and Deep means a small earthenware lamp. Putting these two together creates the symbolic image of the light of divinity present in all life starting in the womb. It also symbolizes that mothers possess the power to contain the light of divinity and are necessary for its continuation. The Golu is also adorned with dolls representing many incarnations of divinity, including Shakti’s many forms. Here is a picture of a modern Golu decorated with dolls and an oil lamp in front. http://veda.sakthifoundation.org/test/images/golu-1.jpg
During Garba the Golu serves as the centerpiece around which the circle is formed. Dancers start on the outermost edge of the circle and gradually make their way inward as they circle around. When reaching the Golu, it is common practice to offer Prasad, which is a gift that is typically a food offering to Shakti. Additionally, the accepting party is usually a female of high status such as a grandmother. After reaching the Golu, a dancer will retake their place at the outer edge of the circle to symbolize that at the end of life they are thankful to their mothers, motherland and of course Shakti herself. In traditional Navratri ceremonies, there is an element of ritual courtesy when reaching the Golu that is undescribible. The Guajarati people truly believe that all life depends on demonstrating respect for motherhood. While reaching the Golu may not be a dance maneuver, it is perhaps the most important aspect of constructing a culture that respects femininity.
The final major element to Navratri Garba depends on the day of Navratri. Since there are nine nights and ten days, a different form of Shakti is worshipped each day. Each day differs in the type of ritual used to respect Shakti because of the different forms. There are incarnations that are major and ones that are minor, but each has a different significance to the festival goers. The major forms are Durga for the first three days, Lakshmi for the second three days, Saraswati for days seven through nine, and finally Vijayadasami for the tenth day. As previously stated, Durga is the form used to cleanse and purify the soul of all impurities. Durga is the most pure form of Shakti, depicted as a shapeless force. This represents that before the body, the soul is present and full of the divine light of Shakti. Lakshmi is the most motherly form of Shakti, depicted as a woman in the prime of her life. She bestows endless spiritual wealth to her followers, and cares for their souls during the transition between life and death. Saraswati is portrayed as an old woman, and is the goddess of wisdom. She preaches to life a simple life and gives council to souls in trouble. Finally Vijayadasami is the most powerful of all of Shakti’s forms and is imagined to be a warrior princess. It is said that the tenth day of Navratri is when good lead by Vijayadasami triumphs over evil and life may continue. At the end of Navratri, thanks is given to Shakti for allowing life to continue, and the Golu is ritually put to sleep until the next occasion of Navratri. Each of Shakti’s forms represents an aspect of the female psyche that is respected in Guajarati culture. By taking a day to respect each, the community respects the totality of femininity.
When I first attended Garba, I had no idea of the deeper significance it held for making a cultural identity for the Guajarati people. After conducting this research, I now see that by creating a tradition in which festival goers respect femininity, the community will respect women in everyday life. Indeed, this festival started in Guajarat, but now takes place across India with only slight variation in ritual. Western civilization usually considers god to be male or sexless, but Hindu tradition links divinity to mortality by giving it multiple forms each with a sex. By attributing divine power to the creation of life by mothers, Navratri Garba crafts a cultural identity that respects women in all stages of life.
References
1. “Folk Dances of India: Garba” http://web.archive.org/web/20090614111155/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/garba.php
2. “What is Navratri and Durga Puja” http://www.navratrifestival.net/navaratri-and-durga-puja/
3. “10 Days with the Mother Goddess” http://hinduism.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/mothergoddess.htm
4. “Symbolism of the Kolu” – http://veda.sakthifoundation.org/golu.htm
Oh I could not wait to write this paper. After learning about voodoo while writing my first paper I have been eager to explore the subject in the context of the material we have been learning through the lectures. The entire time that I was reading about seduction in dancing I could not help but think about voodoo dancing and the seduction that occurs not only with the audience, but with the individual seducing themselves. Voodoo has this kind a Narcissus effect where the individual is seducing others while dancing, but also seducing themselves through the aura surrounding the self-othering of the trance dance that is performed by voodoo dancers.
Seduction of the Trance
I asked myself, what happens when you take the rawness out of Voodoo? What happens when you take the trance out of the dancing? What you get is something that is not very seducing. I wanted to show you the following video so that you can get what I am talking about. The following is a group of individuals who are dancing together and using movements that can be classified as voodoo or African dance moves, but something is missing.
What is missing is the heart and soul of what defines voodoo. These dancers are not getting lost in the dance. These dancers are merely performing the gestural moves, which are only a small part of what makes Voodoo so seductive. Voodoo is a spiritual dance, and as such the actions are far less important than the intent. The intent is to lose yourself and to take yourself to that place where the formal and sensual drives are held in balance through the movement. I have shown you the ugly of modern voodoo dancing, so let’s look now at an example of someone who gets it.
The moves that were performed by this gentleman in the second performance are not much different than those of the first group. I like the way that it shows the man getting ready for the dance itself. You can see that as the make-up is being applied, this man is already in a trance and is already taking himself to that zone where is can self-other. It is interesting because at first glance you just realize that he has “IT”, when it is very difficult to define what “IT” is at first. At first glance you realize that in the first video I showed that the group didn’t have “IT.” In one video there is definitely Voodoo dancing going on that is seductive, and in the other video there is voodoo dancing that makes you cringe and is not seductive. This difference I would suggest is that of the state of trance that is reached by the individuals involved. One might even say that it is not Voodoo dancing unless there is a trance involved. Voodoo dancing is not like ballet where it is defined by the exact movements involved. You can watch a dance, and know right off the bat that it is Ballet due to the moves that are being performed. Voodoo dancing is far less about the moves and far more about the state that one is in that leads to the moves. Let me show one last video that demonstrates the seducing power of the trance in voodoo dancing. This video is one that I showed in my first paper on Voodoo dance, but is one that really demonstrates the “IT” factor found in the trance of Voodoo. There is much more involved in this ceremonial dance, and this happens to be a dance that is somewhat choreographed and planned in order to teach values to the individuals involved in the dance and audience. None-the-less this planned dance is still very raw and seductive despite its contrived nature due to the fact that the individuals involved are entranced in the dance.
The Seduction of Voodoo Aura
Voodoo dancing is deeply entwined in the religion of Voodoo. There are many dances involved in Voodoo that are planned or staged to act out something specific in a religious ceremony. The following video displays such a dance. This group is formally dressed in religious Voodoo attire and are being lead in their dancing and singing by one of their religious leaders. These dances are for very particular celebrations or reasons many of which are not much different than those reason and celebrations found in modern Christianity.
You may have noticed in this dance the fact that the individuals are all performing in their own way, the same choreographed dance. Even in this group format when you would think that there is not much of an air of originality there is still this amazing Aura of individuality and originality. Juxtapose this video to one of people doing country line dancing and you will see what I mean.
In western culture when dancing is done as a group, it is done as a form of self integration. The individuals of the group try as hard as they can to do the exact same moves as all of the other individuals of the group. The emphasis for better or for worse is to teach the western dancer that there is beauty of the loss of one’s own identity in that of the group. Voodoo dancing is not that! Voodoo dancing is a celebration of the individual even in the group format. The seduction of Voodoo dancing is that one can still be celebrated as an individual within the context of a group. Although the group is experiencing a common activity together, they are each still experiencing it as individuals. Whenever something is original, new, and fresh each time it is experienced it has an Aura that is alluring and enticing for the individual. This is true not only for the individual who is performing, but also for the people who are watching the performance. The voodoo religion always celebrates the individual. Nowhere is this principle truer than in the free-style nature of dance that is practiced in the Voodoo religion. The rule of Voodoo dance is that there are no rules. It’s like the movie “Fight Club,” but in Voodoo dancing everyone goes home with their teeth at the end of the night. I guess you could say that the only rule is to follow one’s own path in dance and self exploration. Let me just clarify that this dancing with no rules is under the broader context of a religion that very much has rules. This type of dance allows for the latitude of self-exploration in the world without ridicule. Let me show you a video of what I am talking about.
That video is so interesting because I first you think I messed up and put another video of a group that is all dancing the same. As you watch on in the video the individuals go from the group dance to the self driven, freestyle dance. I have read a lot about this subject and have found some very interesting answers. The best of the answers I will share with you. This type a Voodoo dancing teaches a very interesting moral. At first brush one may thing that it teaches valuing self over that of the group. In our society today we call that “anti-social” behavior. If you will remember from my first paper Voodoo is very much a religion about connecting the individual to the spiritual realm. This group dancing that leads to individual free-styling is meant to teach the individuals the value of “personal spiritual revelation” Uh-oh, don’t tell organized religion that or there are going to be a lot of preachers out of work. Voodoo teaches its members that spirituality as a group is a source of strength. It also teaches that spirituality starts by learning how to go about it by those who have traveled the pathway before you. Ultimately though it is the individual that has to grow spiritually and make their own contact with the spirits and learn how to communicate and live with those in the spirit world. Being an individual in the Voodoo religion is about being an individual where one’s own spirituality is concerned. This is not a religion that places the value of the individual above that of the group in any area except that of spirituality and spiritual growth. This is the Aura of Voodoo dancing that makes it so seductive. It is a journey of dancing that never travels down the same path twice. Experiencing Voodoo dancing is like the old adage “you can never step in the same river twice.” Not only do they believe that in the explicit teachings of the Voodoo religion, but they teach it in the fundamental dance of their religion.
Seduction of Voodoo vs. Bolero
Traditionally seduction is thought of as something sexual in nature. It is easy for us to learn a richer meaning of seduction in this context because of the preconceived notions we have in western culture of seduction. Much of the seduction that is present in Bolero dancing is based in the sexual, which is based in the sensual. Voodoo is much more primal than Bolero. Voodoo is based purely in the sensual with no sexual undertones involved. This more primal base is why I believe Voodoo is much more seductive than Bolero. The sexual is only one part of the greater category of sensual. The sensual is that entire feeling with all the senses. Sensual exploration through dancing, takes dancing back to almost its beginning stage where it has no meaning or purpose. Sensual exploration through dance it the true groping of the dark space in its entirety. I love the following video because of the exploration of all the areas of the dark space, which the dancers are engaged in.
Many would look at this video and think of how weird it is that they are holding chickens and other everyday common objects. When you look at this video and realize that the principle action the individuals are engaged in is the exploration of their world through dance, the objects do not seem that weird. The objects heighten the sensual experience of the dance and allow for a deeper physical connection with the physical world, and ultimately a deeper connection with the spiritual world which is taught to be in and through the physical world in Voodoo religion. The sexual seduction that is found in Bolero is very strong and enticing because of the strong emotions that it ties to. The sensual seduction found in Voodoo not only encompasses the sexual, but extends to the exploration and seduction of all things sensual. The following video is a little graphic because it shows the extension of the sensual exploration of Voodoo Dancing into the realm of sexual. The dancer ends up taking off her clothes while dancing Voodoo. This video makes the strong point that Voodoo dancing is so powerfully seductive in all of the sensual areas which it explores. http://dai.ly/cjues1
Wow, how powerful is that. That video is so seductive and it is not just because there is a naked woman on the screen. The seductive nature of the video is not the fact that there is a naked woman who is lusted after. The seduction of the dance is that the viewers of the dance wish to explore the freedom of sensual exploration that the dancer is engaged in. Even as a male I would love to lose control like that and explore the realm of the sensual to the extent that it is being explored by this Voodoo dancer. It is extremely powerful and is an exploration of the power found in the flesh.
Conclusion
This paper was extremely fun and exciting to write. I hope it was equally exciting to read as it was to write. Through this paper I have come to find out that Voodoo as a religion and dance form is very misunderstood in western culture. The very essence of what Voodoo is can very often be lost when it is attempted to be performed by American dancers. The dance boils down to personal physical exploration and spiritual connection, and this is accomplished through the trance which voodoo dancers engage in. I want to leave you with one last video. Since I started with a video of stupid Americans attempting to engage in Voodoo dancing, I would like to end with one on a grand scale being performed at a concert of a rock band named “Godsmack.” This adulterated Voodoo dance is performed on such a grand scale that I thought it just drove home the point of how Voodoo dancing performed correctly is so seductive and beautiful, whereas Voodoo dancing performed incorrectly is just extremely silly and pointless movement that may not even qualify as dancing. Enjoy!!!!
Resources
1. “Voodoo.” . Last Viewed: June 2012.
2. “Voodoo – African Spiritual Religious Systems.” . Last Viewed: June 2012.
3. “Voodoo Religion – The History.” . Last Viewed: June 2012
Emily Read
6 July 2012
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Professor Sam Gill
Seduction and Production: Coexistence Within the Context of Dance
Within the tradition of bolero dancing, the female dancers are a sensual part of a passionate interactive story in which the women are portrayed as seductresses, while the males are the subjects being seduced. Taking the perspective that bolero dancing can be the means through which someone is seduced, Baudrillard argues that seduction cannot coexist with production. I am refuting this idea –after further analysis, I came to the conclusion that within the context of dancing, seduction and production can, indeed, coexist. I believe that the art of seduction performed by the female dancer is indeed a production, thus releasing it from the confines of the gender roles associated with bolero dancing. The female dancer embodies both masculine and feminine identity roles, which refutes Baudrillard’s thesis that seduction and production cannot coexist.
Please watch the following clip. It is a beautiful example of a couple dancing the bolero. Notice their easy interaction and almost palpable sense of seduction. The woman is producing for her male counterpart an invitation to be seduced:
Sensual bolero dancing is a production between a man and a woman –if a person is going to be seduced, that person’s seducer must, in a sense, put on a kind of production in order to do so. The female does this while dancing. After all, for one to pay rapt attention to another and ultimately be seduced by them, one must witness such a production in the first place.
Seduction is not something that can be restricted to the confines of gender. Baudrillard maintains that “all masculine power is a power to produce…the only, and irresistible, power of femininity is the inverse power of seduction” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Bolero). This simply is not true. Bolero dance embodies seduction while absolutely being a production. In Baudrillard’s 1979 book entitled “Seduction,” he maintains that “there is no active or passive mode in seduction, no subject or object, no interior or exterior: seduction plays on both sides, and there is no frontier separating them” (Jean Baudrillard, “Seduction,” p. 81). Furthermore, according so Sam Gill of the University of Colorado at Boulder, “women are non-productive (i.e., seductive); men are producers. Production is valued; seduction is devalued. Women are devalued; identified with seduction presented only in a negative threat-to-production light” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Feminism). I am arguing that women are producers in the art of seduction. Females serve to incite the exciting and almost palpable sexual tension within the context of bolero dancing. In this sensual production, the female is embodying what might be considered to be “masculine.”
“Bolero dancing is…sexual foreplay” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Baudrillard). Bolero dancing is perceived in its movements as being sexy and seductive. Dancers, of course, were aware that Bolero dance encompasses a wide range of emotions and projections beyond sexuality and seduction, but the popular impact of the dance, and possibly its first impact on the women who began to study it, was in the realm of sensuality. To take part in the bolero dance is to claim the dance away from a patriarchal setting, and to emphasize the sense of freedom it engenders in women who embrace it. In doing so, women produce an image of female sexuality. Her role in bolero dancing breaks free from the confines of seduction –she is the producer of a sensual image and of an invitation to be whisked away by her male counterpart.
Theorist and author Frances Aparicio maintains that the very nature of bolero dance is based upon the notion that the woman is absent –her male counterpart is longing for her, for her return and ultimately longing for her love. As Professor Sam Gill said, “Aparicio finds bolero lyrics to be ‘a musical space in which Woman (or the feminine) is constructed mostly as absence, an absence that stimulates the expression and articulation of male desire through the text/song and through the act of singing…this romantic musical genre has been a central subtext of heterosexual love and an influential tradition that informs the discourse of desire and sexual politics in salsa music’” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Bolero). I am refuting this notion because this sensual woman is, indeed, present in the dance. She does not simply embody the notion of absence and longing, for she is just an important figure as the male dancer. Though she is taking part in the art of seducing, she is also producing. She is producing and projecting a strong sense female sexuality through her seductive and very obvious presence, thus making her both masculine and feminine.
I am contesting the notion that feminine physical expression, especially when it is so sensual like bolero dancing, is limited to seduction. This is because physical expression in bolero dancing is not only seducing, but it is producing. Bolero dancing, while portraying lascivious seductresses, creates an image of a woman in possession of sensuality and fertility. However, she is not limited to the seductive image because she is producing for her male counterpart a kind of invitation to take part in the dance. She wants to be sought after, to be romanced. The female dancer embodies both masculine and feminine identity roles, which refutes Baudrillard’s notions of coexistence –bolero dancing features a woman who serves to both seduce and produce, thus making her role both masculine and feminine.
Fosse dance is a unique dance style illustrated by one man’s life, that of Bob Fosse. Often described as a “workaholic,” Bob Fosse stated in an interview that sometimes he wished he could get away from work but that he was remarkably drawn in that he could not escape but rather learned to live with his obsessions of prosecuting his creative visions. These creative dances reflect more than just Bob Fosse’s visions; rather they correspond to the changes of the time and depict how gestures shape the dancer’s body, which allows a connection and understanding of identity of the self and the world to develop. This was something that was happening all around the late nineteenth century and was seen in developing dances since the postmodern dance movement that rebelled against the strict and concrete movements of dances like ballet.
Bob Fosse demonstrates an aspect to dance that speaks great lengths to inspiration and seduction due to the creation of his own style dance. Because he was pigeon toed he did not have a good enough turn out in ballet, he went on to choreograph the “Fosse” style dance where the toes were turned in. This new style played with the familiar signs and gestures of the formal dance that he had learned in lessons and ended up captivating millions of people, seducing them as well as himself into his gestures of turned in feet, flicking writs, sliding legs, slow hip swaying. The slow sensual movement followed by quick sliding and flicking or thrusting brings forth the reversibility of seduction between the maker and the thing made, his dance demonstrate seduction that leaves nothing behind. This clip of “Big Spender” really depicts his signature moves:
While considering Fosse dance in terms of religion, the sexual freedom and change that is concerning to Christian theology based on the focus of the dance is important to acknowledge. Fosse dance embodies gestures and seduction of the time and allegedly Bob Fosse claimed to have no religion, except how he choreographed his dances and why derives from his culture and life and how he experienced and engaged with the world. In this clip from “Cabaret” the burlesque experiences he had are seen in the sexual gestures and feel of the dance:
I want to compare and contrast Fosse to Zumba. Although very different types of movement, I believe that there is a correspondence of the seduction between the two. Once you start something that touches you, it is powerful yet powerless; there exists a seduction that is so captivating that being performed or watching a performance that the connection between the mind and body is so intertwined and substantial that it seduces the audience and the dancers. That in Fosse, the dancers are raw and alive, their identity and individuality is evident through their gestures and their seduction, yet at the same time they are not there. The seduction, as play of signs takes over and together they move with the theme of the show, they gesture the lives of the time, and the frustration and excitement of sexual freedom.
As in Zumba, which is much MUCH more than physical exercise the Latin culture decorates the bodies, the music seeps from the sweaty pores, incorporating how gestures shape the body, which signifies culture and the individual.
On this note, I believe that it is important to address the feminine and masculine aspects in relation to seduction and production because Fosse is performed and produced and I believe demonstrates the dualism of femininity and masculinity. The hyper sexual freedom that is seen in the gestures of Fosse are feminine because the focused is on the women. However, this sexuality I think can be seen as empowering and not degrading but rather demonstrates an ideal where the self and self-othering exists. I believe that it is within this dualism that the seduction is so prominent that was created by the production. Bob Fosse was indeed male and choreographed these dances and performances, but his dances demonstrate the dualism of the masculine and feminine energy of the production and seduction because both exist in his dances despite the gender of the dancers.
In understanding seduction as a play of signs and as the qualities and gestural movements engaged with illusion and appearance, a play between how we perceive something in front of us and how we perceive it as an illusion or an ideal, it is seduction because nothing is left behind that is tangible. Therefore something that is seducing is something that we cannot grasp completely. It is something that captivates us, touches us, and says something about the world yet says nothing at all. Fosse dance was created as, and still exists as all of these things. As dancers still learn Fosse dance style for replicas of his shows or performances, the gestures derive from his choreography:
In the context of the performance the seduction still exists and the moves portray the culture and life of the theme of the show. However, since he is not alive and the times have changed then in cultural context the dance has evolved because it is not as present as a need for sexual freedom, but rather as present to display the seduction that he inspired.
Fosse dance can be considered as a physical dance, an inspiration and a mentality. As all three it demonstrates the dualism between power and powerless, self-other, play and seduction. As a physical dance, the specific gestures exist and are absorbed, or taught and learned. As an inspiration it speaks to the ineffable power of dance as a whole, that movement and gestures exist in our bodies and our world so deeply that the possibilities of our bodies being shaped by gesture can play with signs, and can be seduction. That the experience that is available to us, that our culture and our world can be analyzed through various types of dances, interpreted through how we see the world and how we perceive and how we exist as humans that are being perceived by others, demonstrates how Fosse dance style is a mentality. That all dances can be interpreted as a rich combinations and deep correlations of the physical, the detailed inspiration and the mentality; just how the body and the mind cannot exist separately, the history, the culture, the religion cannot be evaluated without the insights of each other just as the dance and the dancer cannot stand alone.
Works Cited:
Bozzola, Lucia.
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 1: Bolero.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 2: Baudrillard.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction -3: Aura.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture, “Dancing as Seduction – 4: Feminie.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 2: Seduction. ”
When I think of “country” there are a few terms that pop into my head: country music, line dancing, beer, American Flags adorning any and every wall, and square dancing. There is a love of America and all that it represents. Though I could spend all day talking about 4 out of 5 of those words, I have decided to zero in on good ol’ fashion square dancing. You may have seen in it many country themed movies or have learned it in gym class but to think there is anything more to it than dosidoing your partner round and round seems a little ridiculous. And from a personal standpoint, I had that same viewpoint up until now. Turns out, there is a cultural history that has contributed to the modern day square dance. It takes practice, time, and a lot of effort to understand and memorize the upwards of 400 calls that one must know to successfully participate. It has become more than just a dance; it has become an American staple (19 states have made it their official folk dance). There are two types of square dancing: traditional/Appalachian square dancing and western square dancing. Below are two clips of the different dances. The first clip is western and the second is Appalachian.
The differences are subtle yet they make a distinction to what the dance means to those who dance it. Western square dancing uses a caller and there is a greater emphasis on the group of four couples. The Appalachian dancing is done in a larger group and then will break off into smaller groups. Both dances come from our European ancestors. Though there is no direct ancestry with one country, multiple dances and cultures contributed to today’s square dance. The main two cultural contributors to the square dance are England and France. The Morris dance was the English contribution to the square dance. The French took the Morris dance and adapted it to the well-known Contredanse Anglais.
Morris Dance:
Contredanse Anglais:
Looking at both dances, you can see the clear connection to square dancing. The emphasis on patterned moves between partners is the closest connection. The Morris Dance uses sticks to create a beat (much like tap dancing does). There is less interaction between the dancers. The Morris dancers interact and “touch” with the sticks, while the Contredanse is truly about the interaction between the two dancers. As the dance evolves, you can begin to see how the idea of the “square” comes in to play. This may have been a cultural change for that time period. The Morris dance seems more rustic and is not as formal as the Contredanse. It is clear that the Contredanse was performed by those living in high society because it is much more formal and rigid than the fluid movement of the Morris dance. Their culture was much more formal, while the traditional Morris dance had a more folk-like feel. As the dance traveled over seas it continued to evolve. The traditional/ Appalachian square dance came first and was danced among European immigrants. As the dance spread, however, it changed even more.
Today’s western square dance is certainly different from what was danced when Europeans first came over. As I pointed out before, the Appalachian square dance is slightly different than the western square dance. The Appalachian square dance maintained popularity among Americans while other formal dances such as the waltz began to fall “out of style”. “Square dancing began its transition from the traditional, visiting couple type of dancing into all-four-couple-working kind of dancing in the 1950’s. Callers discovered that they could move everyone at the same time and create more interest” [1]. The square dance was truly evolving into an “American” dance. As farming became the prevalent means of work for many, the idea of the “hoe down” or “barn dance” became increasingly popular within said communities. Raised on Christian values, the square dance was an appropriate outlet after a long week’s work. It’s conservative nature allowed devout believers to dance without sinning.
