Hula Hoop

While talking so much of the Hula last week, I was curious to see if the Hula Hoop and the Hawaiian Hula had anything to do with each other. I tried to find the history of the hula hoop and I found a few articles which I'll try to sum up in case anyone else was curious. Hoops had been around since as far back as ancient Egypt but Hula Hooping didn't come around until there were similarities spotted between the shape of a hoop and the shape of the Hula dance (so there is a connection!). American soldiers used the term hooping to describe this connection in the 18th century. The first official hula hoop came about in 1958 and no one was able to make a patent off it because hoops had been around for a very long time.

Here are two of the articles if anyone wants to read more information.
http://spinninghoop.com/hula-hoop-memories/history.htm
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/hulahoop.htm

World Hoop Championship

After class this week, I looked up dance in the news. This video came up, showing Native Americans performing a typical dance style known as the 'Hoop Dance'. However, in this championship, the competition isn't the focal point, but the dance is. Unlike the other dances we've studied, the focus is the family and tradition of the dance, not winning the competition. I found this interesting, because even though it's competition based, it doesn't make the dance better or worse because of it. Do you think that competition is integral for the success of a dance? Why do we place so much importance on competition based dancing, instead of the beauty of dance itself?

http://abcnews.go.com/OnCampus/video/world-hoop-dance-championship-12973318

'ohana

after watching the video on hula, hawaii, and the native hawaiians living in california i was thinking about what i know personally about hawaiian culture if anything. i oddly recalled a disney movie "lilo and stitch" and researched if any of the film makers had direct hawaiian influences when making the film set in hawaii based on a hawaiian family. this article attached was an interesting idea that the film makers never wrote into the script but added after staying on the island, the idea of "'ohana." in a technical sense the word means "family" but the they focused on the idea that hawaiians often have a wide spread meaning of family including extended members and family friends as close as their immediate mom, dad, siblings, etc. it was interesting the writer/director said they made a point to not clearly define "ohana" in the movie, as respect for hawaiian culture and the way they see as each family having their own definition of "ohana." i thought it was especially interesting in relation to the native hawaiians who moved to california and formed these amazing tight knit communities as perhaps their own "ohana." definitely worth a read, it's not too long!

http://gohawaii.about.com/cs/hawaiifilms/a/lilo_and_stitch_2.htm

Joffrey Ballet helping Students

While I was home this past weekend, I saw this news story about dancers from the Joffrey Ballet teaching local students from the Chicago schools ballet. Not only are they learning dance, but they are also learning life skills. Some students will be able to continue their training after the program ends as well. Here is the link to the news story:

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7982764

I think this is a great idea because it allows these children to be able to learn about dance that they would not otherwise get. It may inspire them to continue dancing. This is similar to the hip hop dancers we discussed at the beginning of the semester since they used dance to express themselves and stay off the streets by doing something constructive rather than violent.

What are your thoughts on this program? Should these programs exist more often?

Hula in commercials

After watching the film on Thursday, I wondered how much a part of the American culture that hula has become. I searched to see how hula was incorporated in commercial advertisements. I found the one below, and realized we never discussed in class the advent of the hula bobble head car toy, a mainstay for many people that made the hula and Hawaiian culture not only accessible, but stereotyped the culture itself. What do you think of this commercialization of this culture? Have you noticed any other pieces of Hawaiian culture in our everyday that we don't always recognize as Hawaiian, but truly are?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbYw5AlqiHg

Hula in Lilo & Stitch

One of the things I associate with hula is the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch. Even though the movie focuses on the friendship that develops between the two main characters, there are themes of Hawaiian culture in the film.

The movie even contains a hula scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCAlnPIeiCY

I found a link that explains the movements that were used in the hula animation. So at least we know the dance steps in the film were accurate. http://www.huladancehq.com/how-to-do-the-lilo-and-stitch-hula-dance.html

Are there any other films or entertainment pieces that focus on a cultural dance? Are the dance and cultural elements within the piece accurate and to what extent? How do you feel about films that integrate a culture as a supplement to a storyline? Do you think it can add to a stereotype?