Culturally, the square dance became intertwined with this idea of the “American dream”. Because the western square dance was truly developed in America, there was a sense of pride that came along with the dance. The dancers may not feel “freedom” per say because of its choreographed movement but the dance itself is a symbol of cultural American development. As a Polish citizen, the dance would seem almost “hickish” from a different country’s perspective. The country-twang calling and fiddle-filled music fits most stereotypes that “foreigners” have of American culture. The movements may seem familiar because they come from European dances, but it is those added contributions of music and dress that set it apart and make “American”.
The idea of play is discussed within this course and I found it worked perfectly with what square dancing really means to people. “Play then appears as self-movement, movement without purpose or goal. It renews itself through repetition.” The caller provides purpose for the dancers but the dancers themselves are dancing with a “clean slate”. As a square dancer, you go into a dance not knowing what will be called out. There is a sense of excitement that comes with wondering what will be called next. Square dancing has upwards of 400 calls that every dancer must memorize. This dance really is the “caller’s” dance, though. The caller controls how the dance will go and how it will look. The dancers have the freedom of not worrying “what to do”; they are just able to dance. Gadamer states that, “…play is really limited to representing itself. Thus its mode of being is self-representation.” There is a twist, however, because the self-representation is not held with the dancer but with the caller. There is almost a sense of a “puppet/ puppeteer” relationship between caller and dancer. The self-representation is that of the person who directs the dance, not the dancers. This is significant with its cultural ties as well. The working class communities thrived on efficiency and leadership, therefore making square dancing simply an extension of daily life. The dancers danced and the caller “played”.
My fondest memories of elementary school involve many things but square dancing day was not one of them. It involved dancing with boys and bringing a skirt, which was not a prevalent part of my wardrobe. Since that day, I pushed square dancing down along with other awkward elementary/middle school moments. It is almost fate that I would come across a hoedown scene in a movie and decide to revisit this almost scarring memory. I have gained a newfound respect for those who participate in square dancing. The amount of practice and memorization is enough to drive anyone a little mad. It takes years of practice to memorize all of the commands. Though there are many stereotypes that come with square dancing, it is clear there is more to it than country music and cowboy boots. It has contributed to our American dream and provided freedom to dance and let go during weeks where work was hard or family was sick. Today, it holds that same amount of pride to those who participate in it. It was created by Americans for Americans in America and that is enough to keep the flame of the American dream burning strong 100 years later.
Samantha Motsinger
RLST 3838
App. Assign. #4
July 6, 2012
It Don’t Mean A Thing…
Swing has been a very influential dance for over nearly a century. It has pushed many boundaries and limits of dance, and has been embodied not just in dance steps and movements, but in music and style as well. As it originated in the 1920’s and developed from the music of that particular time, swing dancing was made into the combination of different dances that have evolved over the years. Like many of the dance styles and traditions we have been introduced to so far, swing dancing is made up of a variety of different styles of dance that have come from all over the world. This dance tradition has developed in white communities and because of the many influential factors all over the world, has been made into a melting pot of sorts through the many cultural backgrounds and history. This discovery of the Lindy Hop and the Charleston within African American communities in the 1920’s pushed it even more into this cultural melting pot, and through this the making of the dance has evolved.
What is so fascinating about this particular dance are the fast paced movements. As mentioned in the lecture, “dancing is a kind of making, but it resists and denies the most fundamental qualities of makings in the terms of the masculine power of production that characterizes our culture.” Often, we associate making with the production of things, but making goes so far beyond that, especially when it is considered alongside dance. Dance evolves and shifts depending on so many factors: it depends on the dancers, the choreographers, the time, the place, and even sometimes what is going on in the outside world that emotionally is imbibed in the movements themselves. In swing, the legs and feet of the dancers move so quickly, and it is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. This dance requires so much coordination in the movements, and of course the synchronization also becomes extremely important when they begin to do all of the flips and jumps that make swing dancing such a fast paced and energized form of dance, and in this sort of making the connection of the dancers becomes very important. There is so much to be said about the fact that this kind of making is not a product, because making it a product of something would put so many limits on it. Swing dance involves the liberation that so many dances today reflect, and when we give dance meaning, it also pushes it to have no meaning as well. This kind of dance making is a binary of sorts, as it “is reversible and circular and mortal and powerless and without meaning”. There is a strange opposition found within the dancing that both gives it meaning, and takes it away as well.
With the discovery of these particular forms of swing dancing, the communities also started dancing to the contemporary Jazz and Swing music as it also evolved. Within a few years jazz steps and also tap dancing was also incorporated into the swing dancing style. This connection with the music becomes a very important part of experiencing the dance, because in many ways dance is born from the music itself. Cab Calloway, a jazz singer who had been deeply influenced by music, came up with the Jitterbug dance without meaning to, because the Jitterbug was directly born from his song entitled “Jitterbug” in 1934. Calloway, who stated that the dancers look like a bunch of bugs bopping and hopping around on the floor gave the dance its meaning through his music, but also gave them the freedom to interpret it as they wished.
Like many other forms of dance, Swing is often seen in competition, and has been since 1938, when the Harvest Moon Ball featured the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug in competition for the first time. This epic moment was captured long ago, and I feel that this deeply connects with this idea of making, because it is a dance moment in history that has pushed boundaries and has “made” this dance to become a way of pushing the boundaries. It seems that now dancers must move from here to explore this dance as well, and make it their own while limiting themselves to the steps as well. I think there is often a desire when we learn a new dance to imitate the steps perfectly, and in this way we are challenged beyond what we are at first capable of. We are liberated by this desire, as mentioned in the lecture “Dancing as Making: Seduction”, and in turn we engage ourselves with this artifice that liberates us. The appearance of the dance thus becomes a play between how we portray it, and how others in turn see the dance as it is moved through our body in the making of the dance.
In many ways here we can see how Swing dancing has influenced parts of our history and our present in music, movies, dance, culture and musicals. Over the course of the years since its beginnings, Swing dance has even evolved into our modern day jive dance and you can also see influences of it in the Boogie-Woogie. “Dancing is foundational in important ways to production and to meaning in that it makes them possible.” What we experience in dance, we do not experience elsewhere, which is why dance has become such an important and influential piece of our world over the course of many, many years.
Dancing is “distinguished by the relationship between the maker and the thing made”. As mentioned before, music has often played such a huge part in the making of dances, especially in swing, because the lyrics, beats, and rhythms are literally the heartbeat and life that is exuded from the dancer and made into the dance. Without the dancer, without the music, that dance itself would be nonexistent, and it is here that we find the most important part about the concept of making in the dance world. The dancer, or more specifically the body in which is used as the instrument of dance, is what makes it possible for the movements and the steps to be done. The movements separate the dancer from himself, from the music, but also connect them as well; it is here that we again see this binary effect from making.
It is here that I conclude my thoughts with this idea from the song, and my assignment which is aptly named, “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing”. I do not limit this “thing” to swing itself, but am more than anything referring to this idea that there is something much deeper in the steps, and in the heart of the dancer that is vital to bring meaning and life to the dance. Without it, it just don’t mean a thing.
Application 4—Belly Dancing and Feminism
Centering its force around sex, birth, and emotion; belly dancing illustrates a direct struggle between expression of female power and the disgrace to the female body. From a feminist perspective, belly dancing can either be used to express essential female life experience, or seen simply as a form of seduction for the arousal of men. Despite the common misconceptions in society, belly dancing plays a crucial role in the support of feminism due to its encouragement of self-expression, defies constraint of physical movement, and inspiration of female pride.
Drawn from ancient Egyptian religious tradition, belly dancing has evolved drastically from a symbol of birth, to its modern handle as a glitzy attention piece. When it first came to America in the late 1800’s, the never-before-seen provocativity used in belly dancing brought extreme controversy. The exaggerated attention placed upon the pelvic and torso areas was considered vulgar. This sensual dance shocked the eyes of Americans, and it wasn’t until much later that it became more commonly accepted. With a wave of radical feminism and the enlightened actions of civil rights in the 1960’s and 70’s, belly dancing came into its own as a source of female empowerment and awareness of ones body. Not typically thought of as corresponding groups, Feminists and belly dancers surprisingly share a lot in common when it comes to suppressed expression and misunderstood ideals. Both tagged to numerous naïve stereotypes, both feminist and belly dancers are aware that there are different forms of female expression that society has difficulty grasping.
The ideals of feminism push for more freedom and self-expression for women. Belly dancing lifted the barrier that kept women from conveying free physical movement and encouraged them to express themselves openly. It allowed to break through the patriarchal dominated society by giving the dancers a way to discover their own sensuality. The most fascinating aspect of belly dancing is the direct contradiction between how the public views belly dancing and how the actual dancers view themselves. While the public views it as revealing and seductive, the dancers feel that they are dancing for themselves. Belly dancing allows women to “create feeling, move their audiences to new perceptions and ideas, express who they are, and open the door to something deep and powerful in themselves and in their audiences,” (Deagon).
As described by Baudrillard, our patriarchal society places all sources of power within the mans authority, including a woman’s ability to seduce. Identifying dancing as feminine displays “this strong gender stereotype identification with dancing is more the result of a culture bent on production, a culture that devalues seduction,” (Gill, 1). Placing seduction as a feminine activity makes following through in the act even more challenging, keeping seduction just as seduction, instead of giving into the sensuality pursued. Typically linked to seduction, belly dancing gives off the aura of teasing the man with the thought of pleasure. Instead, belly dancing really has nothing to do with the audience, but instead with the feeling of expression the woman gets from performing this dance. The feminine pride seen in belly dance completely disregards the patriarchal dominance in society because it places all of the power in the body of the dancer. Although this seems femininistically ideal, that just isn’t the case in today’s world. Our subconscious opinions of gender expectations make it difficult to truly accept defied power roles of men and women. No matter what the actual motive behind the womans dancing, belly dancing is still thought of as a form of seduction, and despite the dancers intentions still seduces men.
Belly dancing irks to make the world a more open and understanding place for women, but is restrained by negative presumptions about the dancers motives of seduction. The explicit nature of the dance suggests sensual promise, yet is actually used for female inspiration and expression. Though feminist movement and the belly dancing community have both come long ways to express themselves and fight for what they believe in, how will they ever truly meet their goals without freedom of power away from a mans hand?
Bibliography
Deagon, Andrea. “Feminism and Belly Dance.” People.uncw.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. .
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Seduction – 4: Feminine.” Sam-Gill.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 July 2012. .
“Move with Nadia.” Nadiadenov.weebly.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. .
Osweiler, Amara L. “Naming Belly Dance.” Bellydancing.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. .
These lyrics are from a modern Bollywood film, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na: “Pappu ki gadi tez hai, pappu kudiyo me craze hai, pappu ki aankhe light blue, Pappu dikhata angregi hai, rado ki ghadi haatho me, perfume guciwala, haan Pappu nach nahi sakata.” Rough translation: “Pappu is sharp, Pappu is crazy among girls, Pappu’s eyes are light blue and he looks like he’s British, he has a Rado watch on his hand and wears Gucci perfume, but Pappu can’t dance saala.” Now, watch the scene in the movie with this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX7YTXFld40. In this clip, Bollywood dance has become completely Americanized. The colorful Sari’s have been replaced with western attire, and the emphasis of dance has shifted from movements accepted by tradition to movements accepted by a club, and the lyrics include English words and western references, with the final point being “Pappu can’t dance saala.” This final point emphasizes the importance of tradition. Even though not all Bollywood dance is Americanized to this extreme, this clip shines a spotlight on the seduction and production we now see in Bollywood dance and film, and how it has made a large shift from its original form.
Before new technology was brought to Bombay in the 80s and 90s, which resulted in modernization and globalization, Bollywood dance was based off traditional and religious dance forms. These forms were manifested through Hinduism, and prominently one deity of the religion, Siva Nataraja, “King of Dance.” Hand gestures are very important in traditional dance, and Nataraja’s hand symbols represent “the five cosmic processes creation, preservation, destruction, embodiment, and release (Gill).” Traditional Indian dance embodies key elements of Hinduism, creating a physical form to the belief system. The dance is comprised of distinctive stylized movements of the hands, feet, and face that highlight “sacred bodily geometry (Obhoyo)” which is also significant in the practice Hinduism.
Traditional Bollywood includes more head gestures and movements then any other dance form, and it relies on the eyes and face for their expressive qualities. Through many of Professor Gill’s lectures we have discussed absence and presence. The eyes and face uncover the purpose of the dance, beyond the meanings depicted by the hand gestures. The connection of the eyes is what gives Bollywood dance its seductive quality, giving presence and power to a dance that would otherwise be absent of a deeper meaning. Of course, there are other signs and cues that make the dance seductive, especially in more modern Bollywood dances. In the clip from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, the woman takes off her shoe! This points fingers (and toes!) straight to sex, without being overly erotic. Other external seductive signs include oscillation of hips and beckoning hand gestures, but it is the eyes that give all the absent words of seduction presence in the dance.
This clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiuAYKk7a6U&feature=related includes all the important elements of both traditional and modern Bollywood dance, representation of Bollywood dance in film, and can help further the discussion of seduction and production. How convenient that we start with a close up of a woman’s face, her eyes looking down, seducing us, encouraging us, to keep watching so we can see her eyes in their hauntingly full and open form. The male figure has lost his love, and is filled with remorse and desire. Unfulfilled desire is a significant element in seduction. Through his hand gestures (which are very straightforward and masculine) we see him trying to grasp something—the flowers on the table, then the camera that holds all his memories and wait! his beloved in the flesh. Notice how the camera briefly focuses on the label of “Nikon,” just as the other clip emphasized a fancy watch and Gucci perfume. Such labels are only given value in modern day Indian, where owning “American” possessions is a sign of great wealth. It gives such items a productive value, and urges men to strive for both the beautiful woman and the foreign treasures. We are introduced to the woman by her feet, which are dancing traditional Bollywood dance steps. She is dressed in white, symbolizing innocence. A rhythm is established, and every time the drum beats down and the rattle shakes, the camera zooms to her eyes. Both Her hand gestures and body sways encapsulate the dance forms from traditional and modern Bollywood, but it is because the brief focus on her eyes that we keep watching. The slow motion leaps and bounds that occur in short clips between dancing hold the western cues to convey emotion. Although these seem cheesy, it is another way the film is using western signs to stress it’s productive value.
Bollywood film and dance are closely intertwined to production. In the most basic sense, Bollywood is the most successful film industry, producing more films per year then Hollywood and generating more money. We must consider that one US dollar equals between 45-55 Indian rupees, but the value of the dollar does not change the level of output and success. In a deeper sense, the Bollywood film industry exemplifies what Professor Gill discussed about production being masculine and powerful. In India, woman’s roles in daily life are undervalued. It is a great honor to be an actress, and yet most film roles for woman are confined to objects of desire. If the actress successfully embodies desire the revenue (production) of the film increases. Therefore production cannot exist or be successful without seduction, but because production fears seduction’s power, it makes it seem like the role of women in Bollywood film and dance is invaluable. If the film is considered a success, the actress will be hired again and again, making a profit off of her ability to seduce. Production and masculinity or seduction and femininity, which demonstrates more power Bollywood?
I have never danced Bollywood, but I am fascinated by it. I now understand that my fascination is increased by Bollywood’s seductive quality, which demonstrates that you don’t have to be a male driven by productivity to succumb to a beautiful dancing woman and her seductive power. I believe that understanding the traditional and religious value Bollywood dance held before new technology and globalization occurred in Bombay, is crucial in understanding that production and seduction create western values of success in other cultures.
References:
1) Obhoyo, Joy. “Sacred Bodily Geometry.” Indian Dance. ZipZap, Sep 28 2005. Web. .
2) Gill, Sam. “Lectures on Seducing.” Dance, Religion, and Culture. University of Colorado Online Courses, Boulder. Lecture.
We go through life with our bodies carrying out different gestures and movements that become a part of who we are in everyday life. Our gestures are what help us tell our stories or show what happened. Gestures are the visible actions that have the features of manifest deliberate expressiveness. Once we develop certain gestures, our body becomes connected and we then are apart of the gesture. We learn gesture when in theater class learning a new play and how to act out a certain scene, when we are in choir using choreography to help with the understanding of the song, or even when we are telling a story to a best friend. Our arms wave around, our eyes open wider and other parts of our bodies may be used.
However, gesture is not a one time movement. It is a high level of repetition and a high level of technique. Because of this, it then becomes a part of who we are, a part of our culture. For example, the Haka is a great example of how dancing reflects cultural and religious beliefs. Their dance has been a part of their culture for generations.
In this link you see men AND women participating in the dance. Their costumes are of cultural tradition. The men are the ones who do the actual dancing and gesturing, but the women are in the back yelling the words with them. The men use gesturing to help “exaggerate” the story. The Haka is used to intimidate their enemy during fights. The men beat their chest with their hands, gesturing the power and strength the tribe has. The gesturing helps show the seriousness and passion behind the soldiers, or in this case, the dancers.
The gesturing in the Haka does not occur only one time. The gesture is continuous movement that weaves in and out, one movement to another. The men beat on their chest more than once, stomp their feet more than once, open their eyes wide and stick their tongues out more than once. Each stomp of the feet leads to a smack on the chest, which then leads to their tongue almost touching their chin.
Improvisation depends on gesture, as well. The art of the dancer is their own moving body. The dancer leaves nothing behind. The loop of the gesturing process continues over and over through out the dance. In the case of the Haka, the dancer himself does not leave anything behind, but the dance itself leaves behind fear and intimidation for the enemy. Rugby players in New Zealand has started to perform the Haka before their game to intimidate the other team.
The crowd goes wild when the team performs. All the other team can do it watch the Haka and try not to wet their shorts. The All Black rugby team continues to yell and scare the other team. Their strength and blood flow blows up their veins in their forehead and arms. Faces turn red and almost purple from how hard they use their body to yell. Translation of the Haka is:
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is life
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is life
Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru
This is the hairy man
Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra
Who caused the sun to shine again for me
Upane Upane
Up the ladder Up the ladder
Upane Kaupane
Up to the top
Whiti te ra
The sun shines!
Each gesture of the Haka helps increase the meaning of the story. It tells the enemy to back off or dare to battle them. The smacking and gestures of stomping feet illustrate the power and the passionate meaning behind the traditional dance. Gesturing continues to flow through out the entire performance. Be it for scaring off your enemy or showing the other team how much strength you really have.
Sarah Park
RLST 3838
Application Paper #4
Raqs sharqi belly dance
Belly dancing is such an experimental dance that has broadened to many countries throughout time. I will be focusing on “Raqs sharqi” which is essentially the original belly dance that westerners are familiar with at most. This dance is from the Middle East and it is a common Arabic dance. Westerners have put a new spin on it and it is a dance that is represented at cabarets and restaurants or in concert by famous musicians who respectably put their own interpretations on this type of dance.
Raqs sharqi most commonly appear to be danced by females and rarely males. This dance is a solo, improvisational dance that is performed, but throughout time, it definitely has changed beginning with the costumes, the styles of dance, the venues that they are performed at and so on. This type of dance is known as the classical belly dance and is the folklore of what we know as belly dance. This particular dance was discovered by Samia Gamal, Tahiya Karioka, and Naima Akef who had been working in the Egyptian film industry. In Egypt, this was the “go to” dance style that appeared everywhere, especially as festivities and events.
The costume for Raqs sharqi was kept extremely conservative back in the day in Egypt because it was actually illegal to have your midriff showing for women, but this was generally the costume for these dancers because of the hip movements and main moves that involved the belly to be emphasized. A sheer stocking over the midriff body section is worn and the traditional dance involved bare feet, but modern dancers wear shoes and even high heels to complete this type of dance.
Raqs sharqi involves many moves of seduction that involve what people may consider as seductive moves. Sam Gill presents me with information that essentially determines what seduction is and is not. He shares the difference between Bolero dance and discusses seduction within a naked couple. The main aspect that I interpreted from this is the physicality versus the mental state of seduction that we were discussing. When dealing with Raqs sharqi, there are definite moves that exist that may seem very sexual and seductive. There is the shiver or shimmy and this is when the dancer vibrates the hips. The vibration involves moving the glutes, thighs and lower back and it is performed up and down, and also side to side. Another move is hip hits and it is a staccato movement with the hips. This move can also be achieved with the shoulder or the chest. The undulations is also a fluid movement that goes into a circular motion. There are many different types of this movement and it can be done in many ways. This particular dance differs with others because it is not done with a partner but there is a dancer and an audience. There is some sort of intimacy within this type of dance for this reason but I do not believe that is merely for the purpose of seducing. Seducing does not occur on point when you want to or not but I believe that seduction happens more often so within dances that involve dancing partners more than just a solo improvisational dance.
While reading Sam Gill’s lectures on viewing dance as play, he discusses the ideas of how dance is so undermined and this is so true in Raqs sharqi. This type of dance is so under-appreciated and this profession in Egypt is not well respected in any way. They do not respect these dancers. Sam Gill states that dancing is not a very successful business in the western culture today. Besides the recent dance shows that have made it out there to become popular, many people have not found a way to really increase success in society today. It is not greatly appreciated unless there is some sort of competition that is involved and usually the winners of the competition become greatly successful. Sam states that “Dance is valued to the degree it is seen as productive” and this is a great way to see how our society today appreciates any kind of dance. This meaning that our society only appreciates to the point of it being successful. Dance is more than being productive and it should be an art that is appreciated without any consent of greater production and success. This relates to Raqs sharqi or belly dance because these dancers are just like any other dancers who have a love for this particular type of dance. It should be respected just as much as any other type of dance and it is frustrating to see that it is not respected enough even after seeing that many groups of people have tried to change the perception on this type of dance. Throughout all of this, these dancers continue to dance passionately and they perform in many places, such as weddings, or celebratory events, and even to tourists that visit the country.
It is the perfect subject of seduction to ponder on when it comes down to it because of the many different types of controversial attitudes toward this type of dance in history and even today in the western aspect of belly dancing. There are many people that have different attitude on whether or not it is a respectable art or if it is all about seduction, but I believe that there can be many interpretations about it. I mainly believe that this is definitely a dance that should be respected because of the moves that are involved. It takes a lot of energy and mid section strength in order to accomplish these types of movements and I believe that it is considered as an art to these dancers and we should respect this. There are many ideas of this dance and it is continuing to go throughout many countries.
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 1: Bolero.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 2: Baudrillard.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction -3: Aura.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 2: Seduction. ”
Wikipedia contributors. “Raqs sharqi.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 03 2012. Web. 6 Jul 2012. .
Wikipedia contributors. “Belly Dance.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 06 2012. Web. 6 Jul 2012. .
The dance craze of swing was created and influenced by African Americans in the 1920s. Within swing dancing there are many different dances, one being the Lindy Hop. This dance allowed for racial barriers to be crossed, for cultural and historical foundations to be made and understood within the African American community. Focusing on the Lindy Hop through the lens of making, I have begun to understand the importance of Swing, but also of all dances.
All the topics we have covered in lecture one way or another circle around the idea of self and the other that we create through dance. Dancing is the movement behind self-othering. Dance has been evolving and will continue to evolve based on the depiction we as a society places on it. I think this is why I find the Lindy Hop so intriguing. Sam wrote, “It is important that we realize that in making stuff, we are remaking ourselves,” (Gill 58). This statement directly ties in to the history behind the Lindy Hop. The dance was not just danced by African Americans to express themselves, but as a way to remake themselves in very racially charged period of time. White folks would pay African Americans to teach them the Lindy Hop and I believe this made them feel more a part of white society. It comes back to the power that white people had over African Americans at this time, but looking at the reversibility the African Americans had over the power to produce what was wanted out of them.
Looking at the specific movements of the Lindy Hop can we better understand the dance as well. Sam wrote, “Dancing is distinguished by the relationship between the maker and the thing made,” (Gill 58). The maker and the dance are not separable; they are one and the same. The Lindy Hop is an upbeat, up-tempo dance that requires fast paced movements. It requires the use of a dancers whole body. The dance itself was made different and altered by the specific dancer. Improvisation is an important aspect of the Lindy Hop. Sam wrote, “This is essential perspective we need to appreciate dancing which is necessarily highly repetitious, yet always creative and new,” (Gill 26). No one danced the Lindy hop the same. People would add their own twists on the original style and add eye-grabbing flips. By doing this each dancer was creating their sense of other. The importance of the Lindy Hop is found in the making of it by each individual. Each dancer portrays it differently.
Take a look at these two contrasting Lindy Hops. The first is the original Lindy Hop and the second is Dean Collins, “Smooth Lindy.”
The differences in these videos are easy to spot. In the first video, the original Lindy Hop, there are only African American’s dancing. The music is more upbeat than the second video and the dance moves are faster. The second video the music is slower and there are only white dancers. The same dance, danced by different races, in completely different ways. Sam wrote, “Where does dance fit in a world directed by the masculine power of production? The answer is simple: dance is valued to the degree it is seen as productive,” (Gill 58). I believe that white people were fascinated by the Lindy Hop and it’s easy to see why they would be. Because of the power dynamic between races though, they felt as they needed to create their own version of the Lindy Hop. Dean Collins altered the Lindy Hop to the “Smooth Lindy” or “Hollywood Lindy” in doing so he was not embracing the culture of the dance but making it a business venture.
Also, the role of jazz music is important in understanding the Lindy Hop. Without the basis of jazz, swing would not be what it is today. The beats of jazz are what allowed for the making of such a different dance. The dancer is connected to the music, but also is separate. One cannot exist without the other. The dancer uses the music, but the music uses the dancer. Sam wrote, “Dancing is movement for its own end, that is, movement. Its rhythm is its own end. Dancing, as movement, can have no passive mode,” (Gill 54). By dancing the Lindy Hop, African Americans were becoming in tune to themselves, but also creating the other. The Lindy Hop created identity for each dancer, but also created the “other” group identity, which gave way to African Americans to begin becoming more of an important part of society.
I find myself contradicting myself in my thoughts about the Lindy Hop. I do think it helped cross racial barriers, but I also believe that in a way it separated them too. These issues aren’t present in the Lindy Hop today though. Instead it can go back to forging a relationship with the maker and the thing being made, instead of being forged by racial struggles. Dancers of the Lindy Hop must be unified by the dance and by themselves. The dancing self and other make the dancing body. There is no physical separation, because what is made is made from the self and the other in Lindy Hop and in all dances.
Sources:
Gill, Sam. “Gesture and Agency, Dancing as Gesturing.” 26. Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Seduction- 2: Baudrilalrd.” 54. Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Making- 1: Proprioception.” 58. Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Making- 2: Seduction.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Making- 4.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Spring, Howard. “Swing and the Lindy Hop: Dance, Venue, Media, and Tradition.” American Music, Vol. 15, No. 2 (1997) Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 June 2012.
Noemi Schranz
Application #4: Exotic Dance and Seduction
In Western Culture, when one thinks of the term “Exotic Dance” it often brings up images of women dancing seductively, with slowly gyrating hips, all the while removing their clothing. However, the term “Exotic Dance” is actually a broad term that encompasses a whole variety of dance forms. From Italian burlesque, to the French Moulin rouge, to Middle Eastern belly dancing, and to American strip tease, Exotic dance encompasses a large range of styles and cultures. Perhaps the differences are found in the interpretation of the meaning of the word, which stem from the sexual and non-sexual connotations of the dance. The central idea that cannot be differentiated among the many aspects of Exotic dance is that it is seductive. In the following essay, I will compare the seduction found in two forms of exotic dance -belly dancing and strip tease dancing- in terms of the ideas of reversibility, production, and aura.
But before delving into the seduction of each, it is important to give a clear understanding of what belly dancing and strip tease are about. Belly dancing is a form of Middle Eastern or Arabic dance that has been adopted in the West. While the name may indicate that the dance focuses around the belly, it actually involves every part of the body. Belly dancing involves the isolation of different parts of the body, such as the hips, stomach, or chest, with a focus on the hips and abdomen. The hips may be moved in fluid undulations, vibration movements, or isolated movements. Belly dance is typically performed by women dressed in a bra and harem pants adorned with a hip belt, with their stomachs exposed. This dance is often performed in religious ceremonies or purely for entertainment.
Here is an example of traditional belly dance:
On the contrary, strip tease dance is found commonly in American and European societies. Strip tease is performed in a sexually suggestive manner and involves slower movements that include gyrations of the hip and pelvic areas, as well as acrobatics on a pole. It is characteristically performed by women and involves gradually undressing, either partially or completely, while dancing. Strip tease is performed in strip clubs and is intended for male-oriented sexual arousal.
The following is an example of the pole dance aspect of strip tease:
From the above video clips, it is obvious that both forms of dance embody a seductive aspect. In the general sense, the word seduction is synonymous with such terms as enticement, enchantment, and temptation, and often is accompanied by a negative connotation. However, in the lecture on “Dancing as Seduction -1: Bolero” by Sam Gill, seduction is described as the following: “the reversibility of the woman’s absence and presence, that seduces; it is the presence of the promise of fulfillment, always denied, absented, that engenders desire; it is the reversibility that fascinates, that seduces.” Seduction is a desire that is created through dance. It gives the false impression that something will eventually be obtained, but inevitably nothing will be granted; the illusion is reversible, thus leaving the viewer wanting more of something that he will never get, and thus, seduced. When it comes to belly dancing and strip tease, both are supposed to be “rule bound and the rules do not permit actual foreplay or real sexual contact’. This makes the dance into a form of play. But while belly dancing “plays with the signs of a relation of intimacy, but with no bridge or correspondence to any real relationship” and does not involve actual sexual acts, strip tease is often known for crossing this boundary and ending with a sexual act being performed by the dancer (or stripper) on the audience (or customer). Strip tease lacks the “absence” and “reversal” of seduction while belly dance does not.
Countering the idea of dance as seduction, is the idea of dance as production. In the lecture on “Dancing as Seduction- 2: Baudrillard”, Sam Gill introduces the idea that production is masculine and in opposition to seduction, which is feminine. (It is important to note that in this sense, Production is implying the idea of dance as a company used for economic gain and audience entertainment). Baudrillard states, “No seduction here [that is, in production], nor in pornography, given the abrupt production of sexual acts, and the ferocity of pleasure in its immediacy. There is nothing seductive about bodies traversed by a gaze literally sucked in by a vacuum of transparency; nor can there be even a hint of seduction within the universe of production, where a principle of transparency governs the forces belonging to the world of visible, calculable phenomena–objects, machines, sexual acts, or the gross national product.” Because Strip tease is so “in your face”, erotic, and clearly pornographic, it is definitely more of a “production” meant for a male audience and lacking in seduction that Baudrillard discusses because it almost goes beyond the fine lines of seduction and actual sexual gratification. Everything about strip tease is masculine because it is a production for a male-centered audience. In this sense, strip tease is not seduction. As Sam Gill states, “All–dancers and members of the audience–are so thoroughly seduced that there is no thought of exposing the secret”. Belly dance, on the other hand, is seduction in this sense because it is not over exposed the way Strip tease is. Belly dance stops short of crossing the boundary into actual sexual play. It is seduction in the feminine sense.
Along these opposing ideas of production and seduction, is the idea that because productions can be reproduced, seduction- being opposing to production- cannot be reproduced. An original form of artwork exudes an aura. It radiates an intangible quality that cannot be reproduced in its copy. The same aura is applied to dance. In the lecture titled “Dancing as Seduction- 3: Aura”, Sam Gill captures this idea when he states that “Indeed, since seduction is contrasted with production, reproduction is clearly out of the question. To reproduce is to produce again, to show again, while dancing as seduction opposes production in the first place and at any order. Thus, to consider dancing as seduction allows us to more clearly understand why dancing cannot be reproduced”. Strip tease performances are typically improvised on stage, whereas Belly dance may be choreographed in front of a mirror and practiced over and over, both being done without a script, and thus, making both seductive in this perception.
Sophie Bigalke
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Sam Gill
West African Court Dance: Making and Self-Othering
For this application I will focus on dancing as making in West African Court Dance. African Dance is dance in which the vocabulary incorporates rituals, symbols, movements and elements, including those from religious practice, in codified systems. The dance interacts with the physical and spiritual world; it is both secular and sacred. The dance incorporates all parts of the body in asymmetrical way. It includes drumming and other percussive instruments, dancers maintain a slightly bent body, dance with flat feet, and have an interactive relationship between themselves, with the musicians, audiences and the ancestors.
Africans believed and still do that the body served the spirit and thus was used as an instrument of worship. As a result, the dances celebrated spirituality and created an atmosphere for the gods. The dancing body created a link between the physical world and the spiritual world.
Specifically, in the Ghana Court Dances the living perform and celebrate through ritual, but it is the deceased that make the Court Dances so meaningful. The presence of ancestral spirits is a belief so pivotal to African dance, and the level of spiritual intimacy and reverence in the court dances exemplifies this. It is through dance and the knowledge passed on through dance that the people of Ghana find themselves in a state of community not only with their neighbors, but with their ancestors as well. There is an immediate understanding between ‘the observed’ and the ‘observer’ in the Court Dance. This then relates to Merleau Ponty’s theories of perception. Ponty’s theories help us to understand what it means for us to be ‘body-subjects’ in a sense wholly human. As Sam talked about through out the course the mind-body problem is a way to try and successfully describe the relationship between the body and mind in relation to the rest of our conscious experience. It is easy to accept through our sensory awareness that there exists a relationship of some kind, however, what the relationship is and how it work becomes a lot less clear. Dancing is an experience that involves an interaction between self and other. As Sam talks about in lecture 58, “Dancing as Making – 1: Proprioception,” the dancer experiences this other the same way the dancer experiences herself. The other is known in the movement and experienced through the gesture. This is importance in understanding any type of dance but for the purpose of this paper it helps in explaining Court Dance.
The dances involve space, time, and force. It is an earth-oriented dance. Through conversational movements, men and women tell the story of their people. An unspoken language is used and through precise hand movements and angularity, the dancer is able to embody “coolness.” The Ghana Court Dance is a unique style of dancing in that at every hand movement has an exact and precise position and angularity. Structure and play are connected with the precision of the court dance. The structure of the Court Dance is very important and symbolic of relative power. Those of least rank are first and those of the highest rank are last. The positions specifically the angularity is vital to the dance because if the dancer is straight, it is believed that he/she is dead, spiritually. Therefore, the dancer’s body expresses something negative or positive based simply off of the angle with which they are dancing. If the dancer creates the wrong angle when gesturing and thus insults the court the drummers will stop playing, referred to as drum censorship.
The play is then the actual movement. Moving and transitioning between the different positions is the playing part of the Court Dance. The dance is strictly connected to the musical structure of the drums and the body expresses a certain emotional tone depending on the beat and rhythm of the drums. The Atumpan – the Ashanti “talking” drums, are used for communication in various social situations among the Ashanti, from conveying a message to a dancer in the middle of a dancing ring to calling the school children back to class after their break. The possibilities in the combination of music and gesture together offer the meaning in dancing. As Sam lectured on, before any meaning or value can be attached to the dancing it is simply a movement. The social context in which we live thus plays a central role in the understanding of dancing. All of the meaning in dance is from the movement, which tends to be variations of culturally internalized gestures. With the Ghana Court Dances, it is not only the dancers that are involved in the ceremony; everyone plays a role, even the spectators. Dance is a way of life and a means of retaining culture and identity for those in Western Africa. Dance brings communities together, both spiritual and physical.
Aleah Toyokura
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Sam Gill
Irish Step Dance (a.k.a. the Riverdance) – Seducing
The Irish Step dance has gained momentous popularity throughout the years, not only for the complexities of the dance in itself, but also likely for the emotional reaction it evokes in those who participate in watching Irish step dance. Although Irish step dance may not be considered the most seductive of styles, the relationships between male and female dancers do reflect the intimacy and unity (Gill) of relationships that individuals outside of a relationship can see. For many, dance acts to embody emotions we generally do not display outside our personal lives. The couple in the video clip below share knowing looks with one another while performing complicated steps in complete tandem, indicating a seemingly intimate knowledge of each other’s bodies and movements, further indicating the intimacy of their relationship, without much physical contact or even close proximity. According to lecture, “the dance seduces by what it intimates, or signifies, but only by always keeping the actuality absent (Gill).” The seduction of the Irish step dance is actually the lack of real intimacy. Despite not being very close physically, the audience knows there is a connection between the couple, though there is no overt sexuality or sexual acts being displayed, thus making the seductive nature of the dance not the dance itself, but what the dance lacks in reality. Lecture further buoys this theory by explaining that “dancing seduces by its constant pointing to some potential, pointing through bodily experienced signs, yet by always, and by design, by rule, denying the existence of the actual referents to the signs, in extra-dancing reality (Gill).” Irish step dancing, although not explicitly sexual, points toward the “potential” of a real physically intimate relationship, thus further attracting audiences.
Another important aspect of Irish step dance to be addressed is its innocent romantic appearance. In contrast to other styles of dance studied in this class (Bolero, for example), Irish step dance reflects a much more playful and innocent intimate relationship between dancers. For some, the term “seduction” may not be the first one might use to describe the dance style. Jean Baudrillard, however, argues that the term, “seduction,” is often given a negative connotation. Seduction is oftentimes spoken in terms of manipulative women, using their powers of sexuality to lure men into their arms. Baudrillard argues, however, that seduction should not be consistently considered a negative term. According to lecture, “there is no active or passive mode in seduction, no subject or object, no interior or exterior: seduction plays on both sides, and there is no frontier separating them. One cannot seduce others, if one has not oneself been seduced (Gill).” This understanding of seduction can be seen within Irish step dance, where much of the seduction is innocent. There is less of a sexualized connotation, and the dance itself is much more happy and joyous, rather than passionate. Although the Irish step dance may seem innocent in comparison to more passionate styles, there is still a great seductive aspect happening within the dance.
The idea that seduction is a predominantly female tool is also debunked in Irish step dance. According to Baudrillard’s understandings of seduction, “seduction is immediately reversible, and its reversibility is constituted by the challenge it implies and the secret in which it is absorbed.” This is notable in Irish step dancing when male-female couples dance together. Although women’s bodies have oftentimes been considered the catalyst for seduction, Irish step dance portrays both men and women as the pursuer. There is a back-and-forth of seduction, where the woman dances to impress and seduce the male, and the male, in turn, dances a complicated and impressive sequence in order to seemingly gain the affections of the woman. Both individuals, gender irrelevant, are both attempting to seduce the other. In the case of Irish step dancing, there is no great female seductress. In the clip below, please pay particular attention to the interplay of the couple through the first 1:25 of the clip. Each partner attempts to seduce and impress the other, rather than the woman using her powers of seduction to overcome the man with desire.
Interestingly, although there are clear indications of intimate and romantic relationships between Irish step dancers and their counterparts, Irish step dancing is not considered a particularily passionate style. This form of seduction may in fact seem innocent because of mounting cultural and social expectations. According to lecture, “…our culture, so bent on production, has seduced us into seeing and understanding dancing, no matter how contrary to our experience of it, largely in terms of production… much of dancing has taken on the trappings of ‘production’: dancers are members of companies that create productions whose worth and success is measured often in terms of money, a product sold (Gill).” Because of this, in a culture that is hypersexualized and overly glamorized, Irish step dance may (understandably) seem to land on the more innocent and docile end of the seductive scale. For those participating in modern culture, it has likely become more difficult to be attuned to more subtle forms of seduction, like that of Irish step dance.
Although a more subtle form of seduction, Irish step dance acts as a perfect example of the ways in which Jean Baudrillard approaches seduction. Because of Irish step dancing’s back and forth aspect of seduction, I feel that this particular style fully personifies theiroes on seduction as being multi-faceted in that both men and women participate in the fluid and constant exchanging of seductor and seduced.
Mulrooney, Deirdre R. “Colin Dunne Deconstructing Irish Dance.” Dance Magazine 77.11 (2003): 36-84. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 June 2012.
O’Connor, Barbara. “Sexing The Nation: Discourses Of The Dancing Body In Ireland In The 1930S.” Journal Of Gender Studies 14.2 (2005): 89-105. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 July 2012.
Richens, Ann, and Donald Haurin. “Irish Step Dance: A Brief History.” The Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2012. .
Dancing as Making: An Analysis of Pure Depth, Proprioception, and Seduction within Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu
Dr. Sam Gill’s “Making” lectures address the theme of dancing as making by applying familiar concepts like proprioception and seduction to the new topic of pure depth. Through an analysis of all three, I will argue Geom-mu was developed as a result of pure depth in Silla culture, then I will compare and contrast proprioception in Geom-mu, the folk version, and Jinju Geom-mu, the court version, in order to understand why the mask representing Hwangchang’s face is only worn in Geom-mu; lastly, I will prove that an outsider’s point of view actually hinders the dance via a close reading of seduction, primarily concerning the masculine commonsense assumption that making always needs to produce a material object.
Geom-mu is a traditional Korean folk dance created in 660 A.D. in the Silla kingdom (57 B.C. to 935 A.D.) based on the legend of Hwangchang, a young boy who was a famous sword dancer. Hwangchang’s skills were so impressive that the king of Baekje, Silla’s enemy kingdom, invited him to perform in his court, and while dancing the boy stabbed the king to death. Consequently, the Baekje military executed Hwangchang, and the Silla people created Geom-mu to commemorate his sword dancing talents. Later, in the Joseon Dynasty (1392 to 1910), the Royal Court changed Geom-mu into a court dance performed by the Kisaeng, or professional entertainers, called Jinju Geom-mu.
An important concept in the Making lectures is “pure depth . . . a dimension that is primordial, allowing the perception of distance and the value of the distant,” meaning it is the dimension that makes perceiving distance and making sense of that distance possible (60). However, a crucial part of pure depth is that it does not actually operate between objects because it is primordial, meaning it is the origin that makes operating between objects possible. Therefore, pure depth is not the commonsense understanding, in other words a folk theory that is accepted as the norm although it is not necessarily true, that depth is from here to there. Merleau-Ponty explains that pure depth is the “most existential dimension,” meaning it is the dimension that most pertains to human existence (60). To explain this complex concept, Sam applies Eugene Minkowski’s theory of “dark space,” which can be literally interpreted as being in a dark space where we cannot rely on seeing since dark space “foils vision,” which makes us recoil “to touch and feeling” (61).
Logically, dark space should remind us of proprioception. Brian Massumi explains it “as the sensibility proper to the muscles and ligaments as opposed to tactile sensibility . . . and visceral sensibility . . .,” meaning proprioception is a kinesthetic or bodily experience that affects the proprioceptors, located in the muscles and ligaments, that afferently feeds information to the brain through the sensorimotor system (58). In Massumi’s quotation, he contrasts proprioceptive sensibility to tactile and visceral, thereby addressing humans’ three layers of senses. “Touch, the tactile sense, in the limited sense of exteroceptors in the skin, perceives subject and object in that they mediate between feeling outside and inside,” meaning this sense comes from touch, which lets it make sense of subject and object since the skin is the barrier between inside and outside (58). Consequently, the tactile sense is comparable to the commonsense understanding of depth since it can differentiate between here and there. On the other hand, “the visceral sense . . . is the deepest layer of perception [since it] precedes the exteroceptive sense perception . . . because it involves different areas of the brain and anticipates the translation into explanation of sight or sound or touch perception” (58). In other words, it is characterized by instinct rather than intellect because it proceeds, or happens before, other senses by anticipating the outcome of sight, sound, or touch.
In the video, the dancing is telling Hwangchang’s story, and the dancers independently and within the group appear to be proud of both their dance and culture because it stems from pure depth. Pure depth is the origin that makes perceiving distance and making sense of the distance possible, meaning it is the origin that made Silla people perceive the importance of Hwangchang’s sacrifice, which they developed into Geom-mu as a way to make sense of his heroism. This supported in three ways. First, although the same group of dancers represent Hwangchang (1:14-1:32, 1:39-1:50, 1:57-2:10) the Silla and Baekje kingdoms (0:04-0:08, 0:26-0:30, 0:36-0:41), the Baekje king’s royal court (0:42-0:58), and the present-day folk dance (2:29-3:17), all four representations are danced with the same amount of energy and respect, symbolizing the importance of the dance to their culture. Second, although Geom-mu is a Silla folk dance, they choose to represent the beauty and cohesiveness of all Korean culture rather than only Silla’s, which symbolizes a deep pride and understanding that even if the Silla and Baekje kingdoms are rivals, there are still part of the same far reaching culture. Third, in the video, the dancers’ choice of dancing without masks superficially suggests that they are performing the Jinju Geom-mu version. However, the fact that the dance so closely follows the legend proves that they can extract the same cultural meaning and the same Hwangchang other with or without the mask. Accordingly, this signifies their ability to creatively modify Geom-mu to the context in which it is performed, and in this case, it is for entertainment more than folk, which is why they chose to dance without the mask.
An important distinction between folk and court dances is that the mask representing Hwangchang’s face is not worn in Jinju Geom-mu. Although I was unable to find out why the Kisaeng stopped wearing the mask, there is a significant distinction between folk and court dances. The former were for personal, religious, and cultural occasions within a non-royal community, whereas the latter were performed as entertainment for royalty. Therefore, we can speculate that the most probable reason why the Kisaeng stopped wearing the mask is that the kings did not like the other the dancers produced while wearing the mask since Hwangchang was an assassin. Returning to proprioception, dancing “is a making of an other and a concrete other, which is not set apart from the proprioceptively aware body . . . the dancing body is at once self and other, both proprioceptively, rather than exteroceptively, experienced” (61). In other words, there is a concrete and real other the masks create since dancing evokes a proprioceptively aware body that is both the self and other at the same time, meaning the self-other is made from the muscles and ligaments of the dancer so the other comes from pure depth inside the dancer rather than from outside stimulation. Consequently, the other created from the dancer’s pure depth and proprioception, surprisingly makes Hwangchang come alive and with the mask, his aliveness is even more apparent. Therefore, the apparentness the non-royal community sees through their own community members’ bodies, creates an embodied way to commend Hwangchang’s sacrifice, and produces a way for them to connect with the legend through the masked other.
From an outsider’s point of view, Jinju Geom-mu appears entertaining because of the synchronized dance moves and the colorful costumes, and exciting because an outsider would not know if the swords were real. The first time I watched the video, I remember looking closely at the swords to see if they were bending like rubber or folding like paper, but I could not identify any fabrication, although the skeptic in me doubted the authenticity because of the danger. Consequently, I was not too surprised when I learned that Kals, or replica swords, are used, but from an outsider’s perspective the unknowing could entice them into the dance more.
Likewise, an outsider would certainly not perceive, thus limit, the intricacies between Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu simply because they are unfamiliar with Silla culture. In applying seduction to dancing as making, Sam reasons, “dancing is, in a certain sense, making without meaning . . . [which] may help us understand that dancing in being meaningless is actually stronger than making meaning” (59). In order to understand this concept, we need to remember that seduction reverses and plays with the “‘strategy of appearances’” that are not connected to truth or reality and, consequently, are reversible since they can and do contradict themselves (59). Furthermore, because seduction comes from this reversibility of appearances, it cannot be stopped by truth, meaning, or reality. Thus, due to the power that comes from its unstoppability, masculine production tries to devalue feminine seduction in an attempt to take away the power seduction creates. Therefore, “dancing is a kind of making, but it resists and denies the most fundamental qualities of making in the terms of the masculine power of production that characterizes our culture.” On the surface, this quotation seems to contradict itself, but with deeper consideration, we realize that dancing is still making in a non-traditional sense. Yes, a commonsense understanding of making refers to masculine production whose power comes from producing material goods, but in understanding that dancing is seduction, the opposite of production, it makes a self and other, both non-material products. Consequently, the difficulty in understanding that dancing is making comes from the fact that the products it makes are “not set apart from the proprioceptively aware body,” meaning the dancer (self) and the product (other) are both within the dancer’s body (61).
In regards to an outsider’s perspective of either version of Geom-mu, they would try to find a material thing that the dance produces. In reality, although Geom-mu has nothing to do with the production of swords, an outsider with no knowledge of Hwangchang could reason, for example, that the dance signifies the creation of the sword. As for the intricacies between Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu, without knowing the history of the mask, an outsider would assume the performed dance is the only way to perform it. Similarly, because the dancers in the video do not wear masks, an outsider could assume that masking was never a crucial part of Geom-mu.
Overall, I enjoyed researching Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu and analyzing them through the Making topic since so many of the concepts we learned prior to the last section apply to dancing as making. Therefore, via my investigation of Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu, I believe, I have proven that the pure depth of Silla culture offered the opportunity to develop Geom-mu, which led to the inclusion of the mask representing Hwangchang’s face. Furthermore, through my exploration of proprioception I discovered that the mask created a disturbingly real Hwangchang being that resulted in the removal of the mask in Jinju Geom-mu. Lastly, by examining seduction as the opposite of masculine production, I substantially demonstrated that dancing truly is making because it makes an other that is contained within the dancer’s proprioceptively aware body.
-Works Cited-
Gill, Sam. “58. Dancing as Making – 1: Proprioception.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
—. “59. Dancing as Making – 2: Seduction.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
—. “60. Dancing as Making – 3: Pure Depth.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
—. “61. Dancing as Making – 4.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
Tutting provides the framework for physical objects that aren’t there. One of the foundations of Tutting is the ability to trace invisible objects. The key is to move the square or geometric object smoothly and cleanly around the space in front of the dancer. This means that there are a lot of intricate movements between the two hands to open up new paths using “hinges.” All this must be done with respect to the musical rhythm.
Tutting, even though traditionally is created from only one person, creates both the male and female aspects of seduction. On a very surface level, the hard angles of the fingers and sharp movements require a lot of power and control from the dancer. This is coupled with the languid transitions that move like liquid to create the complex designs. One could not succeed without the other. As explored in the lectures, seduction is more so about the idea of presenting the notion that something is there, and then taking it away or replacing it with something completely different. I think Tutting makes a very good example of this. Much like miming, the interest in the dance is more about the audience’s imagination. I hearken back to the youtube video I included in assignment 3. The video is essentially showing what the audience and dancer imagine. In the lecture on Bolero, the professor mentions that in Frances Aparicio’s writing on the Bolero, the music is important to the over-all seduction of the dance because the lyrics provide, “”…a musical space in which Woman (or the feminine) is constructed mostly as absence, an absence that stimulates the expression and articulation of male desire through the text/song and through the act of singing…””(Gill) The same can be argued for Tutting. Though it is not considered by normal criteria to be a seductive dance, Tutting is often a stop and go dance where the shapes are created and then pause on the off-beats of the song in order to be processed by the audience. This youtube video called Trigger Fingers offers up a good example of how the movements of Tutting are fast, where there are multiple shapes flying at the audience but they last just long enough to create a recognizable shape. All this happening between the beats of the song beginning at 1:03: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcRsHiFj5Gg
The sequence where the Tutting opens up to the whole body at 2:05 shows the “stop and go” motion of the very intense Tutting, paired with the very smooth transitions that seem to break up the intricate hand motions with a breath mirrored by the pause in the music. Between the smallest amounts of time, 2:05 to 2:06, the very cramped space is opened up tremendously using one very simple move. From there, it is just as easily closed back in. In this video, the shapes created are seducing on multiple levels. One is the creating of a shape that isn’t really there, but the other is the fact the fingers are creating a shape that the audience wants to hold onto, but are immediately deceived when the fingers move slightly and provide a new shape.
In terms of making, I identify Tutting primarily with the lectures on depth. Merleau-Ponty uses the analogy of what darkness feels like to a person to explain how pure depth works. In the darkness, no objects have moved, the darkness is not a tangible thing, and yet, our bodies perceive the darkness as a very powerful force that affects all of our senses. How can this be when the force acting upon us is not there? The same can be said with Tutting. When we attempt to see the movements of the fingers between the solid creations of shapes, chaos is being created. The fingers have no shape and are in an unrecognizable motion. Then, when an invisible shape is created, our minds hold onto it for a fraction of a second before something else takes its place. The depth occurs in the movements between the solid shapes, when the hands are aligning themselves. While the complex movements and shapes being created are stunning, the real object creating the shapes is a organic form therefore, “The body as an intertwining blurs the boundary between the flesh of the world (depth) and our own bodily flesh.” (Gill)
The audience, and the dancer for that matter can easily lose the boundary between what arm and hand is theirs when they Tut with a partner. By performing this type of dance with a partner, the field opens up for more objects to be created. Often times, the dancers with combine their hands to form the squares. In order to get a sense of the object, the points of their hands and arms must come into contact with one another and often the movements will look as though only one person is controlling four hands. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwrel&v=uwAQvZAW2vk&NR=1 In this video, the two dancers are clearly themselves, but when they perform the sequence during :30 and 1:15, their hands are moving as if only one mind is controlling them. I am sure that instead of thinking solely about when they had to move their fingers, the dancers viewed both hands as their own and the connection was made even stronger by being able to touch the other person’s hand. Because the choreography has one motivation, the dancers can perceive themselves as one body. While performing Tutting alone allows the dancer to proprioceive their two hands as being one body two dancers Tutting must practice over and over to regain a new proprioception of the other person’s hands also being their own. Muscle memory from practice allows for this realization to occur.
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 4. ”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 3: Pure Depth. ”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 1: Proprioception. ”
“I am sensual and very physical. I’m very erotic. But my sexuality exists on a sort of a fantasy level.” These are the words of world-renowned disco diva, Donna Summers, and they truly represent the seducing power of disco – it’s present but not “real”. Out of all the characteristics of the disco era, seduction is one of the most prominent. Teenagers and young adults enjoyed the new upbeat style of music and many found the dance clubs and flashing lights enticing. The dancing at these clubs changed drastically from previous decades, becoming much more sexual. A newspaper article from New York’s News and Courier published on October 16, 1975, described this new scene by stating, “Everybody’s doing the hustle. How about you? Dancers shift their torsos swiftly and gracefully from side to side and back and fourth while their feet tap out intricate steps. For the first time in a long time, it’s a popular dance in which partners hold each other… enthusiasts have moved away from ‘hang loose‘ dances… to the highly stylized, sexy and more sophisticated hustle,” (1). The gestures within the dance as well as the disco song lyrics drive home the seduction characteristic.
In lecture, we learned how Bolero is a seduction through use of its song lyrics (woman’s absence and presence) that “give meaning to dance and intimacy,” (2). Both male and female artists were equally represented in the disco arena and the most popular songs were about love, lust, and power (3).Similar to the bolero, the hustle could be seen by some as sexual foreplay. The New York hustle does not have the same closeness between the couple as the bolero, but the hip movements, turns, and touching give off the sense of seduction. The video below is a clip from Dancing with the Stars where Warren and Kym do the hustle. The dance moves are quick with a lot of hand movements and twists, showing off a feminine seduction as Kym spins around Warren and he reciprocates it.
In lecture, Professor Gill rejected the belief that dancing can be foreplay since the physical aspect is over once the dance ends, but I’m going to make an exception for the hustle. It is common knowledge that disco music and dancing had high appeal to the psychedelic crowd (4). This is primarily due to the nature of the music and disco clubs; by taking mind-altering drugs, people were able to enhance the experience of the music and flashing lights. One side effect of these drugs was an increase in promiscuity. The seduction on the dance floor was not enough for many people and truly did serve as foreplay since public sex in and around disco clubs was a common occurrence. Seduction in dancing the hustle was indeed a game of appearance, but for many people , the seduction aided in the eventual production.
The lecture on the feminine aspect of dancing as seduction brought up an intriguing point – that seduction is feminine and since the West devalues seduction, the West also devalues dancing from a male/production point of view. One motif within the movie Saturday Night Fever that I love is how Tony Manero challenges that Western belief. By doing the hustle and other disco-style dances, Tony becomes a heartthrob with his seductive moves. He makes dancing look suave and cool. Soon after the movie was released, disco clubs became less of a homosexual male scene and more of a heterosexual male and female arena. The video below, although a mix of dancing from Saturday Night Fever and a Bee Gees music video, shows the respect the other men have for Tony as he tears up the dance floor.
In the lecture on seduction and aura, Professor Gill brought up how text can compliment the seduction of dance by giving it more clarity. He stated, “Dance and text are increasingly interconnected in modern and postmodern dance and dance and text are interconnected in the dance-dramas common throughout the world. Text is recited by the dancer or a narrator or as an element in the musical score (spoken or sung as lyrics) accompanying dancing. There are many combinations, countless ways in which text and dance are interrelated. From the perspective of dancing as seduction we can offer some criteria for understanding these combinations. In the West, where production is valued and seduction is devalued, I propose that spoken text is often added to disambiguate dancing, to make it speak and relate and function and serve. Dancing is justified by using a text to clarify for an audience the meaning of dancing, or better the particular dance,” (5). Many disco songs speak to what is happening with the dancing. The best example of this is this movie of Van McCoy’s “The Hustle.”
As far as lyrics go, they cannot be more blunt than actually telling you what to do to seduce. Many disco songs, such as the Electric Slide, tell the dancers how to move. However, since dancing is done by nature, that is where the seduction aspect comes in because the playing of signs, the seduction of dance, overpowers the accompanying text. Another example of this aura that correlates more closely with text being recited by the dancer is the following clip from the show Glee:
Like many other disco songs that use lyrics to tell the dancer how to dance, this one is a little more ambiguous yet still, you probably should be dancing. Words convey meaning where as dance does not.Just like the other example, the power of seduction reigns over the text.
Dancing as making is more of a cultural phenomena than a dance-specific one so I will focus this mainly on the culture of the disco era. I’m going to use Saturday Night Fever as an example again because it had a huge impact on this era, shaping it to what we know it as now. In Western culture, making is a masculine trait that has high regard and respect because it is accompanied by power. On the contrary, seduction is a feminine trait because it is non-productive, yielding no artifact or meaning. Tony is seen as a disappointment to his family because he is not producing anything by dancing. He tries to find meaning through dancing but dancing does not produce anything, including meaning. The power struggle presented here enables Tony to find meaning because the seduction of dance gives him the reality of production through reversibility.
Dancing Culture Religion 
Katie Nooning
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Sam Gill
Samoan War Dance: Seducing
To quote William Faulkner, “the next time you try to seduce anyone, don’t do it with talk, with words. Women know more about words than men ever will. And they know how little they can ever possibly mean.” Faulkner knew what he was talking about when he said this. He knew that words do not hold as much substance. Dancing holds more substance than words do, in particular the Samoan War Dance – Siva Tau.
The Siva Tau may include the rebel war cry yelled by the rugby players, but the words do not do the actual dance justice.
The Manu Samoa, may you succeed in your mission
The Manu Samoa, here I come
There is no other Manu (team) anywhere
Here I come completely prepared
My strength is at its peak
Make way and move aside
Because this Manu is unique
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa
The words that the players cry out are powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the dance and the powerful seduction that the players carry out. It is the seduction of power, respect, tradition, intimidation, strength, energy, inspiration and culture that seduces the audience as well as the participants. Unlike the bolero dance, the Samoan War Dance does not have the “elegantly romantic affect”, but it does have an elegant warrior affect. There are no feminine roles in this dance; therefore there is no seductress, which means that the person doing the seducing is masculine. The gender roles that were established in the lectures as well as the gender roles that are stereotypical in dancing when it comes to the seduction characteristic are broken in this war dance. The male is no longer absent in the dance; however, one could say that man is actually absent and that the warrior is present.
The warrior is the seducer. The warrior performs a type of game/war foreplay that engages the opposing team The opposing team and its players are, in a sense, hypnotized and seduced into this culturally rich war cry. They are seduced into a state of rivalry, competition and future athletic movement that the Siva Tau is like an overture. Just like the bolero dance, “it allows [players] to experience a kind of physical unity with one another, but the dance is over when the music ends”. The dance and Siva Tau is over when the war cry is complete, but the seduction from the dance enables the start of the game and transfers the seduction (the game foreplay) into game play and competition.
Once game play ensues, the reversibility factor now becomes present. The hypnotic seduction of the Samoan War Dance has now ceased and is taken away from the field. It is a reversal of roles from being the seducer to being a warrior. This is what makes Siva Tau so unique and genuine, in my opinion. What also makes Siva Tau so unique is the fact that it also entrances the audience. Jennifer Birkett said, “The mask of art is the means through which corruption is spread. The mask makes vice seem beautiful, turns squalor and nastiness into glamorous thrill, seduces the onlooker into the game – and leaves him or her with the corpse on his hands.” The mask in this case is the warrior mask. The warrior mask that the players wear is the art that seduces. It makes the imminent competition (the vice) seem beautiful and not barbaric. The game turns into “glamorous thrill” from “squalor and nastiness”. The Siva Tau seduces the opponents and the audience (onlookers) into the game and leaves the defeated (the corpse) at the end.
Not only does the Samoan War Dance seduce both parties, but when being performed, the dance holds and establishes a certain aura. This aura is created by the dance and by the players, and the aura seduces and once the aura is established it is held and present throughout the rest of the game. It helps to establish the initial foreplay and helps to transfer the foreplay into game play. It is a smooth transition between both performances and what motivates and creates the intensity behind the dance. However, without the desire of the dancers (players) the aura would not be strong enough to seduce and be held throughout the entire game.
Unlike other seduction techniques that occur in dancing, I do not believe that this form of seduction “operates by deception and secrecy”. Additionally, here, there is a “time of seduction” and “a time for seduction”. The time of seduction is before the game and the time for seduction is before every game. It has a rhyme and it has a reason. It creates an aura that establishes a seduction. The characteristics of this seduction, strength, sweat, culture, faith and war, pulls in everyone watching and participating so that even though their message and chant is powerful, the movement being performed is even more powerful in seducing those around them.
This is the beginning to my essay that must have gotten chopped off:
To quote William Faulkner, “the next time you try to seduce anyone, don’t do it with talk, with words. Women know more about words than men ever will. And they know how little they can ever possibly mean.” Faulkner knew what he was talking about when he said this. He knew that words do not hold as much substance. Dancing holds more substance than words do, in particular the Samoan War Dance – Siva Tau.
The Siva Tau may include the rebel war cry yelled by the rugby players, but the words do not do the actual dance justice.
The Manu Samoa, may you succeed in your mission
The Manu Samoa, here I come
There is no other Manu (team) anywhere
Here I come completely prepared
My strength is at its peak
Make way and move aside
Because this Manu is unique
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa
The words that the players cry out are powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the dance and the powerful seduction that the players carry out. It is the seduction of power, respect, tradition, intimidation, strength, energy, inspiration and culture that seduces the audience as well as the participants. Unlike the bolero dance, the Samoan War Dance does not have the “elegantly romantic affect”, but it does have an elegant warrior affect. There are no feminine roles in this dance; therefore there is no seductress, which means that the person doing the seducing is masculine. The gender roles that were established in the lectures as well as the gender roles that are stereotypical in dancing when it comes to the seduction characteristic are broken in this war dance. The male is no longer absent in the dance; however, one could say that man is actually absent and that the warrior is present.
The warrior is the seducer. The warrior performs a type of game/war foreplay that engages the opposing team The opposing team and its players are, in a sense, hypnotized and seduced into this culturally rich war cry. They are seduced into a state of rivalry, competition and future athletic movement that the Siva Tau is like an overture. Just like the bolero dance, “it allows [players]
One more time:
To quote William Faulkner, “the next time you try to seduce anyone, don’t do it with talk, with words. Women know more about words than men ever will. And they know how little they can ever possibly mean.” Faulkner knew what he was talking about when he said this. He knew that words do not hold as much substance. Dancing holds more substance than words do, in particular the Samoan War Dance – Siva Tau.
The Siva Tau may include the rebel war cry yelled by the rugby players, but the words do not do the actual dance justice.
The Manu Samoa, may you succeed in your mission
The Manu Samoa, here I come
There is no other Manu (team) anywhere
Here I come completely prepared
My strength is at its peak
Make way and move aside
Because this Manu is unique
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa
The Manu Samoa reigns from Samoa
The words that the players cry out are powerful, but not nearly as powerful as the dance and the powerful seduction that the players carry out. It is the seduction of power, respect, tradition, intimidation, strength, energy, inspiration and culture that seduces the audience as well as the participants. Unlike the bolero dance, the Samoan War Dance does not have the “elegantly romantic affect”, but it does have an elegant warrior affect. There are no feminine roles in this dance; therefore there is no seductress, which means that the person doing the seducing is masculine. The gender roles that were established in the lectures as well as the gender roles that are stereotypical in dancing when it comes to the seduction characteristic are broken in this war dance. The male is no longer absent in the dance; however, one could say that man is actually absent and that the warrior is present.
The warrior is the seducer. The warrior performs a type of game/war foreplay that engages the opposing team The opposing team and its players are, in a sense, hypnotized and seduced into this culturally rich war cry. They are seduced into a state of rivalry, competition and future athletic movement that the Siva Tau is like an overture. Just like the bolero dance, “it allows [players]
Emily Fetterly
July 3, 2012
Dance, Religion, and Culture
Professor Sam Gill
Application Project #4
As we have read in On the Aesthetic Education of Man by Schiller, play is foundational to what makes something beautiful, and the movement between the gaps of the sensuous drive and the formal drive infuses life into religious tradition. The Yanggee is a traditional dance of China of the Han Chinese people that is meant to express their hope for a prosperous spring season as well as a way to instill the important tradition of story telling in the younger generation. The Yangge is also a way in which the Chinese people can connect with their ancestral Chinese identity through ancient tradition of dancing to eulogy songs that were sung in sacrifices to the God of the Farm (1). There are many forms and styles of the Yangge that can be found throughout the different areas of the country. The Han Chinese people are found in the Northern part of China, and they congregate together each year to in celebration and to carry out the tradition of storytelling.
Building on what I learned from Sheets-Johnstone, movement is foundational to being alive. As I examined in my previous application assignment, the Punta, the Yangge is also a means in which the dancers interact with their modern environment as well as exploring the ideas and values of their traditional Chinese roots. The movements of the Yangge celebrate the hope for a prosperous season and good harvest just as movement is vital to life, so is food crucial to the body. As the Han dancers physically sway and their arms bounce up and down to the drums and clanging cymbals of the music, their bodies are experiencing the doubling of self and other as they celebrate the joy of bringing in a new and hopefully prosperous season. Through the Yangge the importance of storytelling does not die, but gets passed down to the new generation. It is a way in which the Chinese people continue to bring to life the value of ancient folk stories to teach the coming generation of the lessons of their ancestors. As seen in this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXLUTxldQ_g, the gesturing and springing movement of the hands holding elegant fans are aesthetically pleasing to the onlooker as they slice through the air.
We see beauty take place as Schiller would describe it because there is “oscillation or movement” between the gaps of the sensuous drive and the formal drive as the dancers play (1). This can especially be seen with the masks of the monkey and the pig. As Professor Sam Gill stated when describing masks, “Apart from the masked presentation this figure has no physical, no sensuous nature, but rather pure form, idea, or concept.” (3). The mask of the folk character of the monkey has absolutely no life at all. It is an inanimate object that reflects the animal represented from the ancient Chinese folk tale. But while the mask itself is dead in this sense, as Professor Gill taught us, the mask is a “conjunction of the two – mask and masker” (3). Masking, as Professor Gill states, “does however heighten some aspects of human sensuality” (3). The masker is providing the sensual drive to the mask itself by infusing it with a living existence. Simultaneously, the masker is being self-othered by the ancient folk animal by breaking the human behind the mask of his formal self.
This “oscillation” of the sensual and formal drives as Professor Gill describes “gives rise to the play drive and hence to beauty” (3). The Yangge not only looks beautiful, but also is truly beautiful as defined by Schiller.
The dancers involved in the Yanggee are both creating life, and permeating life into the religious traditions of the Han people. Story telling is an important part of the Han culture. It is a way in which values and lessons can be learned from ancient folk characters. It is crucial for the younger generation to know these values of old, and the Yangge is a way in which the interplay occurs between the formal traditions of storytelling and the sensual drive of the gestures and movement of the masked characters.
I would even venture to say that in this particular example, as seen from the video, that new values are also being instilled within the younger generation as well. The video shows dancers that are members of a hearing-impaired dance team organized by the Red Cross. Being a Speech Language and Hearing Sciences Major, I have first hand seen and heard the frustration and discrimination that is directed towards those who are hearing impaired. My heart instantly was drawn to this video because it was advocating a positive view for those with hearing impairment. While one part of their body may not function correctly, the whole body is not being denied within the culture. The dancers can move and gesture to communicate the important values taught from the othering in the folk character to connect them to their Chinese culture. The movement is merely an avenue in which these Han people can discover more about their culture while simultaneously binding them together in their identity as being people with hearing impairment.
The play of the sensuous and the formal drives fluctuates within the dance of the Yangge and gives way to beauty. We see this in the physical movement of the up and down motion of the fans and handkerchiefs. The visual motion evokes pleasure and elegance, and this is reflective of the beauty that is created through the interplay between the two drives of the dancer. As Schiller said, “With beauty man shall only play, and it is with beauty only that he shall play. … Man only plays when he is in the full sense of the word a human being, and he is only fully a human being when he plays.”(XV.8 and 9)” (2). As the Han people dance the Yangge, life is being infused into the mask of the folk character while at the same time giving life to the religious tradition of storytelling that is a beautiful sight to behold as well as experience.
References
1. China Dance. 2008. China Fact Tours. June 24, 2012.
2. Gill, Sam. “Go Up Into the Gaps: Play and Native American Religions-1” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
3. Gill, Sam. “Go Up Into the Gaps: Play and Native American Religions-2” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Lenore Silberman
Application 4
7/6/2012
Cotillion and Seduction
I decided to take an in-depth look into cotillion and choose to analyze not only the event, tradition, and dance itself, but the entirety of cotillion with a particular emphasis on seduction. The course thus far has spent a great deal of time discussing seduction as an integral part of dance while Sam has provided us with a great deal of insight in an effort to reveal that seduction is not only an essential aspect of dance, but in order to be able to fully understand dance in its entirety one must be able to fully understand seduction as it relates to dance. I plan to go into detail about the history, origin, evolution, significance, and practice of cotillion and will provide you with an in-depth analysis of seduction and how it not only pertains to dance, but how seduction is present, evident, and embedded within the traditions of cotillion and cotillion in and of itself. Lastly, I plan to discuss how the presence of seduction in cotillion differs from Bolero and the seductive nature present in other dance forms that Sam has discussed thus far.
To begin, I’d like to carefully define cotillion. Cotillion is the dance itself, but today in the U.S., the term debutante ball is commonly used interchangeably to refer not only to cotillion as a dance, but it is also used to describe the event and its various meanings. As previously mentioned in application 3, cotillion is known and referred to as a social dance having originated in France circa the year 1850’s, and has since spread and is currently practiced in the U.S., Italy, Austria and all over Europe (Whitaker 2009). Contrary to common knowledge, cotillion originated from French country dancing, but has since evolved a long way and today bares little connection to country dancing, as practiced in most places.
In application 3 I briefly discussed my experience as a participant in cotillion, or as we referred to it in the Southwest, Tux & Boots, which actually does bare some resemblance to country dancing, however, more so out of a cultural significance rather then country dancing itself. I’d like to elaborate on my experience before I go into depth about theories of seduction in regards to dance. Although it technically was a cotillion, the only difference was that the girls were bright red cowboy boots under their fancy white gowns. It was such a wonderful experience that I’m extremely happy to have been part while learning a thing or two about ballroom dance.
However, upon reflection of my participation, I started to think a great deal about the presence of seduction in and of this event itself. Today cotillion, as practiced in the U.S., is a presentation of young ladies to society, and is also referred to as one’s coming of age debut. However, cotillion has evolved a long way from its original practice. Originally, cotillion was practiced by the elite social class and by aristocrats to introduce and pair eligible young females to young eligible wealthy males, also known as a coming-of-age event. Tux and Boots was also a coming of age event, but it no way did it serve as an event to introduce and pair wealthy girls and boys. In fact, I picked my own escort to accompany me, and in general this event did not entail a sense of courtship in comparison to the origins of cotillion. I’d like to return back to the topic of seduction for a moment. Originally, I had thought the reasoning behind all the females wearing bright red cowboy boots was just to add a spice of Southwest desert flare and culture, but then I thought about the symbolism of the color red, or what Baud. refers to as ‘signs’. Red represents the color of seduction and symbolizes sex, at least that is the color that comes to most people’s minds when asked about sex. I started to think that perhaps there was some seduction present in this event in which I hadn’t before considered. For instance, at one particular point in the dance the girls (all of us in unison), while dancing with their partners raised their dresses just a tad to reveal not only the boots, but also their ankles and upper legs. Prior, to the lecture series on seduction I had not thought about this simple choreographed gesture twice, and I certainly had not considered it to have a seductive nature to it, that is until Sam and Baud’s. detailed description of seduction.
I’d like to move on to incorporate and to discuss theories of Seduction and how they are prevalent in dance, but in specific I’d like describe the ways in which seduction is present in cotillion, and how the nature of seduction present in cotillion slightly differs from mainstream theories of seduction. This course has spent a great deal of time discussing play in and of itself, but also play is also related to seduction. In addition, it seems that seduction itself serve as the ‘rules’ of a ‘game.’ Sam and Baud. describe seduction as ‘smoke and mirrors’, all made up appearances, in which have no real meanings, because after all it is just a game, however, even though seduction is deceiving and doesn’t necessarily have meaning to it, it serves to offer a point of meaning. According to Baud., seduction is meaningless and powerless, yet at the same time seduction is source of power itself. At first I thought that statement and its associated meaning was an oxy-moron, and didn’t at first understand what was meant by that powerful statement However, when I reconsidered this statement in regards to cotillion, I was able to grasp a fuller and better understanding of this concept, especially in regards to feminine seduction.
I started to grasp a better understanding when I realized that cotillion is just one big annual event, staged, and even produced, everything from the dresses to the make-up, the dance steps, and the ballroom itself! That was my light bulb moment, when I realized that although it was reality, and I experienced it, and it indeed did occur, nonetheless, it wasn’t exactly a REAL-ity. In fact, it was far from. The moment I came to this realization I was able to see not only seduction as it relates to dance, but the inseparable nature of seduction to the study dance. I found Sam’s distinction and description of Baud’s idea of production as seduction, not only to be extremely helpful, but it also was the missing piece to the puzzle. And that one has to view dance as having a seductive nature in those terms put forth. My other mind-blowing moment came along when I internalized Baud’s connection to seduction as feminine. Moreover, the entire concept of seduction became mind-boggling when I not only applied it to cotillion, but when I applied this entire lecture series to my female and very feminine life!
Anyways, I’d like to mention how much of what was just discussed is present in traditional and modern practices of cotillion today. At first I thought that Bolero, which emphasizes the absence of the women, was completely different from cotillion, which I felt to be based upon my experience and common beliefs, very much female centered; as in, an emphasis on the female presence, and an absence of the male. However, I understand the concept of both the creation and being of presence and absence in regards to seduction, and I get that both are there. However, cotillion differed a great deal and upon consideration of this upcoming quote in light of Beaud’s concepts, I realized that perhaps I just felt that way because things have A). evolved and are now more contemporary practices and B). I have grown up during and have been influenced by feminist thought, as Sam mentioned in his preface. Consider this quote, which I think nicely sums up early traditional cotillion, “The cotillion brought with it certain social graces typical of the courtesies of the day. Though males taking part in a cotillion dance chose a partner early upon arrival at the event, the cotillion afforded both male and female the opportunity for a flirtatious encounter with other dancers of interest” (Whitaker 2009). In two sentences, it becomes clear that early cotillion practices were produced by the males who would pick there dates, but at the same time both sexes got to play, interact, and flirt with members of the opposite sex, which is characteristic of seduction.
As mentioned practices have very much changed, and I picked my own date and made just about every other decision regarding cotillion for that matter! Baud’s description of the femininity of seduction was rather eye opening along with Sam’s discussion of Billy Elliot and what the movie/play actually did and did not create and portray. In addition, I appreciate both these insights because I most likely would have never considered my experience in this manner. In addition, Baud’s description also allowed me to get a better understanding of the ways in which production is often male-centered. I don’t know if I entirely agree with his reasoning’s that guide him to this viewpoint, however, he brings up many great points that I found to be agreeable, and it also got me thinking in a way in which I most likely wouldn’t have thought otherwise.
Sources
http://www.cotillionballroom.org/Cotillion%20History%20-%201997.html
http://suite101.com/article/the-cotillion-a88136
http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Exhibitions/Dance/types.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debutante#United_States
http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Exhibitions/Dance/types.htm
Lily Grace Nolan
APP #4
Fireknife and the Role the Fire Played
The fireknife dance of Hawaii is a topic that is completely rich in historic precedent but also has extensive applications to play, seduction and self othering. The fireknife dance, is malleable changing from region to region, for this paper I will be focusing mainly on how the dance is practiced contemporarily. I will touch on how the affects of play, seduction, and othering, played a vital role in the transformation and modern birth of the fireknife dance. As well as focusing on the local aspects that greatly drive and intertwine with culture and the dance traditions of certain cultures.
The fireknife is a dance that is as bold as its name. Most, although not all, have experienced or been exposed to some sort of luau, or have seen Samoan fire dancing on the internet, or movies. That being said, most who have witnessed dances like these would agree that there is a bold and powerful quality to them. An acute sense of grace and fury that create and intersecting dichotomy between movement and expression.
The dance involves a solo, or in some national traditions, groups, lighting the end of traditional Mauri, pacific islander, weaponry on fire, and twirling it to rhythmic drumming. Interesting to me, the dance itself, when broken down via movements, is rather simplistic. That being said, I do not believe the performance is simplistic. This observation really brings what we have learned about play into focus.
The fireknife steps, although ranging in variety across islands and venues modernly, really all involve the same type of components. The first would be marching steps, turning and facing the body different directions, and the swinging of the torso. These movements, I believe are put into focus to help draw attention to the performance, in which a new environment precedes the dance, encapsulating the audience and shifting the performances interactional identity.
The rhythmic repetitively of the dance and the revert back to it throughout the performance, despite the complexities of the dance building throughout, establish a type of new threshold in which new relationships can be formed by the performer and the audience. Simply, the repetitive motions and rhythmic patterning of the dance act as a way to establish a call and response between the performance/er and the viewer as highlighted in Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Bill Viola discussion on how repetition and attention are linked. Moreover, the dance’s significance is tied to the ability for a encapsulation between viewer and dance, in which all components are play become linked and new. Body, dancing body, watched body, danced body, form one threshold in which play takes place.
This interaction fuses the viewer and performance, as one vital component of the fireknife dance is that without the audience, the dance does not hold as much precedent. Derrida, an authority on play focused largely on how the structure disrupts the formation of play. It is my belief that the incorporation of fire and separating the gestural movements of the fire component from the rhythm of the dance, was a way that fireknife breaks the grounded structure where it is performed. Moreover, fireknifes central focus on fire, once a new threshold is being built by rhythm, allows for complete submersion into a new and infinite number of subset structures. The movement of the twirling fire and separation between that gestural movement and the rhythmic patterning draws attention, but does not close the performance by establishing a fixed center, creating the freeplay (jeu) within the performance. This, un-centering, while maintaining a new establish threshold of performance, really allow the identity of the performer to become performance- embodying the dance and all of its components seamlessly.
This separation of the fire element in the fireknife is one, if not the most important component of the dance. Fireknife, rooted in a long practiced cultural and religious tradition in the pacific islands, is very different today, shifting in how the performance was executed in the mid 20th Century. This shift occurred when one authoritative performer, by the name of Freddie Letuli added fire as a central component in 1946. The dance, which was traditionally done as a victory dance of war, “ailao”, was changed as a response to cultural shifts happening at the time. With the rise of technology and middle class, tourism began to have more a pertinent focus in the middle of the 20th Century. That said, fireknife, rooted in tradition and as a dance which so perfectly exemplifies the meeting-place between viewer and dance, had the unique documentation of adding a new component to ramp up the drama of the performance in order to compensate for the changing social and cultural structures in the Pacific Islands.
Freddie’s canonization of fire, acted separately from the rest of the dance. In this way fire became the seductive element that incorporated a realm all its own from the already established play.
Baudillard’s emphasis on seduction revolved around this central root of seduction as power because of its ability to incorporate a space all of its own, being a one; separate element and two;f using the space between its occurrence and precedence all at the same time. Fire’s incorporation into ailao to become fireknife, was the physical representation of seduction. The fire element of the dance creates a space that is not bound by the other patterns, or linear time of the rest of the performance (Baudillard). Thus, the fire acted as a way to enhance the power of the performance (seduction) in order to be more “attractive” to an audience that might not otherwise understand all the historical implications and rich religious background of the ailao.
Today we see this manifested in the different types of fireknife performed as “traditional” dances in the pacific islands and Hawaii. The dance’s shift truly illustrates how the elements of play, gestural movement, performance, and seduction, participate in shifts in culture. Socially, as we see in fireknife, spatial relationships between the viewer and performer, as well as the spatial relationships that have occur between cultures due to institutional and economic shifts, affect a dances evolution.
-This video gives a brief and rather tourist oriented tutorial of fireknife, illustrating how the culture of fireknife has changed.
REFERENCES:
Noland, Carrie. Agency and Embodiment. Performing Gestures/Producing Cultures.
Gill, Sam. Play 4 -: Jacques Derrida.
Baudrillard, Jean. The Ecliptic of Sex.
Georgina, Dianna M. Performing Selves: The Semiotics of Selfhood in Samoan Dance. Washington State University. 2007.
Thompson, Rene. The Story of the Samoan Fire Knife Dance. Tikiarticles February 2, 2012. Royal-tiki.com.http://www.royaltiki.com/Articles/History-And-Culture/The-Story-Of-The-Samoan-Fire-Knife-Dance.
Evan Sticca, RLST 3838, Garba as Making
Garba is a Hindu dance tradition that is integral in the making of a cultural identity that revolves around respect for femininity and the manifestation of the divine in every living soul. It helps individuals achieve this identity through many ancient rituals during Navratri. The aforementioned respect manifests itself through these rituals, out of which include the Garba circle, the construction of the Golu and the metaphor of nine different incarnations of Shakti, the mother goddess.
When I attended the Garba ceremony, the atmosphere was light-hearted and welcoming. The Garba I attended did indeed fall during one of the five traditional times of Navratri, but was intended as more of a cultural interchange rather than an actual religious holiday. In Guajarat, the atmosphere is still joyous, but there is also a solemnity and purpose of action when performing the Garba. In Guajarat, most communities see Shakti as the supreme form of Brahman since she is its female form. The Garba represents the endless cycle of death and rebirth by its circular nature. During the dance, the encircling can cause trance like movement, and removal of the individual contributing to a community identity. Indeed, the circle can be very hypnotic with the many colors of the dancer’s robes blending to create a giant mosaic representing life as a whole. Additionally, the Garba circle is intended to continue until dawn of the next day, further enhancing the trance like devotion of the dancers. The flowing back and forth is better seen than described. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFES_t3AxQI
In the middle of the circle is the Golu, a clay lantern shrine that symbolizes the divine light of Shakti, and how mothers are the link that allows the cycle to continue. In Shaktism, Garba is absolutely essential for life to continue on Earth. They believe that without respecting Shakti, she will grow weary of the world and fail to imbue life with her divine spark. Thus, without Garba the endless line of mothers will cut short. In all fairness, this is likely superstition, but it serves a greater social function. Females in the community of all ages are respected for their ability to create life and nurture life that has already started. It seems odd, but this has even reached a competitive status around India. Troupes attempt to perform Garba in many categories including best form, longest running Garba and best Golu. It seems that Garba dancers take their respect of femininity to the extreme. Garba allows for a respect for motherhood to develop from ritual devotion to a loss of self, the formation of a community and of course the dance itself.
Perhaps the most important religious aspect of Navratri is the construction of the Golu. The Golu takes form based on the literal Sanskrit translation of Garbha Deep. Garbha means womb and Deep means a small earthenware lamp. Putting these two together creates the symbolic image of the light of divinity present in all life starting in the womb. It also symbolizes that mothers possess the power to contain the light of divinity and are necessary for its continuation. The Golu is also adorned with dolls representing many incarnations of divinity, including Shakti’s many forms. Here is a picture of a modern Golu decorated with dolls and an oil lamp in front. http://veda.sakthifoundation.org/test/images/golu-1.jpg
During Garba the Golu serves as the centerpiece around which the circle is formed. Dancers start on the outermost edge of the circle and gradually make their way inward as they circle around. When reaching the Golu, it is common practice to offer Prasad, which is a gift that is typically a food offering to Shakti. Additionally, the accepting party is usually a female of high status such as a grandmother. After reaching the Golu, a dancer will retake their place at the outer edge of the circle to symbolize that at the end of life they are thankful to their mothers, motherland and of course Shakti herself. In traditional Navratri ceremonies, there is an element of ritual courtesy when reaching the Golu that is undescribible. The Guajarati people truly believe that all life depends on demonstrating respect for motherhood. While reaching the Golu may not be a dance maneuver, it is perhaps the most important aspect of constructing a culture that respects femininity.
The final major element to Navratri Garba depends on the day of Navratri. Since there are nine nights and ten days, a different form of Shakti is worshipped each day. Each day differs in the type of ritual used to respect Shakti because of the different forms. There are incarnations that are major and ones that are minor, but each has a different significance to the festival goers. The major forms are Durga for the first three days, Lakshmi for the second three days, Saraswati for days seven through nine, and finally Vijayadasami for the tenth day. As previously stated, Durga is the form used to cleanse and purify the soul of all impurities. Durga is the most pure form of Shakti, depicted as a shapeless force. This represents that before the body, the soul is present and full of the divine light of Shakti. Lakshmi is the most motherly form of Shakti, depicted as a woman in the prime of her life. She bestows endless spiritual wealth to her followers, and cares for their souls during the transition between life and death. Saraswati is portrayed as an old woman, and is the goddess of wisdom. She preaches to life a simple life and gives council to souls in trouble. Finally Vijayadasami is the most powerful of all of Shakti’s forms and is imagined to be a warrior princess. It is said that the tenth day of Navratri is when good lead by Vijayadasami triumphs over evil and life may continue. At the end of Navratri, thanks is given to Shakti for allowing life to continue, and the Golu is ritually put to sleep until the next occasion of Navratri. Each of Shakti’s forms represents an aspect of the female psyche that is respected in Guajarati culture. By taking a day to respect each, the community respects the totality of femininity.
When I first attended Garba, I had no idea of the deeper significance it held for making a cultural identity for the Guajarati people. After conducting this research, I now see that by creating a tradition in which festival goers respect femininity, the community will respect women in everyday life. Indeed, this festival started in Guajarat, but now takes place across India with only slight variation in ritual. Western civilization usually considers god to be male or sexless, but Hindu tradition links divinity to mortality by giving it multiple forms each with a sex. By attributing divine power to the creation of life by mothers, Navratri Garba crafts a cultural identity that respects women in all stages of life.
References
1. “Folk Dances of India: Garba” http://web.archive.org/web/20090614111155/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/garba.php
2. “What is Navratri and Durga Puja”
http://www.navratrifestival.net/navaratri-and-durga-puja/
3. “10 Days with the Mother Goddess” http://hinduism.about.com/od/festivalsholidays/a/mothergoddess.htm
4. “Symbolism of the Kolu” – http://veda.sakthifoundation.org/golu.htm
5. “How to worship the goddess during Navratri” – http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/how-to-worship-the-goddess-during-navratri.html
6. “Navratri: In the Festival of Nine Nights, Hindus across the globe worship the feminine form of the Supreme” – http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/how-to-worship-the-goddess-during-navratri.html
Dane Adams
Application # 4
Voodoo as Seduction
Oh I could not wait to write this paper. After learning about voodoo while writing my first paper I have been eager to explore the subject in the context of the material we have been learning through the lectures. The entire time that I was reading about seduction in dancing I could not help but think about voodoo dancing and the seduction that occurs not only with the audience, but with the individual seducing themselves. Voodoo has this kind a Narcissus effect where the individual is seducing others while dancing, but also seducing themselves through the aura surrounding the self-othering of the trance dance that is performed by voodoo dancers.
Seduction of the Trance
I asked myself, what happens when you take the rawness out of Voodoo? What happens when you take the trance out of the dancing? What you get is something that is not very seducing. I wanted to show you the following video so that you can get what I am talking about. The following is a group of individuals who are dancing together and using movements that can be classified as voodoo or African dance moves, but something is missing.
What is missing is the heart and soul of what defines voodoo. These dancers are not getting lost in the dance. These dancers are merely performing the gestural moves, which are only a small part of what makes Voodoo so seductive. Voodoo is a spiritual dance, and as such the actions are far less important than the intent. The intent is to lose yourself and to take yourself to that place where the formal and sensual drives are held in balance through the movement. I have shown you the ugly of modern voodoo dancing, so let’s look now at an example of someone who gets it.
The moves that were performed by this gentleman in the second performance are not much different than those of the first group. I like the way that it shows the man getting ready for the dance itself. You can see that as the make-up is being applied, this man is already in a trance and is already taking himself to that zone where is can self-other. It is interesting because at first glance you just realize that he has “IT”, when it is very difficult to define what “IT” is at first. At first glance you realize that in the first video I showed that the group didn’t have “IT.” In one video there is definitely Voodoo dancing going on that is seductive, and in the other video there is voodoo dancing that makes you cringe and is not seductive. This difference I would suggest is that of the state of trance that is reached by the individuals involved. One might even say that it is not Voodoo dancing unless there is a trance involved. Voodoo dancing is not like ballet where it is defined by the exact movements involved. You can watch a dance, and know right off the bat that it is Ballet due to the moves that are being performed. Voodoo dancing is far less about the moves and far more about the state that one is in that leads to the moves. Let me show one last video that demonstrates the seducing power of the trance in voodoo dancing. This video is one that I showed in my first paper on Voodoo dance, but is one that really demonstrates the “IT” factor found in the trance of Voodoo. There is much more involved in this ceremonial dance, and this happens to be a dance that is somewhat choreographed and planned in order to teach values to the individuals involved in the dance and audience. None-the-less this planned dance is still very raw and seductive despite its contrived nature due to the fact that the individuals involved are entranced in the dance.
The Seduction of Voodoo Aura
Voodoo dancing is deeply entwined in the religion of Voodoo. There are many dances involved in Voodoo that are planned or staged to act out something specific in a religious ceremony. The following video displays such a dance. This group is formally dressed in religious Voodoo attire and are being lead in their dancing and singing by one of their religious leaders. These dances are for very particular celebrations or reasons many of which are not much different than those reason and celebrations found in modern Christianity.
You may have noticed in this dance the fact that the individuals are all performing in their own way, the same choreographed dance. Even in this group format when you would think that there is not much of an air of originality there is still this amazing Aura of individuality and originality. Juxtapose this video to one of people doing country line dancing and you will see what I mean.
In western culture when dancing is done as a group, it is done as a form of self integration. The individuals of the group try as hard as they can to do the exact same moves as all of the other individuals of the group. The emphasis for better or for worse is to teach the western dancer that there is beauty of the loss of one’s own identity in that of the group. Voodoo dancing is not that! Voodoo dancing is a celebration of the individual even in the group format. The seduction of Voodoo dancing is that one can still be celebrated as an individual within the context of a group. Although the group is experiencing a common activity together, they are each still experiencing it as individuals. Whenever something is original, new, and fresh each time it is experienced it has an Aura that is alluring and enticing for the individual. This is true not only for the individual who is performing, but also for the people who are watching the performance. The voodoo religion always celebrates the individual. Nowhere is this principle truer than in the free-style nature of dance that is practiced in the Voodoo religion. The rule of Voodoo dance is that there are no rules. It’s like the movie “Fight Club,” but in Voodoo dancing everyone goes home with their teeth at the end of the night. I guess you could say that the only rule is to follow one’s own path in dance and self exploration. Let me just clarify that this dancing with no rules is under the broader context of a religion that very much has rules. This type of dance allows for the latitude of self-exploration in the world without ridicule. Let me show you a video of what I am talking about.
That video is so interesting because I first you think I messed up and put another video of a group that is all dancing the same. As you watch on in the video the individuals go from the group dance to the self driven, freestyle dance. I have read a lot about this subject and have found some very interesting answers. The best of the answers I will share with you. This type a Voodoo dancing teaches a very interesting moral. At first brush one may thing that it teaches valuing self over that of the group. In our society today we call that “anti-social” behavior. If you will remember from my first paper Voodoo is very much a religion about connecting the individual to the spiritual realm. This group dancing that leads to individual free-styling is meant to teach the individuals the value of “personal spiritual revelation” Uh-oh, don’t tell organized religion that or there are going to be a lot of preachers out of work. Voodoo teaches its members that spirituality as a group is a source of strength. It also teaches that spirituality starts by learning how to go about it by those who have traveled the pathway before you. Ultimately though it is the individual that has to grow spiritually and make their own contact with the spirits and learn how to communicate and live with those in the spirit world. Being an individual in the Voodoo religion is about being an individual where one’s own spirituality is concerned. This is not a religion that places the value of the individual above that of the group in any area except that of spirituality and spiritual growth. This is the Aura of Voodoo dancing that makes it so seductive. It is a journey of dancing that never travels down the same path twice. Experiencing Voodoo dancing is like the old adage “you can never step in the same river twice.” Not only do they believe that in the explicit teachings of the Voodoo religion, but they teach it in the fundamental dance of their religion.
Seduction of Voodoo vs. Bolero
Traditionally seduction is thought of as something sexual in nature. It is easy for us to learn a richer meaning of seduction in this context because of the preconceived notions we have in western culture of seduction. Much of the seduction that is present in Bolero dancing is based in the sexual, which is based in the sensual. Voodoo is much more primal than Bolero. Voodoo is based purely in the sensual with no sexual undertones involved. This more primal base is why I believe Voodoo is much more seductive than Bolero. The sexual is only one part of the greater category of sensual. The sensual is that entire feeling with all the senses. Sensual exploration through dancing, takes dancing back to almost its beginning stage where it has no meaning or purpose. Sensual exploration through dance it the true groping of the dark space in its entirety. I love the following video because of the exploration of all the areas of the dark space, which the dancers are engaged in.
Many would look at this video and think of how weird it is that they are holding chickens and other everyday common objects. When you look at this video and realize that the principle action the individuals are engaged in is the exploration of their world through dance, the objects do not seem that weird. The objects heighten the sensual experience of the dance and allow for a deeper physical connection with the physical world, and ultimately a deeper connection with the spiritual world which is taught to be in and through the physical world in Voodoo religion. The sexual seduction that is found in Bolero is very strong and enticing because of the strong emotions that it ties to. The sensual seduction found in Voodoo not only encompasses the sexual, but extends to the exploration and seduction of all things sensual. The following video is a little graphic because it shows the extension of the sensual exploration of Voodoo Dancing into the realm of sexual. The dancer ends up taking off her clothes while dancing Voodoo. This video makes the strong point that Voodoo dancing is so powerfully seductive in all of the sensual areas which it explores.
http://dai.ly/cjues1
Wow, how powerful is that. That video is so seductive and it is not just because there is a naked woman on the screen. The seductive nature of the video is not the fact that there is a naked woman who is lusted after. The seduction of the dance is that the viewers of the dance wish to explore the freedom of sensual exploration that the dancer is engaged in. Even as a male I would love to lose control like that and explore the realm of the sensual to the extent that it is being explored by this Voodoo dancer. It is extremely powerful and is an exploration of the power found in the flesh.
Conclusion
This paper was extremely fun and exciting to write. I hope it was equally exciting to read as it was to write. Through this paper I have come to find out that Voodoo as a religion and dance form is very misunderstood in western culture. The very essence of what Voodoo is can very often be lost when it is attempted to be performed by American dancers. The dance boils down to personal physical exploration and spiritual connection, and this is accomplished through the trance which voodoo dancers engage in. I want to leave you with one last video. Since I started with a video of stupid Americans attempting to engage in Voodoo dancing, I would like to end with one on a grand scale being performed at a concert of a rock band named “Godsmack.” This adulterated Voodoo dance is performed on such a grand scale that I thought it just drove home the point of how Voodoo dancing performed correctly is so seductive and beautiful, whereas Voodoo dancing performed incorrectly is just extremely silly and pointless movement that may not even qualify as dancing. Enjoy!!!!
Resources
1. “Voodoo.” . Last Viewed: June 2012.
2. “Voodoo – African Spiritual Religious Systems.” . Last Viewed: June 2012.
3. “Voodoo Religion – The History.” . Last Viewed: June 2012
Emily Read
6 July 2012
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Professor Sam Gill
Seduction and Production: Coexistence Within the Context of Dance
Within the tradition of bolero dancing, the female dancers are a sensual part of a passionate interactive story in which the women are portrayed as seductresses, while the males are the subjects being seduced. Taking the perspective that bolero dancing can be the means through which someone is seduced, Baudrillard argues that seduction cannot coexist with production. I am refuting this idea –after further analysis, I came to the conclusion that within the context of dancing, seduction and production can, indeed, coexist. I believe that the art of seduction performed by the female dancer is indeed a production, thus releasing it from the confines of the gender roles associated with bolero dancing. The female dancer embodies both masculine and feminine identity roles, which refutes Baudrillard’s thesis that seduction and production cannot coexist.
Please watch the following clip. It is a beautiful example of a couple dancing the bolero. Notice their easy interaction and almost palpable sense of seduction. The woman is producing for her male counterpart an invitation to be seduced:
Sensual bolero dancing is a production between a man and a woman –if a person is going to be seduced, that person’s seducer must, in a sense, put on a kind of production in order to do so. The female does this while dancing. After all, for one to pay rapt attention to another and ultimately be seduced by them, one must witness such a production in the first place.
Seduction is not something that can be restricted to the confines of gender. Baudrillard maintains that “all masculine power is a power to produce…the only, and irresistible, power of femininity is the inverse power of seduction” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Bolero). This simply is not true. Bolero dance embodies seduction while absolutely being a production. In Baudrillard’s 1979 book entitled “Seduction,” he maintains that “there is no active or passive mode in seduction, no subject or object, no interior or exterior: seduction plays on both sides, and there is no frontier separating them” (Jean Baudrillard, “Seduction,” p. 81). Furthermore, according so Sam Gill of the University of Colorado at Boulder, “women are non-productive (i.e., seductive); men are producers. Production is valued; seduction is devalued. Women are devalued; identified with seduction presented only in a negative threat-to-production light” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Feminism). I am arguing that women are producers in the art of seduction. Females serve to incite the exciting and almost palpable sexual tension within the context of bolero dancing. In this sensual production, the female is embodying what might be considered to be “masculine.”
“Bolero dancing is…sexual foreplay” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Baudrillard). Bolero dancing is perceived in its movements as being sexy and seductive. Dancers, of course, were aware that Bolero dance encompasses a wide range of emotions and projections beyond sexuality and seduction, but the popular impact of the dance, and possibly its first impact on the women who began to study it, was in the realm of sensuality. To take part in the bolero dance is to claim the dance away from a patriarchal setting, and to emphasize the sense of freedom it engenders in women who embrace it. In doing so, women produce an image of female sexuality. Her role in bolero dancing breaks free from the confines of seduction –she is the producer of a sensual image and of an invitation to be whisked away by her male counterpart.
Theorist and author Frances Aparicio maintains that the very nature of bolero dance is based upon the notion that the woman is absent –her male counterpart is longing for her, for her return and ultimately longing for her love. As Professor Sam Gill said, “Aparicio finds bolero lyrics to be ‘a musical space in which Woman (or the feminine) is constructed mostly as absence, an absence that stimulates the expression and articulation of male desire through the text/song and through the act of singing…this romantic musical genre has been a central subtext of heterosexual love and an influential tradition that informs the discourse of desire and sexual politics in salsa music’” (Gill: Dancing as Seduction –Bolero). I am refuting this notion because this sensual woman is, indeed, present in the dance. She does not simply embody the notion of absence and longing, for she is just an important figure as the male dancer. Though she is taking part in the art of seducing, she is also producing. She is producing and projecting a strong sense female sexuality through her seductive and very obvious presence, thus making her both masculine and feminine.
I am contesting the notion that feminine physical expression, especially when it is so sensual like bolero dancing, is limited to seduction. This is because physical expression in bolero dancing is not only seducing, but it is producing. Bolero dancing, while portraying lascivious seductresses, creates an image of a woman in possession of sensuality and fertility. However, she is not limited to the seductive image because she is producing for her male counterpart a kind of invitation to take part in the dance. She wants to be sought after, to be romanced. The female dancer embodies both masculine and feminine identity roles, which refutes Baudrillard’s notions of coexistence –bolero dancing features a woman who serves to both seduce and produce, thus making her role both masculine and feminine.
Erika Heilman
Application #4
Fosse Dance as Seduction
Fosse dance is a unique dance style illustrated by one man’s life, that of Bob Fosse. Often described as a “workaholic,” Bob Fosse stated in an interview that sometimes he wished he could get away from work but that he was remarkably drawn in that he could not escape but rather learned to live with his obsessions of prosecuting his creative visions. These creative dances reflect more than just Bob Fosse’s visions; rather they correspond to the changes of the time and depict how gestures shape the dancer’s body, which allows a connection and understanding of identity of the self and the world to develop. This was something that was happening all around the late nineteenth century and was seen in developing dances since the postmodern dance movement that rebelled against the strict and concrete movements of dances like ballet.
Bob Fosse demonstrates an aspect to dance that speaks great lengths to inspiration and seduction due to the creation of his own style dance. Because he was pigeon toed he did not have a good enough turn out in ballet, he went on to choreograph the “Fosse” style dance where the toes were turned in. This new style played with the familiar signs and gestures of the formal dance that he had learned in lessons and ended up captivating millions of people, seducing them as well as himself into his gestures of turned in feet, flicking writs, sliding legs, slow hip swaying. The slow sensual movement followed by quick sliding and flicking or thrusting brings forth the reversibility of seduction between the maker and the thing made, his dance demonstrate seduction that leaves nothing behind. This clip of “Big Spender” really depicts his signature moves:
While considering Fosse dance in terms of religion, the sexual freedom and change that is concerning to Christian theology based on the focus of the dance is important to acknowledge. Fosse dance embodies gestures and seduction of the time and allegedly Bob Fosse claimed to have no religion, except how he choreographed his dances and why derives from his culture and life and how he experienced and engaged with the world. In this clip from “Cabaret” the burlesque experiences he had are seen in the sexual gestures and feel of the dance:
I want to compare and contrast Fosse to Zumba. Although very different types of movement, I believe that there is a correspondence of the seduction between the two. Once you start something that touches you, it is powerful yet powerless; there exists a seduction that is so captivating that being performed or watching a performance that the connection between the mind and body is so intertwined and substantial that it seduces the audience and the dancers. That in Fosse, the dancers are raw and alive, their identity and individuality is evident through their gestures and their seduction, yet at the same time they are not there. The seduction, as play of signs takes over and together they move with the theme of the show, they gesture the lives of the time, and the frustration and excitement of sexual freedom.
As in Zumba, which is much MUCH more than physical exercise the Latin culture decorates the bodies, the music seeps from the sweaty pores, incorporating how gestures shape the body, which signifies culture and the individual.
On this note, I believe that it is important to address the feminine and masculine aspects in relation to seduction and production because Fosse is performed and produced and I believe demonstrates the dualism of femininity and masculinity. The hyper sexual freedom that is seen in the gestures of Fosse are feminine because the focused is on the women. However, this sexuality I think can be seen as empowering and not degrading but rather demonstrates an ideal where the self and self-othering exists. I believe that it is within this dualism that the seduction is so prominent that was created by the production. Bob Fosse was indeed male and choreographed these dances and performances, but his dances demonstrate the dualism of the masculine and feminine energy of the production and seduction because both exist in his dances despite the gender of the dancers.
In understanding seduction as a play of signs and as the qualities and gestural movements engaged with illusion and appearance, a play between how we perceive something in front of us and how we perceive it as an illusion or an ideal, it is seduction because nothing is left behind that is tangible. Therefore something that is seducing is something that we cannot grasp completely. It is something that captivates us, touches us, and says something about the world yet says nothing at all. Fosse dance was created as, and still exists as all of these things. As dancers still learn Fosse dance style for replicas of his shows or performances, the gestures derive from his choreography:
In the context of the performance the seduction still exists and the moves portray the culture and life of the theme of the show. However, since he is not alive and the times have changed then in cultural context the dance has evolved because it is not as present as a need for sexual freedom, but rather as present to display the seduction that he inspired.
Fosse dance can be considered as a physical dance, an inspiration and a mentality. As all three it demonstrates the dualism between power and powerless, self-other, play and seduction. As a physical dance, the specific gestures exist and are absorbed, or taught and learned. As an inspiration it speaks to the ineffable power of dance as a whole, that movement and gestures exist in our bodies and our world so deeply that the possibilities of our bodies being shaped by gesture can play with signs, and can be seduction. That the experience that is available to us, that our culture and our world can be analyzed through various types of dances, interpreted through how we see the world and how we perceive and how we exist as humans that are being perceived by others, demonstrates how Fosse dance style is a mentality. That all dances can be interpreted as a rich combinations and deep correlations of the physical, the detailed inspiration and the mentality; just how the body and the mind cannot exist separately, the history, the culture, the religion cannot be evaluated without the insights of each other just as the dance and the dancer cannot stand alone.
Works Cited:
Bozzola, Lucia.
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 1: Bolero.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 2: Baudrillard.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction -3: Aura.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture, “Dancing as Seduction – 4: Feminie.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 2: Seduction. ”
Michelle Milko
Square Dancing
When I think of “country” there are a few terms that pop into my head: country music, line dancing, beer, American Flags adorning any and every wall, and square dancing. There is a love of America and all that it represents. Though I could spend all day talking about 4 out of 5 of those words, I have decided to zero in on good ol’ fashion square dancing. You may have seen in it many country themed movies or have learned it in gym class but to think there is anything more to it than dosidoing your partner round and round seems a little ridiculous. And from a personal standpoint, I had that same viewpoint up until now. Turns out, there is a cultural history that has contributed to the modern day square dance. It takes practice, time, and a lot of effort to understand and memorize the upwards of 400 calls that one must know to successfully participate. It has become more than just a dance; it has become an American staple (19 states have made it their official folk dance). There are two types of square dancing: traditional/Appalachian square dancing and western square dancing. Below are two clips of the different dances. The first clip is western and the second is Appalachian.
The differences are subtle yet they make a distinction to what the dance means to those who dance it. Western square dancing uses a caller and there is a greater emphasis on the group of four couples. The Appalachian dancing is done in a larger group and then will break off into smaller groups. Both dances come from our European ancestors. Though there is no direct ancestry with one country, multiple dances and cultures contributed to today’s square dance. The main two cultural contributors to the square dance are England and France. The Morris dance was the English contribution to the square dance. The French took the Morris dance and adapted it to the well-known Contredanse Anglais.
Morris Dance:
Contredanse Anglais:
Looking at both dances, you can see the clear connection to square dancing. The emphasis on patterned moves between partners is the closest connection. The Morris Dance uses sticks to create a beat (much like tap dancing does). There is less interaction between the dancers. The Morris dancers interact and “touch” with the sticks, while the Contredanse is truly about the interaction between the two dancers. As the dance evolves, you can begin to see how the idea of the “square” comes in to play. This may have been a cultural change for that time period. The Morris dance seems more rustic and is not as formal as the Contredanse. It is clear that the Contredanse was performed by those living in high society because it is much more formal and rigid than the fluid movement of the Morris dance. Their culture was much more formal, while the traditional Morris dance had a more folk-like feel. As the dance traveled over seas it continued to evolve. The traditional/ Appalachian square dance came first and was danced among European immigrants. As the dance spread, however, it changed even more.
Today’s western square dance is certainly different from what was danced when Europeans first came over. As I pointed out before, the Appalachian square dance is slightly different than the western square dance. The Appalachian square dance maintained popularity among Americans while other formal dances such as the waltz began to fall “out of style”. “Square dancing began its transition from the traditional, visiting couple type of dancing into all-four-couple-working kind of dancing in the 1950’s. Callers discovered that they could move everyone at the same time and create more interest” [1]. The square dance was truly evolving into an “American” dance. As farming became the prevalent means of work for many, the idea of the “hoe down” or “barn dance” became increasingly popular within said communities. Raised on Christian values, the square dance was an appropriate outlet after a long week’s work. It’s conservative nature allowed devout believers to dance without sinning.
Culturally, the square dance became intertwined with this idea of the “American dream”. Because the western square dance was truly developed in America, there was a sense of pride that came along with the dance. The dancers may not feel “freedom” per say because of its choreographed movement but the dance itself is a symbol of cultural American development. As a Polish citizen, the dance would seem almost “hickish” from a different country’s perspective. The country-twang calling and fiddle-filled music fits most stereotypes that “foreigners” have of American culture. The movements may seem familiar because they come from European dances, but it is those added contributions of music and dress that set it apart and make “American”.
The idea of play is discussed within this course and I found it worked perfectly with what square dancing really means to people. “Play then appears as self-movement, movement without purpose or goal. It renews itself through repetition.” The caller provides purpose for the dancers but the dancers themselves are dancing with a “clean slate”. As a square dancer, you go into a dance not knowing what will be called out. There is a sense of excitement that comes with wondering what will be called next. Square dancing has upwards of 400 calls that every dancer must memorize. This dance really is the “caller’s” dance, though. The caller controls how the dance will go and how it will look. The dancers have the freedom of not worrying “what to do”; they are just able to dance. Gadamer states that, “…play is really limited to representing itself. Thus its mode of being is self-representation.” There is a twist, however, because the self-representation is not held with the dancer but with the caller. There is almost a sense of a “puppet/ puppeteer” relationship between caller and dancer. The self-representation is that of the person who directs the dance, not the dancers. This is significant with its cultural ties as well. The working class communities thrived on efficiency and leadership, therefore making square dancing simply an extension of daily life. The dancers danced and the caller “played”.
My fondest memories of elementary school involve many things but square dancing day was not one of them. It involved dancing with boys and bringing a skirt, which was not a prevalent part of my wardrobe. Since that day, I pushed square dancing down along with other awkward elementary/middle school moments. It is almost fate that I would come across a hoedown scene in a movie and decide to revisit this almost scarring memory. I have gained a newfound respect for those who participate in square dancing. The amount of practice and memorization is enough to drive anyone a little mad. It takes years of practice to memorize all of the commands. Though there are many stereotypes that come with square dancing, it is clear there is more to it than country music and cowboy boots. It has contributed to our American dream and provided freedom to dance and let go during weeks where work was hard or family was sick. Today, it holds that same amount of pride to those who participate in it. It was created by Americans for Americans in America and that is enough to keep the flame of the American dream burning strong 100 years later.
Resources:
[1] Egender, H. (2007). Western square dancing. Retrieved from http://www.dosado.com/articles/hist-sd.html
Gill, S. (2012). Play – 3: Hans-georg gadamer.
Samantha Motsinger
RLST 3838
App. Assign. #4
July 6, 2012
It Don’t Mean A Thing…
Swing has been a very influential dance for over nearly a century. It has pushed many boundaries and limits of dance, and has been embodied not just in dance steps and movements, but in music and style as well. As it originated in the 1920’s and developed from the music of that particular time, swing dancing was made into the combination of different dances that have evolved over the years. Like many of the dance styles and traditions we have been introduced to so far, swing dancing is made up of a variety of different styles of dance that have come from all over the world. This dance tradition has developed in white communities and because of the many influential factors all over the world, has been made into a melting pot of sorts through the many cultural backgrounds and history. This discovery of the Lindy Hop and the Charleston within African American communities in the 1920’s pushed it even more into this cultural melting pot, and through this the making of the dance has evolved.
What is so fascinating about this particular dance are the fast paced movements. As mentioned in the lecture, “dancing is a kind of making, but it resists and denies the most fundamental qualities of makings in the terms of the masculine power of production that characterizes our culture.” Often, we associate making with the production of things, but making goes so far beyond that, especially when it is considered alongside dance. Dance evolves and shifts depending on so many factors: it depends on the dancers, the choreographers, the time, the place, and even sometimes what is going on in the outside world that emotionally is imbibed in the movements themselves. In swing, the legs and feet of the dancers move so quickly, and it is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. This dance requires so much coordination in the movements, and of course the synchronization also becomes extremely important when they begin to do all of the flips and jumps that make swing dancing such a fast paced and energized form of dance, and in this sort of making the connection of the dancers becomes very important. There is so much to be said about the fact that this kind of making is not a product, because making it a product of something would put so many limits on it. Swing dance involves the liberation that so many dances today reflect, and when we give dance meaning, it also pushes it to have no meaning as well. This kind of dance making is a binary of sorts, as it “is reversible and circular and mortal and powerless and without meaning”. There is a strange opposition found within the dancing that both gives it meaning, and takes it away as well.
With the discovery of these particular forms of swing dancing, the communities also started dancing to the contemporary Jazz and Swing music as it also evolved. Within a few years jazz steps and also tap dancing was also incorporated into the swing dancing style. This connection with the music becomes a very important part of experiencing the dance, because in many ways dance is born from the music itself. Cab Calloway, a jazz singer who had been deeply influenced by music, came up with the Jitterbug dance without meaning to, because the Jitterbug was directly born from his song entitled “Jitterbug” in 1934. Calloway, who stated that the dancers look like a bunch of bugs bopping and hopping around on the floor gave the dance its meaning through his music, but also gave them the freedom to interpret it as they wished.
Like many other forms of dance, Swing is often seen in competition, and has been since 1938, when the Harvest Moon Ball featured the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug in competition for the first time. This epic moment was captured long ago, and I feel that this deeply connects with this idea of making, because it is a dance moment in history that has pushed boundaries and has “made” this dance to become a way of pushing the boundaries. It seems that now dancers must move from here to explore this dance as well, and make it their own while limiting themselves to the steps as well. I think there is often a desire when we learn a new dance to imitate the steps perfectly, and in this way we are challenged beyond what we are at first capable of. We are liberated by this desire, as mentioned in the lecture “Dancing as Making: Seduction”, and in turn we engage ourselves with this artifice that liberates us. The appearance of the dance thus becomes a play between how we portray it, and how others in turn see the dance as it is moved through our body in the making of the dance.
In many ways here we can see how Swing dancing has influenced parts of our history and our present in music, movies, dance, culture and musicals. Over the course of the years since its beginnings, Swing dance has even evolved into our modern day jive dance and you can also see influences of it in the Boogie-Woogie. “Dancing is foundational in important ways to production and to meaning in that it makes them possible.” What we experience in dance, we do not experience elsewhere, which is why dance has become such an important and influential piece of our world over the course of many, many years.
Dancing is “distinguished by the relationship between the maker and the thing made”. As mentioned before, music has often played such a huge part in the making of dances, especially in swing, because the lyrics, beats, and rhythms are literally the heartbeat and life that is exuded from the dancer and made into the dance. Without the dancer, without the music, that dance itself would be nonexistent, and it is here that we find the most important part about the concept of making in the dance world. The dancer, or more specifically the body in which is used as the instrument of dance, is what makes it possible for the movements and the steps to be done. The movements separate the dancer from himself, from the music, but also connect them as well; it is here that we again see this binary effect from making.
It is here that I conclude my thoughts with this idea from the song, and my assignment which is aptly named, “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing”. I do not limit this “thing” to swing itself, but am more than anything referring to this idea that there is something much deeper in the steps, and in the heart of the dancer that is vital to bring meaning and life to the dance. Without it, it just don’t mean a thing.
Application 4—Belly Dancing and Feminism
Centering its force around sex, birth, and emotion; belly dancing illustrates a direct struggle between expression of female power and the disgrace to the female body. From a feminist perspective, belly dancing can either be used to express essential female life experience, or seen simply as a form of seduction for the arousal of men. Despite the common misconceptions in society, belly dancing plays a crucial role in the support of feminism due to its encouragement of self-expression, defies constraint of physical movement, and inspiration of female pride.
Drawn from ancient Egyptian religious tradition, belly dancing has evolved drastically from a symbol of birth, to its modern handle as a glitzy attention piece. When it first came to America in the late 1800’s, the never-before-seen provocativity used in belly dancing brought extreme controversy. The exaggerated attention placed upon the pelvic and torso areas was considered vulgar. This sensual dance shocked the eyes of Americans, and it wasn’t until much later that it became more commonly accepted. With a wave of radical feminism and the enlightened actions of civil rights in the 1960’s and 70’s, belly dancing came into its own as a source of female empowerment and awareness of ones body. Not typically thought of as corresponding groups, Feminists and belly dancers surprisingly share a lot in common when it comes to suppressed expression and misunderstood ideals. Both tagged to numerous naïve stereotypes, both feminist and belly dancers are aware that there are different forms of female expression that society has difficulty grasping.
The ideals of feminism push for more freedom and self-expression for women. Belly dancing lifted the barrier that kept women from conveying free physical movement and encouraged them to express themselves openly. It allowed to break through the patriarchal dominated society by giving the dancers a way to discover their own sensuality. The most fascinating aspect of belly dancing is the direct contradiction between how the public views belly dancing and how the actual dancers view themselves. While the public views it as revealing and seductive, the dancers feel that they are dancing for themselves. Belly dancing allows women to “create feeling, move their audiences to new perceptions and ideas, express who they are, and open the door to something deep and powerful in themselves and in their audiences,” (Deagon).
As described by Baudrillard, our patriarchal society places all sources of power within the mans authority, including a woman’s ability to seduce. Identifying dancing as feminine displays “this strong gender stereotype identification with dancing is more the result of a culture bent on production, a culture that devalues seduction,” (Gill, 1). Placing seduction as a feminine activity makes following through in the act even more challenging, keeping seduction just as seduction, instead of giving into the sensuality pursued. Typically linked to seduction, belly dancing gives off the aura of teasing the man with the thought of pleasure. Instead, belly dancing really has nothing to do with the audience, but instead with the feeling of expression the woman gets from performing this dance. The feminine pride seen in belly dance completely disregards the patriarchal dominance in society because it places all of the power in the body of the dancer. Although this seems femininistically ideal, that just isn’t the case in today’s world. Our subconscious opinions of gender expectations make it difficult to truly accept defied power roles of men and women. No matter what the actual motive behind the womans dancing, belly dancing is still thought of as a form of seduction, and despite the dancers intentions still seduces men.
Belly dancing irks to make the world a more open and understanding place for women, but is restrained by negative presumptions about the dancers motives of seduction. The explicit nature of the dance suggests sensual promise, yet is actually used for female inspiration and expression. Though feminist movement and the belly dancing community have both come long ways to express themselves and fight for what they believe in, how will they ever truly meet their goals without freedom of power away from a mans hand?
Bibliography
Deagon, Andrea. “Feminism and Belly Dance.” People.uncw.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. .
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Seduction – 4: Feminine.” Sam-Gill.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 July 2012. .
“Move with Nadia.” Nadiadenov.weebly.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. .
Osweiler, Amara L. “Naming Belly Dance.” Bellydancing.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. .
Monica Gauthier
Application Assignment 4
Bollywood Dance and Seduction
These lyrics are from a modern Bollywood film, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na: “Pappu ki gadi tez hai, pappu kudiyo me craze hai, pappu ki aankhe light blue, Pappu dikhata angregi hai, rado ki ghadi haatho me, perfume guciwala, haan Pappu nach nahi sakata.” Rough translation: “Pappu is sharp, Pappu is crazy among girls, Pappu’s eyes are light blue and he looks like he’s British, he has a Rado watch on his hand and wears Gucci perfume, but Pappu can’t dance saala.” Now, watch the scene in the movie with this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX7YTXFld40. In this clip, Bollywood dance has become completely Americanized. The colorful Sari’s have been replaced with western attire, and the emphasis of dance has shifted from movements accepted by tradition to movements accepted by a club, and the lyrics include English words and western references, with the final point being “Pappu can’t dance saala.” This final point emphasizes the importance of tradition. Even though not all Bollywood dance is Americanized to this extreme, this clip shines a spotlight on the seduction and production we now see in Bollywood dance and film, and how it has made a large shift from its original form.
Before new technology was brought to Bombay in the 80s and 90s, which resulted in modernization and globalization, Bollywood dance was based off traditional and religious dance forms. These forms were manifested through Hinduism, and prominently one deity of the religion, Siva Nataraja, “King of Dance.” Hand gestures are very important in traditional dance, and Nataraja’s hand symbols represent “the five cosmic processes creation, preservation, destruction, embodiment, and release (Gill).” Traditional Indian dance embodies key elements of Hinduism, creating a physical form to the belief system. The dance is comprised of distinctive stylized movements of the hands, feet, and face that highlight “sacred bodily geometry (Obhoyo)” which is also significant in the practice Hinduism.
Traditional Bollywood includes more head gestures and movements then any other dance form, and it relies on the eyes and face for their expressive qualities. Through many of Professor Gill’s lectures we have discussed absence and presence. The eyes and face uncover the purpose of the dance, beyond the meanings depicted by the hand gestures. The connection of the eyes is what gives Bollywood dance its seductive quality, giving presence and power to a dance that would otherwise be absent of a deeper meaning. Of course, there are other signs and cues that make the dance seductive, especially in more modern Bollywood dances. In the clip from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, the woman takes off her shoe! This points fingers (and toes!) straight to sex, without being overly erotic. Other external seductive signs include oscillation of hips and beckoning hand gestures, but it is the eyes that give all the absent words of seduction presence in the dance.
This clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiuAYKk7a6U&feature=related includes all the important elements of both traditional and modern Bollywood dance, representation of Bollywood dance in film, and can help further the discussion of seduction and production. How convenient that we start with a close up of a woman’s face, her eyes looking down, seducing us, encouraging us, to keep watching so we can see her eyes in their hauntingly full and open form. The male figure has lost his love, and is filled with remorse and desire. Unfulfilled desire is a significant element in seduction. Through his hand gestures (which are very straightforward and masculine) we see him trying to grasp something—the flowers on the table, then the camera that holds all his memories and wait! his beloved in the flesh. Notice how the camera briefly focuses on the label of “Nikon,” just as the other clip emphasized a fancy watch and Gucci perfume. Such labels are only given value in modern day Indian, where owning “American” possessions is a sign of great wealth. It gives such items a productive value, and urges men to strive for both the beautiful woman and the foreign treasures. We are introduced to the woman by her feet, which are dancing traditional Bollywood dance steps. She is dressed in white, symbolizing innocence. A rhythm is established, and every time the drum beats down and the rattle shakes, the camera zooms to her eyes. Both Her hand gestures and body sways encapsulate the dance forms from traditional and modern Bollywood, but it is because the brief focus on her eyes that we keep watching. The slow motion leaps and bounds that occur in short clips between dancing hold the western cues to convey emotion. Although these seem cheesy, it is another way the film is using western signs to stress it’s productive value.
Bollywood film and dance are closely intertwined to production. In the most basic sense, Bollywood is the most successful film industry, producing more films per year then Hollywood and generating more money. We must consider that one US dollar equals between 45-55 Indian rupees, but the value of the dollar does not change the level of output and success. In a deeper sense, the Bollywood film industry exemplifies what Professor Gill discussed about production being masculine and powerful. In India, woman’s roles in daily life are undervalued. It is a great honor to be an actress, and yet most film roles for woman are confined to objects of desire. If the actress successfully embodies desire the revenue (production) of the film increases. Therefore production cannot exist or be successful without seduction, but because production fears seduction’s power, it makes it seem like the role of women in Bollywood film and dance is invaluable. If the film is considered a success, the actress will be hired again and again, making a profit off of her ability to seduce. Production and masculinity or seduction and femininity, which demonstrates more power Bollywood?
I have never danced Bollywood, but I am fascinated by it. I now understand that my fascination is increased by Bollywood’s seductive quality, which demonstrates that you don’t have to be a male driven by productivity to succumb to a beautiful dancing woman and her seductive power. I believe that understanding the traditional and religious value Bollywood dance held before new technology and globalization occurred in Bombay, is crucial in understanding that production and seduction create western values of success in other cultures.
References:
1) Obhoyo, Joy. “Sacred Bodily Geometry.” Indian Dance. ZipZap, Sep 28 2005. Web. .
2) Gill, Sam. “Lectures on Seducing.” Dance, Religion, and Culture. University of Colorado Online Courses, Boulder. Lecture.
Emily Potter
App #3
July 6, 2012
Haka: Gesture
We go through life with our bodies carrying out different gestures and movements that become a part of who we are in everyday life. Our gestures are what help us tell our stories or show what happened. Gestures are the visible actions that have the features of manifest deliberate expressiveness. Once we develop certain gestures, our body becomes connected and we then are apart of the gesture. We learn gesture when in theater class learning a new play and how to act out a certain scene, when we are in choir using choreography to help with the understanding of the song, or even when we are telling a story to a best friend. Our arms wave around, our eyes open wider and other parts of our bodies may be used.
However, gesture is not a one time movement. It is a high level of repetition and a high level of technique. Because of this, it then becomes a part of who we are, a part of our culture. For example, the Haka is a great example of how dancing reflects cultural and religious beliefs. Their dance has been a part of their culture for generations.
In this link you see men AND women participating in the dance. Their costumes are of cultural tradition. The men are the ones who do the actual dancing and gesturing, but the women are in the back yelling the words with them. The men use gesturing to help “exaggerate” the story. The Haka is used to intimidate their enemy during fights. The men beat their chest with their hands, gesturing the power and strength the tribe has. The gesturing helps show the seriousness and passion behind the soldiers, or in this case, the dancers.
The gesturing in the Haka does not occur only one time. The gesture is continuous movement that weaves in and out, one movement to another. The men beat on their chest more than once, stomp their feet more than once, open their eyes wide and stick their tongues out more than once. Each stomp of the feet leads to a smack on the chest, which then leads to their tongue almost touching their chin.
Improvisation depends on gesture, as well. The art of the dancer is their own moving body. The dancer leaves nothing behind. The loop of the gesturing process continues over and over through out the dance. In the case of the Haka, the dancer himself does not leave anything behind, but the dance itself leaves behind fear and intimidation for the enemy. Rugby players in New Zealand has started to perform the Haka before their game to intimidate the other team.
The crowd goes wild when the team performs. All the other team can do it watch the Haka and try not to wet their shorts. The All Black rugby team continues to yell and scare the other team. Their strength and blood flow blows up their veins in their forehead and arms. Faces turn red and almost purple from how hard they use their body to yell. Translation of the Haka is:
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is life
Ka mate Ka mate
It is death It is death
Ka ora Ka ora
It is life It is life
Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru
This is the hairy man
Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra
Who caused the sun to shine again for me
Upane Upane
Up the ladder Up the ladder
Upane Kaupane
Up to the top
Whiti te ra
The sun shines!
Each gesture of the Haka helps increase the meaning of the story. It tells the enemy to back off or dare to battle them. The smacking and gestures of stomping feet illustrate the power and the passionate meaning behind the traditional dance. Gesturing continues to flow through out the entire performance. Be it for scaring off your enemy or showing the other team how much strength you really have.
Sarah Park
RLST 3838
Application Paper #4
Raqs sharqi belly dance
Belly dancing is such an experimental dance that has broadened to many countries throughout time. I will be focusing on “Raqs sharqi” which is essentially the original belly dance that westerners are familiar with at most. This dance is from the Middle East and it is a common Arabic dance. Westerners have put a new spin on it and it is a dance that is represented at cabarets and restaurants or in concert by famous musicians who respectably put their own interpretations on this type of dance.
Raqs sharqi most commonly appear to be danced by females and rarely males. This dance is a solo, improvisational dance that is performed, but throughout time, it definitely has changed beginning with the costumes, the styles of dance, the venues that they are performed at and so on. This type of dance is known as the classical belly dance and is the folklore of what we know as belly dance. This particular dance was discovered by Samia Gamal, Tahiya Karioka, and Naima Akef who had been working in the Egyptian film industry. In Egypt, this was the “go to” dance style that appeared everywhere, especially as festivities and events.
The costume for Raqs sharqi was kept extremely conservative back in the day in Egypt because it was actually illegal to have your midriff showing for women, but this was generally the costume for these dancers because of the hip movements and main moves that involved the belly to be emphasized. A sheer stocking over the midriff body section is worn and the traditional dance involved bare feet, but modern dancers wear shoes and even high heels to complete this type of dance.
Raqs sharqi involves many moves of seduction that involve what people may consider as seductive moves. Sam Gill presents me with information that essentially determines what seduction is and is not. He shares the difference between Bolero dance and discusses seduction within a naked couple. The main aspect that I interpreted from this is the physicality versus the mental state of seduction that we were discussing. When dealing with Raqs sharqi, there are definite moves that exist that may seem very sexual and seductive. There is the shiver or shimmy and this is when the dancer vibrates the hips. The vibration involves moving the glutes, thighs and lower back and it is performed up and down, and also side to side. Another move is hip hits and it is a staccato movement with the hips. This move can also be achieved with the shoulder or the chest. The undulations is also a fluid movement that goes into a circular motion. There are many different types of this movement and it can be done in many ways. This particular dance differs with others because it is not done with a partner but there is a dancer and an audience. There is some sort of intimacy within this type of dance for this reason but I do not believe that is merely for the purpose of seducing. Seducing does not occur on point when you want to or not but I believe that seduction happens more often so within dances that involve dancing partners more than just a solo improvisational dance.
While reading Sam Gill’s lectures on viewing dance as play, he discusses the ideas of how dance is so undermined and this is so true in Raqs sharqi. This type of dance is so under-appreciated and this profession in Egypt is not well respected in any way. They do not respect these dancers. Sam Gill states that dancing is not a very successful business in the western culture today. Besides the recent dance shows that have made it out there to become popular, many people have not found a way to really increase success in society today. It is not greatly appreciated unless there is some sort of competition that is involved and usually the winners of the competition become greatly successful. Sam states that “Dance is valued to the degree it is seen as productive” and this is a great way to see how our society today appreciates any kind of dance. This meaning that our society only appreciates to the point of it being successful. Dance is more than being productive and it should be an art that is appreciated without any consent of greater production and success. This relates to Raqs sharqi or belly dance because these dancers are just like any other dancers who have a love for this particular type of dance. It should be respected just as much as any other type of dance and it is frustrating to see that it is not respected enough even after seeing that many groups of people have tried to change the perception on this type of dance. Throughout all of this, these dancers continue to dance passionately and they perform in many places, such as weddings, or celebratory events, and even to tourists that visit the country.
It is the perfect subject of seduction to ponder on when it comes down to it because of the many different types of controversial attitudes toward this type of dance in history and even today in the western aspect of belly dancing. There are many people that have different attitude on whether or not it is a respectable art or if it is all about seduction, but I believe that there can be many interpretations about it. I mainly believe that this is definitely a dance that should be respected because of the moves that are involved. It takes a lot of energy and mid section strength in order to accomplish these types of movements and I believe that it is considered as an art to these dancers and we should respect this. There are many ideas of this dance and it is continuing to go throughout many countries.
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 1: Bolero.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction – 2: Baudrillard.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture. “Dancing as Seduction -3: Aura.”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 2: Seduction. ”
Wikipedia contributors. “Raqs sharqi.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 03 2012. Web. 6 Jul 2012. .
Wikipedia contributors. “Belly Dance.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 06 2012. Web. 6 Jul 2012. .
The dance craze of swing was created and influenced by African Americans in the 1920s. Within swing dancing there are many different dances, one being the Lindy Hop. This dance allowed for racial barriers to be crossed, for cultural and historical foundations to be made and understood within the African American community. Focusing on the Lindy Hop through the lens of making, I have begun to understand the importance of Swing, but also of all dances.
All the topics we have covered in lecture one way or another circle around the idea of self and the other that we create through dance. Dancing is the movement behind self-othering. Dance has been evolving and will continue to evolve based on the depiction we as a society places on it. I think this is why I find the Lindy Hop so intriguing. Sam wrote, “It is important that we realize that in making stuff, we are remaking ourselves,” (Gill 58). This statement directly ties in to the history behind the Lindy Hop. The dance was not just danced by African Americans to express themselves, but as a way to remake themselves in very racially charged period of time. White folks would pay African Americans to teach them the Lindy Hop and I believe this made them feel more a part of white society. It comes back to the power that white people had over African Americans at this time, but looking at the reversibility the African Americans had over the power to produce what was wanted out of them.
Looking at the specific movements of the Lindy Hop can we better understand the dance as well. Sam wrote, “Dancing is distinguished by the relationship between the maker and the thing made,” (Gill 58). The maker and the dance are not separable; they are one and the same. The Lindy Hop is an upbeat, up-tempo dance that requires fast paced movements. It requires the use of a dancers whole body. The dance itself was made different and altered by the specific dancer. Improvisation is an important aspect of the Lindy Hop. Sam wrote, “This is essential perspective we need to appreciate dancing which is necessarily highly repetitious, yet always creative and new,” (Gill 26). No one danced the Lindy hop the same. People would add their own twists on the original style and add eye-grabbing flips. By doing this each dancer was creating their sense of other. The importance of the Lindy Hop is found in the making of it by each individual. Each dancer portrays it differently.
Take a look at these two contrasting Lindy Hops. The first is the original Lindy Hop and the second is Dean Collins, “Smooth Lindy.”
The differences in these videos are easy to spot. In the first video, the original Lindy Hop, there are only African American’s dancing. The music is more upbeat than the second video and the dance moves are faster. The second video the music is slower and there are only white dancers. The same dance, danced by different races, in completely different ways. Sam wrote, “Where does dance fit in a world directed by the masculine power of production? The answer is simple: dance is valued to the degree it is seen as productive,” (Gill 58). I believe that white people were fascinated by the Lindy Hop and it’s easy to see why they would be. Because of the power dynamic between races though, they felt as they needed to create their own version of the Lindy Hop. Dean Collins altered the Lindy Hop to the “Smooth Lindy” or “Hollywood Lindy” in doing so he was not embracing the culture of the dance but making it a business venture.
Also, the role of jazz music is important in understanding the Lindy Hop. Without the basis of jazz, swing would not be what it is today. The beats of jazz are what allowed for the making of such a different dance. The dancer is connected to the music, but also is separate. One cannot exist without the other. The dancer uses the music, but the music uses the dancer. Sam wrote, “Dancing is movement for its own end, that is, movement. Its rhythm is its own end. Dancing, as movement, can have no passive mode,” (Gill 54). By dancing the Lindy Hop, African Americans were becoming in tune to themselves, but also creating the other. The Lindy Hop created identity for each dancer, but also created the “other” group identity, which gave way to African Americans to begin becoming more of an important part of society.
I find myself contradicting myself in my thoughts about the Lindy Hop. I do think it helped cross racial barriers, but I also believe that in a way it separated them too. These issues aren’t present in the Lindy Hop today though. Instead it can go back to forging a relationship with the maker and the thing being made, instead of being forged by racial struggles. Dancers of the Lindy Hop must be unified by the dance and by themselves. The dancing self and other make the dancing body. There is no physical separation, because what is made is made from the self and the other in Lindy Hop and in all dances.
Sources:
Gill, Sam. “Gesture and Agency, Dancing as Gesturing.” 26. Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Seduction- 2: Baudrilalrd.” 54. Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Making- 1: Proprioception.” 58. Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Making- 2: Seduction.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Making- 4.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series.
Spring, Howard. “Swing and the Lindy Hop: Dance, Venue, Media, and Tradition.” American Music, Vol. 15, No. 2 (1997) Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 June 2012.
http://history.just-the-swing.com/swing-history/lindy-hop
http://history.just-the-swing.com/swing-history/swing-dance-era
Noemi Schranz
Application #4: Exotic Dance and Seduction
In Western Culture, when one thinks of the term “Exotic Dance” it often brings up images of women dancing seductively, with slowly gyrating hips, all the while removing their clothing. However, the term “Exotic Dance” is actually a broad term that encompasses a whole variety of dance forms. From Italian burlesque, to the French Moulin rouge, to Middle Eastern belly dancing, and to American strip tease, Exotic dance encompasses a large range of styles and cultures. Perhaps the differences are found in the interpretation of the meaning of the word, which stem from the sexual and non-sexual connotations of the dance. The central idea that cannot be differentiated among the many aspects of Exotic dance is that it is seductive. In the following essay, I will compare the seduction found in two forms of exotic dance -belly dancing and strip tease dancing- in terms of the ideas of reversibility, production, and aura.
But before delving into the seduction of each, it is important to give a clear understanding of what belly dancing and strip tease are about. Belly dancing is a form of Middle Eastern or Arabic dance that has been adopted in the West. While the name may indicate that the dance focuses around the belly, it actually involves every part of the body. Belly dancing involves the isolation of different parts of the body, such as the hips, stomach, or chest, with a focus on the hips and abdomen. The hips may be moved in fluid undulations, vibration movements, or isolated movements. Belly dance is typically performed by women dressed in a bra and harem pants adorned with a hip belt, with their stomachs exposed. This dance is often performed in religious ceremonies or purely for entertainment.
Here is an example of traditional belly dance:
On the contrary, strip tease dance is found commonly in American and European societies. Strip tease is performed in a sexually suggestive manner and involves slower movements that include gyrations of the hip and pelvic areas, as well as acrobatics on a pole. It is characteristically performed by women and involves gradually undressing, either partially or completely, while dancing. Strip tease is performed in strip clubs and is intended for male-oriented sexual arousal.
The following is an example of the pole dance aspect of strip tease:
From the above video clips, it is obvious that both forms of dance embody a seductive aspect. In the general sense, the word seduction is synonymous with such terms as enticement, enchantment, and temptation, and often is accompanied by a negative connotation. However, in the lecture on “Dancing as Seduction -1: Bolero” by Sam Gill, seduction is described as the following: “the reversibility of the woman’s absence and presence, that seduces; it is the presence of the promise of fulfillment, always denied, absented, that engenders desire; it is the reversibility that fascinates, that seduces.” Seduction is a desire that is created through dance. It gives the false impression that something will eventually be obtained, but inevitably nothing will be granted; the illusion is reversible, thus leaving the viewer wanting more of something that he will never get, and thus, seduced. When it comes to belly dancing and strip tease, both are supposed to be “rule bound and the rules do not permit actual foreplay or real sexual contact’. This makes the dance into a form of play. But while belly dancing “plays with the signs of a relation of intimacy, but with no bridge or correspondence to any real relationship” and does not involve actual sexual acts, strip tease is often known for crossing this boundary and ending with a sexual act being performed by the dancer (or stripper) on the audience (or customer). Strip tease lacks the “absence” and “reversal” of seduction while belly dance does not.
Countering the idea of dance as seduction, is the idea of dance as production. In the lecture on “Dancing as Seduction- 2: Baudrillard”, Sam Gill introduces the idea that production is masculine and in opposition to seduction, which is feminine. (It is important to note that in this sense, Production is implying the idea of dance as a company used for economic gain and audience entertainment). Baudrillard states, “No seduction here [that is, in production], nor in pornography, given the abrupt production of sexual acts, and the ferocity of pleasure in its immediacy. There is nothing seductive about bodies traversed by a gaze literally sucked in by a vacuum of transparency; nor can there be even a hint of seduction within the universe of production, where a principle of transparency governs the forces belonging to the world of visible, calculable phenomena–objects, machines, sexual acts, or the gross national product.” Because Strip tease is so “in your face”, erotic, and clearly pornographic, it is definitely more of a “production” meant for a male audience and lacking in seduction that Baudrillard discusses because it almost goes beyond the fine lines of seduction and actual sexual gratification. Everything about strip tease is masculine because it is a production for a male-centered audience. In this sense, strip tease is not seduction. As Sam Gill states, “All–dancers and members of the audience–are so thoroughly seduced that there is no thought of exposing the secret”. Belly dance, on the other hand, is seduction in this sense because it is not over exposed the way Strip tease is. Belly dance stops short of crossing the boundary into actual sexual play. It is seduction in the feminine sense.
Along these opposing ideas of production and seduction, is the idea that because productions can be reproduced, seduction- being opposing to production- cannot be reproduced. An original form of artwork exudes an aura. It radiates an intangible quality that cannot be reproduced in its copy. The same aura is applied to dance. In the lecture titled “Dancing as Seduction- 3: Aura”, Sam Gill captures this idea when he states that “Indeed, since seduction is contrasted with production, reproduction is clearly out of the question. To reproduce is to produce again, to show again, while dancing as seduction opposes production in the first place and at any order. Thus, to consider dancing as seduction allows us to more clearly understand why dancing cannot be reproduced”. Strip tease performances are typically improvised on stage, whereas Belly dance may be choreographed in front of a mirror and practiced over and over, both being done without a script, and thus, making both seductive in this perception.
References:
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Seduction- 3: Aura “. Dancing Culture Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Seduction- 2: Baudrillard “. Dancing Culture Religion Lecture Series.
Gill, Sam. “Dancing as Seduction -1: Bolero “. Dancing Culture Religion Lecture Series.
Sophie Bigalke
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Sam Gill
West African Court Dance: Making and Self-Othering
For this application I will focus on dancing as making in West African Court Dance. African Dance is dance in which the vocabulary incorporates rituals, symbols, movements and elements, including those from religious practice, in codified systems. The dance interacts with the physical and spiritual world; it is both secular and sacred. The dance incorporates all parts of the body in asymmetrical way. It includes drumming and other percussive instruments, dancers maintain a slightly bent body, dance with flat feet, and have an interactive relationship between themselves, with the musicians, audiences and the ancestors.
Africans believed and still do that the body served the spirit and thus was used as an instrument of worship. As a result, the dances celebrated spirituality and created an atmosphere for the gods. The dancing body created a link between the physical world and the spiritual world.
Specifically, in the Ghana Court Dances the living perform and celebrate through ritual, but it is the deceased that make the Court Dances so meaningful. The presence of ancestral spirits is a belief so pivotal to African dance, and the level of spiritual intimacy and reverence in the court dances exemplifies this. It is through dance and the knowledge passed on through dance that the people of Ghana find themselves in a state of community not only with their neighbors, but with their ancestors as well. There is an immediate understanding between ‘the observed’ and the ‘observer’ in the Court Dance. This then relates to Merleau Ponty’s theories of perception. Ponty’s theories help us to understand what it means for us to be ‘body-subjects’ in a sense wholly human. As Sam talked about through out the course the mind-body problem is a way to try and successfully describe the relationship between the body and mind in relation to the rest of our conscious experience. It is easy to accept through our sensory awareness that there exists a relationship of some kind, however, what the relationship is and how it work becomes a lot less clear. Dancing is an experience that involves an interaction between self and other. As Sam talks about in lecture 58, “Dancing as Making – 1: Proprioception,” the dancer experiences this other the same way the dancer experiences herself. The other is known in the movement and experienced through the gesture. This is importance in understanding any type of dance but for the purpose of this paper it helps in explaining Court Dance.
The dances involve space, time, and force. It is an earth-oriented dance. Through conversational movements, men and women tell the story of their people. An unspoken language is used and through precise hand movements and angularity, the dancer is able to embody “coolness.” The Ghana Court Dance is a unique style of dancing in that at every hand movement has an exact and precise position and angularity. Structure and play are connected with the precision of the court dance. The structure of the Court Dance is very important and symbolic of relative power. Those of least rank are first and those of the highest rank are last. The positions specifically the angularity is vital to the dance because if the dancer is straight, it is believed that he/she is dead, spiritually. Therefore, the dancer’s body expresses something negative or positive based simply off of the angle with which they are dancing. If the dancer creates the wrong angle when gesturing and thus insults the court the drummers will stop playing, referred to as drum censorship.
The play is then the actual movement. Moving and transitioning between the different positions is the playing part of the Court Dance. The dance is strictly connected to the musical structure of the drums and the body expresses a certain emotional tone depending on the beat and rhythm of the drums. The Atumpan – the Ashanti “talking” drums, are used for communication in various social situations among the Ashanti, from conveying a message to a dancer in the middle of a dancing ring to calling the school children back to class after their break. The possibilities in the combination of music and gesture together offer the meaning in dancing. As Sam lectured on, before any meaning or value can be attached to the dancing it is simply a movement. The social context in which we live thus plays a central role in the understanding of dancing. All of the meaning in dance is from the movement, which tends to be variations of culturally internalized gestures. With the Ghana Court Dances, it is not only the dancers that are involved in the ceremony; everyone plays a role, even the spectators. Dance is a way of life and a means of retaining culture and identity for those in Western Africa. Dance brings communities together, both spiritual and physical.
Aleah Toyokura
RLST 3838
Application Assignment #4
Sam Gill
Irish Step Dance (a.k.a. the Riverdance) – Seducing
The Irish Step dance has gained momentous popularity throughout the years, not only for the complexities of the dance in itself, but also likely for the emotional reaction it evokes in those who participate in watching Irish step dance. Although Irish step dance may not be considered the most seductive of styles, the relationships between male and female dancers do reflect the intimacy and unity (Gill) of relationships that individuals outside of a relationship can see. For many, dance acts to embody emotions we generally do not display outside our personal lives. The couple in the video clip below share knowing looks with one another while performing complicated steps in complete tandem, indicating a seemingly intimate knowledge of each other’s bodies and movements, further indicating the intimacy of their relationship, without much physical contact or even close proximity. According to lecture, “the dance seduces by what it intimates, or signifies, but only by always keeping the actuality absent (Gill).” The seduction of the Irish step dance is actually the lack of real intimacy. Despite not being very close physically, the audience knows there is a connection between the couple, though there is no overt sexuality or sexual acts being displayed, thus making the seductive nature of the dance not the dance itself, but what the dance lacks in reality. Lecture further buoys this theory by explaining that “dancing seduces by its constant pointing to some potential, pointing through bodily experienced signs, yet by always, and by design, by rule, denying the existence of the actual referents to the signs, in extra-dancing reality (Gill).” Irish step dancing, although not explicitly sexual, points toward the “potential” of a real physically intimate relationship, thus further attracting audiences.
Another important aspect of Irish step dance to be addressed is its innocent romantic appearance. In contrast to other styles of dance studied in this class (Bolero, for example), Irish step dance reflects a much more playful and innocent intimate relationship between dancers. For some, the term “seduction” may not be the first one might use to describe the dance style. Jean Baudrillard, however, argues that the term, “seduction,” is often given a negative connotation. Seduction is oftentimes spoken in terms of manipulative women, using their powers of sexuality to lure men into their arms. Baudrillard argues, however, that seduction should not be consistently considered a negative term. According to lecture, “there is no active or passive mode in seduction, no subject or object, no interior or exterior: seduction plays on both sides, and there is no frontier separating them. One cannot seduce others, if one has not oneself been seduced (Gill).” This understanding of seduction can be seen within Irish step dance, where much of the seduction is innocent. There is less of a sexualized connotation, and the dance itself is much more happy and joyous, rather than passionate. Although the Irish step dance may seem innocent in comparison to more passionate styles, there is still a great seductive aspect happening within the dance.
The idea that seduction is a predominantly female tool is also debunked in Irish step dance. According to Baudrillard’s understandings of seduction, “seduction is immediately reversible, and its reversibility is constituted by the challenge it implies and the secret in which it is absorbed.” This is notable in Irish step dancing when male-female couples dance together. Although women’s bodies have oftentimes been considered the catalyst for seduction, Irish step dance portrays both men and women as the pursuer. There is a back-and-forth of seduction, where the woman dances to impress and seduce the male, and the male, in turn, dances a complicated and impressive sequence in order to seemingly gain the affections of the woman. Both individuals, gender irrelevant, are both attempting to seduce the other. In the case of Irish step dancing, there is no great female seductress. In the clip below, please pay particular attention to the interplay of the couple through the first 1:25 of the clip. Each partner attempts to seduce and impress the other, rather than the woman using her powers of seduction to overcome the man with desire.
Interestingly, although there are clear indications of intimate and romantic relationships between Irish step dancers and their counterparts, Irish step dancing is not considered a particularily passionate style. This form of seduction may in fact seem innocent because of mounting cultural and social expectations. According to lecture, “…our culture, so bent on production, has seduced us into seeing and understanding dancing, no matter how contrary to our experience of it, largely in terms of production… much of dancing has taken on the trappings of ‘production’: dancers are members of companies that create productions whose worth and success is measured often in terms of money, a product sold (Gill).” Because of this, in a culture that is hypersexualized and overly glamorized, Irish step dance may (understandably) seem to land on the more innocent and docile end of the seductive scale. For those participating in modern culture, it has likely become more difficult to be attuned to more subtle forms of seduction, like that of Irish step dance.
Although a more subtle form of seduction, Irish step dance acts as a perfect example of the ways in which Jean Baudrillard approaches seduction. Because of Irish step dancing’s back and forth aspect of seduction, I feel that this particular style fully personifies theiroes on seduction as being multi-faceted in that both men and women participate in the fluid and constant exchanging of seductor and seduced.
Works Cited
Gill, S. Dancing as Seduction – 1: Bolero (PDF document). Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web Site: http://sam-gill.com/Lecture%20PDFs/Dancing%20as%20Seduction%201.pdf
Gill, S. Dancing as Seduction – 2: Baudrillard (PDF document). Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web Site: http://sam-gill.com/Lecture%20PDFs/Dancing%20as%20Seduction%202.pdf
Mulrooney, Deirdre R. “Colin Dunne Deconstructing Irish Dance.” Dance Magazine 77.11 (2003): 36-84. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 June 2012.
O’Connor, Barbara. “Sexing The Nation: Discourses Of The Dancing Body In Ireland In The 1930S.” Journal Of Gender Studies 14.2 (2005): 89-105. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 July 2012.
Richens, Ann, and Donald Haurin. “Irish Step Dance: A Brief History.” The Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2012. .
Dancing as Making: An Analysis of Pure Depth, Proprioception, and Seduction within Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu
Dr. Sam Gill’s “Making” lectures address the theme of dancing as making by applying familiar concepts like proprioception and seduction to the new topic of pure depth. Through an analysis of all three, I will argue Geom-mu was developed as a result of pure depth in Silla culture, then I will compare and contrast proprioception in Geom-mu, the folk version, and Jinju Geom-mu, the court version, in order to understand why the mask representing Hwangchang’s face is only worn in Geom-mu; lastly, I will prove that an outsider’s point of view actually hinders the dance via a close reading of seduction, primarily concerning the masculine commonsense assumption that making always needs to produce a material object.
Geom-mu is a traditional Korean folk dance created in 660 A.D. in the Silla kingdom (57 B.C. to 935 A.D.) based on the legend of Hwangchang, a young boy who was a famous sword dancer. Hwangchang’s skills were so impressive that the king of Baekje, Silla’s enemy kingdom, invited him to perform in his court, and while dancing the boy stabbed the king to death. Consequently, the Baekje military executed Hwangchang, and the Silla people created Geom-mu to commemorate his sword dancing talents. Later, in the Joseon Dynasty (1392 to 1910), the Royal Court changed Geom-mu into a court dance performed by the Kisaeng, or professional entertainers, called Jinju Geom-mu.
An important concept in the Making lectures is “pure depth . . . a dimension that is primordial, allowing the perception of distance and the value of the distant,” meaning it is the dimension that makes perceiving distance and making sense of that distance possible (60). However, a crucial part of pure depth is that it does not actually operate between objects because it is primordial, meaning it is the origin that makes operating between objects possible. Therefore, pure depth is not the commonsense understanding, in other words a folk theory that is accepted as the norm although it is not necessarily true, that depth is from here to there. Merleau-Ponty explains that pure depth is the “most existential dimension,” meaning it is the dimension that most pertains to human existence (60). To explain this complex concept, Sam applies Eugene Minkowski’s theory of “dark space,” which can be literally interpreted as being in a dark space where we cannot rely on seeing since dark space “foils vision,” which makes us recoil “to touch and feeling” (61).
Logically, dark space should remind us of proprioception. Brian Massumi explains it “as the sensibility proper to the muscles and ligaments as opposed to tactile sensibility . . . and visceral sensibility . . .,” meaning proprioception is a kinesthetic or bodily experience that affects the proprioceptors, located in the muscles and ligaments, that afferently feeds information to the brain through the sensorimotor system (58). In Massumi’s quotation, he contrasts proprioceptive sensibility to tactile and visceral, thereby addressing humans’ three layers of senses. “Touch, the tactile sense, in the limited sense of exteroceptors in the skin, perceives subject and object in that they mediate between feeling outside and inside,” meaning this sense comes from touch, which lets it make sense of subject and object since the skin is the barrier between inside and outside (58). Consequently, the tactile sense is comparable to the commonsense understanding of depth since it can differentiate between here and there. On the other hand, “the visceral sense . . . is the deepest layer of perception [since it] precedes the exteroceptive sense perception . . . because it involves different areas of the brain and anticipates the translation into explanation of sight or sound or touch perception” (58). In other words, it is characterized by instinct rather than intellect because it proceeds, or happens before, other senses by anticipating the outcome of sight, sound, or touch.
In the video, the dancing is telling Hwangchang’s story, and the dancers independently and within the group appear to be proud of both their dance and culture because it stems from pure depth. Pure depth is the origin that makes perceiving distance and making sense of the distance possible, meaning it is the origin that made Silla people perceive the importance of Hwangchang’s sacrifice, which they developed into Geom-mu as a way to make sense of his heroism. This supported in three ways. First, although the same group of dancers represent Hwangchang (1:14-1:32, 1:39-1:50, 1:57-2:10) the Silla and Baekje kingdoms (0:04-0:08, 0:26-0:30, 0:36-0:41), the Baekje king’s royal court (0:42-0:58), and the present-day folk dance (2:29-3:17), all four representations are danced with the same amount of energy and respect, symbolizing the importance of the dance to their culture. Second, although Geom-mu is a Silla folk dance, they choose to represent the beauty and cohesiveness of all Korean culture rather than only Silla’s, which symbolizes a deep pride and understanding that even if the Silla and Baekje kingdoms are rivals, there are still part of the same far reaching culture. Third, in the video, the dancers’ choice of dancing without masks superficially suggests that they are performing the Jinju Geom-mu version. However, the fact that the dance so closely follows the legend proves that they can extract the same cultural meaning and the same Hwangchang other with or without the mask. Accordingly, this signifies their ability to creatively modify Geom-mu to the context in which it is performed, and in this case, it is for entertainment more than folk, which is why they chose to dance without the mask.
An important distinction between folk and court dances is that the mask representing Hwangchang’s face is not worn in Jinju Geom-mu. Although I was unable to find out why the Kisaeng stopped wearing the mask, there is a significant distinction between folk and court dances. The former were for personal, religious, and cultural occasions within a non-royal community, whereas the latter were performed as entertainment for royalty. Therefore, we can speculate that the most probable reason why the Kisaeng stopped wearing the mask is that the kings did not like the other the dancers produced while wearing the mask since Hwangchang was an assassin. Returning to proprioception, dancing “is a making of an other and a concrete other, which is not set apart from the proprioceptively aware body . . . the dancing body is at once self and other, both proprioceptively, rather than exteroceptively, experienced” (61). In other words, there is a concrete and real other the masks create since dancing evokes a proprioceptively aware body that is both the self and other at the same time, meaning the self-other is made from the muscles and ligaments of the dancer so the other comes from pure depth inside the dancer rather than from outside stimulation. Consequently, the other created from the dancer’s pure depth and proprioception, surprisingly makes Hwangchang come alive and with the mask, his aliveness is even more apparent. Therefore, the apparentness the non-royal community sees through their own community members’ bodies, creates an embodied way to commend Hwangchang’s sacrifice, and produces a way for them to connect with the legend through the masked other.
From an outsider’s point of view, Jinju Geom-mu appears entertaining because of the synchronized dance moves and the colorful costumes, and exciting because an outsider would not know if the swords were real. The first time I watched the video, I remember looking closely at the swords to see if they were bending like rubber or folding like paper, but I could not identify any fabrication, although the skeptic in me doubted the authenticity because of the danger. Consequently, I was not too surprised when I learned that Kals, or replica swords, are used, but from an outsider’s perspective the unknowing could entice them into the dance more.
Likewise, an outsider would certainly not perceive, thus limit, the intricacies between Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu simply because they are unfamiliar with Silla culture. In applying seduction to dancing as making, Sam reasons, “dancing is, in a certain sense, making without meaning . . . [which] may help us understand that dancing in being meaningless is actually stronger than making meaning” (59). In order to understand this concept, we need to remember that seduction reverses and plays with the “‘strategy of appearances’” that are not connected to truth or reality and, consequently, are reversible since they can and do contradict themselves (59). Furthermore, because seduction comes from this reversibility of appearances, it cannot be stopped by truth, meaning, or reality. Thus, due to the power that comes from its unstoppability, masculine production tries to devalue feminine seduction in an attempt to take away the power seduction creates. Therefore, “dancing is a kind of making, but it resists and denies the most fundamental qualities of making in the terms of the masculine power of production that characterizes our culture.” On the surface, this quotation seems to contradict itself, but with deeper consideration, we realize that dancing is still making in a non-traditional sense. Yes, a commonsense understanding of making refers to masculine production whose power comes from producing material goods, but in understanding that dancing is seduction, the opposite of production, it makes a self and other, both non-material products. Consequently, the difficulty in understanding that dancing is making comes from the fact that the products it makes are “not set apart from the proprioceptively aware body,” meaning the dancer (self) and the product (other) are both within the dancer’s body (61).
In regards to an outsider’s perspective of either version of Geom-mu, they would try to find a material thing that the dance produces. In reality, although Geom-mu has nothing to do with the production of swords, an outsider with no knowledge of Hwangchang could reason, for example, that the dance signifies the creation of the sword. As for the intricacies between Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu, without knowing the history of the mask, an outsider would assume the performed dance is the only way to perform it. Similarly, because the dancers in the video do not wear masks, an outsider could assume that masking was never a crucial part of Geom-mu.
Overall, I enjoyed researching Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu and analyzing them through the Making topic since so many of the concepts we learned prior to the last section apply to dancing as making. Therefore, via my investigation of Geom-mu and Jinju Geom-mu, I believe, I have proven that the pure depth of Silla culture offered the opportunity to develop Geom-mu, which led to the inclusion of the mask representing Hwangchang’s face. Furthermore, through my exploration of proprioception I discovered that the mask created a disturbingly real Hwangchang being that resulted in the removal of the mask in Jinju Geom-mu. Lastly, by examining seduction as the opposite of masculine production, I substantially demonstrated that dancing truly is making because it makes an other that is contained within the dancer’s proprioceptively aware body.
-Works Cited-
Gill, Sam. “58. Dancing as Making – 1: Proprioception.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
—. “59. Dancing as Making – 2: Seduction.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
—. “60. Dancing as Making – 3: Pure Depth.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
—. “61. Dancing as Making – 4.” Dancing, Culture, and Religion Lecture Series, n.d. PDF file.
Sarah McSheehy
07/06/12
Journal Assignment # 4
Tutting provides the framework for physical objects that aren’t there. One of the foundations of Tutting is the ability to trace invisible objects. The key is to move the square or geometric object smoothly and cleanly around the space in front of the dancer. This means that there are a lot of intricate movements between the two hands to open up new paths using “hinges.” All this must be done with respect to the musical rhythm.
Tutting, even though traditionally is created from only one person, creates both the male and female aspects of seduction. On a very surface level, the hard angles of the fingers and sharp movements require a lot of power and control from the dancer. This is coupled with the languid transitions that move like liquid to create the complex designs. One could not succeed without the other. As explored in the lectures, seduction is more so about the idea of presenting the notion that something is there, and then taking it away or replacing it with something completely different. I think Tutting makes a very good example of this. Much like miming, the interest in the dance is more about the audience’s imagination. I hearken back to the youtube video I included in assignment 3. The video is essentially showing what the audience and dancer imagine. In the lecture on Bolero, the professor mentions that in Frances Aparicio’s writing on the Bolero, the music is important to the over-all seduction of the dance because the lyrics provide, “”…a musical space in which Woman (or the feminine) is constructed mostly as absence, an absence that stimulates the expression and articulation of male desire through the text/song and through the act of singing…””(Gill) The same can be argued for Tutting. Though it is not considered by normal criteria to be a seductive dance, Tutting is often a stop and go dance where the shapes are created and then pause on the off-beats of the song in order to be processed by the audience. This youtube video called Trigger Fingers offers up a good example of how the movements of Tutting are fast, where there are multiple shapes flying at the audience but they last just long enough to create a recognizable shape. All this happening between the beats of the song beginning at 1:03: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcRsHiFj5Gg
The sequence where the Tutting opens up to the whole body at 2:05 shows the “stop and go” motion of the very intense Tutting, paired with the very smooth transitions that seem to break up the intricate hand motions with a breath mirrored by the pause in the music. Between the smallest amounts of time, 2:05 to 2:06, the very cramped space is opened up tremendously using one very simple move. From there, it is just as easily closed back in. In this video, the shapes created are seducing on multiple levels. One is the creating of a shape that isn’t really there, but the other is the fact the fingers are creating a shape that the audience wants to hold onto, but are immediately deceived when the fingers move slightly and provide a new shape.
In terms of making, I identify Tutting primarily with the lectures on depth. Merleau-Ponty uses the analogy of what darkness feels like to a person to explain how pure depth works. In the darkness, no objects have moved, the darkness is not a tangible thing, and yet, our bodies perceive the darkness as a very powerful force that affects all of our senses. How can this be when the force acting upon us is not there? The same can be said with Tutting. When we attempt to see the movements of the fingers between the solid creations of shapes, chaos is being created. The fingers have no shape and are in an unrecognizable motion. Then, when an invisible shape is created, our minds hold onto it for a fraction of a second before something else takes its place. The depth occurs in the movements between the solid shapes, when the hands are aligning themselves. While the complex movements and shapes being created are stunning, the real object creating the shapes is a organic form therefore, “The body as an intertwining blurs the boundary between the flesh of the world (depth) and our own bodily flesh.” (Gill)
The audience, and the dancer for that matter can easily lose the boundary between what arm and hand is theirs when they Tut with a partner. By performing this type of dance with a partner, the field opens up for more objects to be created. Often times, the dancers with combine their hands to form the squares. In order to get a sense of the object, the points of their hands and arms must come into contact with one another and often the movements will look as though only one person is controlling four hands. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwrel&v=uwAQvZAW2vk&NR=1 In this video, the two dancers are clearly themselves, but when they perform the sequence during :30 and 1:15, their hands are moving as if only one mind is controlling them. I am sure that instead of thinking solely about when they had to move their fingers, the dancers viewed both hands as their own and the connection was made even stronger by being able to touch the other person’s hand. Because the choreography has one motivation, the dancers can perceive themselves as one body. While performing Tutting alone allows the dancer to proprioceive their two hands as being one body two dancers Tutting must practice over and over to regain a new proprioception of the other person’s hands also being their own. Muscle memory from practice allows for this realization to occur.
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 4. ”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 3: Pure Depth. ”
Gill, Sam. Series of Lectures for Dancing, Religion and Culture “Dancing as Making – 1: Proprioception. ”
The Hustle and Seduction
“I am sensual and very physical. I’m very erotic. But my sexuality exists on a sort of a fantasy level.” These are the words of world-renowned disco diva, Donna Summers, and they truly represent the seducing power of disco – it’s present but not “real”. Out of all the characteristics of the disco era, seduction is one of the most prominent. Teenagers and young adults enjoyed the new upbeat style of music and many found the dance clubs and flashing lights enticing. The dancing at these clubs changed drastically from previous decades, becoming much more sexual. A newspaper article from New York’s News and Courier published on October 16, 1975, described this new scene by stating, “Everybody’s doing the hustle. How about you? Dancers shift their torsos swiftly and gracefully from side to side and back and fourth while their feet tap out intricate steps. For the first time in a long time, it’s a popular dance in which partners hold each other… enthusiasts have moved away from ‘hang loose‘ dances… to the highly stylized, sexy and more sophisticated hustle,” (1). The gestures within the dance as well as the disco song lyrics drive home the seduction characteristic.
In lecture, we learned how Bolero is a seduction through use of its song lyrics (woman’s absence and presence) that “give meaning to dance and intimacy,” (2). Both male and female artists were equally represented in the disco arena and the most popular songs were about love, lust, and power (3).Similar to the bolero, the hustle could be seen by some as sexual foreplay. The New York hustle does not have the same closeness between the couple as the bolero, but the hip movements, turns, and touching give off the sense of seduction. The video below is a clip from Dancing with the Stars where Warren and Kym do the hustle. The dance moves are quick with a lot of hand movements and twists, showing off a feminine seduction as Kym spins around Warren and he reciprocates it.
In lecture, Professor Gill rejected the belief that dancing can be foreplay since the physical aspect is over once the dance ends, but I’m going to make an exception for the hustle. It is common knowledge that disco music and dancing had high appeal to the psychedelic crowd (4). This is primarily due to the nature of the music and disco clubs; by taking mind-altering drugs, people were able to enhance the experience of the music and flashing lights. One side effect of these drugs was an increase in promiscuity. The seduction on the dance floor was not enough for many people and truly did serve as foreplay since public sex in and around disco clubs was a common occurrence. Seduction in dancing the hustle was indeed a game of appearance, but for many people , the seduction aided in the eventual production.
The lecture on the feminine aspect of dancing as seduction brought up an intriguing point – that seduction is feminine and since the West devalues seduction, the West also devalues dancing from a male/production point of view. One motif within the movie Saturday Night Fever that I love is how Tony Manero challenges that Western belief. By doing the hustle and other disco-style dances, Tony becomes a heartthrob with his seductive moves. He makes dancing look suave and cool. Soon after the movie was released, disco clubs became less of a homosexual male scene and more of a heterosexual male and female arena. The video below, although a mix of dancing from Saturday Night Fever and a Bee Gees music video, shows the respect the other men have for Tony as he tears up the dance floor.
In the lecture on seduction and aura, Professor Gill brought up how text can compliment the seduction of dance by giving it more clarity. He stated, “Dance and text are increasingly interconnected in modern and postmodern dance and dance and text are interconnected in the dance-dramas common throughout the world. Text is recited by the dancer or a narrator or as an element in the musical score (spoken or sung as lyrics) accompanying dancing. There are many combinations, countless ways in which text and dance are interrelated. From the perspective of dancing as seduction we can offer some criteria for understanding these combinations. In the West, where production is valued and seduction is devalued, I propose that spoken text is often added to disambiguate dancing, to make it speak and relate and function and serve. Dancing is justified by using a text to clarify for an audience the meaning of dancing, or better the particular dance,” (5). Many disco songs speak to what is happening with the dancing. The best example of this is this movie of Van McCoy’s “The Hustle.”
As far as lyrics go, they cannot be more blunt than actually telling you what to do to seduce. Many disco songs, such as the Electric Slide, tell the dancers how to move. However, since dancing is done by nature, that is where the seduction aspect comes in because the playing of signs, the seduction of dance, overpowers the accompanying text. Another example of this aura that correlates more closely with text being recited by the dancer is the following clip from the show Glee:
Like many other disco songs that use lyrics to tell the dancer how to dance, this one is a little more ambiguous yet still, you probably should be dancing. Words convey meaning where as dance does not.Just like the other example, the power of seduction reigns over the text.
Dancing as making is more of a cultural phenomena than a dance-specific one so I will focus this mainly on the culture of the disco era. I’m going to use Saturday Night Fever as an example again because it had a huge impact on this era, shaping it to what we know it as now. In Western culture, making is a masculine trait that has high regard and respect because it is accompanied by power. On the contrary, seduction is a feminine trait because it is non-productive, yielding no artifact or meaning. Tony is seen as a disappointment to his family because he is not producing anything by dancing. He tries to find meaning through dancing but dancing does not produce anything, including meaning. The power struggle presented here enables Tony to find meaning because the seduction of dance gives him the reality of production through reversibility.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gQQ1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=Fk8KAAAAIBAJ&pg=840,3518488&dq=disco+music&hl=en
Professor Sam Gill. Lecture on Dancing as Seduction – Bolero
http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_disco-songs.html
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/disco/biography.html
Professor Sam Gill. Lecture on Dancing as Seduction – Aura