Hotel Lexington Hawaiian Room

Here are the photos that did not show up on my powerpoint. All of them are from the Hotel Lexington Hawaiian Room in NYC. Notice how in the ad, the female hula dancer does not look Polynesian, hence reinforcing the new image of "hawaiianess" that the haole's wanted to promote through tourism. Hope you all enjoy!

Is Hula Dance Authentic?

After reading the article this week about Hula Competitions, I continue to think about the topic of authenticity that we keep bringing up in class. Hula dancing is in important part of the Hawaiian cultures, but I wonder how competitions has changed its intent as a means of storytelling and poetry. While competitions are supposed to be fun and continue to spread the Hula tradition, they have turned into shows and many rules and regulations affect the choreography. First, they are scored, and judges like innovation; is changing the choreography still make it an authentic dance? Second, the emphasis is on a form of entertainment to impress an audience, which requires choreographers to be unique. Major structure changes have been imposed due to the time restraint dances have to occur in. I continue wondering, though don't have an answer to, if these changes still make the dance authentic and preserve the wonderful Hawaiian tradition, or has it changed it into a form of consumerism? Are these changes bad or is this just the natural progression of dance in the 20th-21st century?

Tango as a Modern Dance with a Latin Feel

We discussed in class the fact that Tango is a Modern Ballroom dance, and it fufills the basic idea of what modern ballroom is. But during class i couldn't help but think of this movie Take the Lead. It talks about how ballroom is considered a upper middle class sport that many can't afford to do, but this movie discussed how they mix the basic ideas of ballroom with non-traditional dance moves.
This clip shows the tradition Tango, and a recreation of tango with the Latin sexiness. I love this dance because it definitely allows a person to compare both the styles of dance, clothing, and background
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmsKDQ1DlN4

Glee Flash Mob

While our class is concentrated in American dance styles, I always wonder how our dance cultures spread to other countries. I found this video of a group of people participating in a flash mob in Italy to music from the popular television show Glee. Shows and media outlets like Glee allow non-dancers to participate in dance, by allowing them to connect with the music the way that the characters on the show do. The show places a large importance on dance (as they do air on FOX, a network gaining a lot of money off of So You Think You Can Dance), and the balance of music and dance in performance. Can you think of any other examples where music and dance have become a phenomenon for the average non-dancer? Enjoy the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhbK2bMTRbI

DanceSport

My presentation on American DanceSport really got me thinking about the stereotypes that go along with dance. And even more so after some of the conversations we had this week. I found it extremely interesting to learn that DanceSport Professionals are not what the average person would think of a ballroom dancer. Most people think of ballroom dancers as professionals, glamorous, wealthy and smart. However, that is really just the Amateurs, people who do DanceSport as a hobby. Are there any other sports like this? Or anything in general? I was trying to think of some but was unable to, any ideas?

The Night Disco was Revived

Last night, for no reason at all, I got thinking about a dance routine I learned during spring break a couple years ago. In my Junior year of high school, I went on a Royal Caribbean cruise for a week. Since going on a cruise requires you to live on a ship for a week, each day, the crew has all sorts of activities they plan for the guests to participate in to enhance our vacation experience. One of the activities I looked forward to was the daily dance lessons in various types of dance styles. The one I remember most vividly is disco. I learned some moves from the disco days of the 70s and later that night, the group I danced with and I performed the routine in a kind of parade/dance party in the ship's Promenade. The routine was from the movie Saturday Night Fever during a scene when John Travolta participates in a line dance with a group at a club. You can watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m9ZP_tTtLc&feature=related

I've learned plenty of routines and choreographies in my life, but I must say, this one was one of the most enjoyable for me to learn and perform. It really is a shame that disco died.

In class, we talked about how a lot of things have a cycle, such as fashion. Things are in style for a while, then they go out of style, then they make it back into style...so on and so forth. Do you think disco will ever have it's comeback? The 70s clothing is said to become fashionable again, so maybe disco will come back with it...who knows. I, for one, sure hope it does.

Black Swan

I recently saw the movie Black Swan, and was astonished by the film. The main characters attachment to dance, the concept of physically turning into a swan, and the juxtaposition between the dance and the main characters life was just incredible. Granted, the premise of actually turning into a swan is unrealistic, but the idea of becoming so attached to the art that it becomes you is quite interesting. This movie can serve as an important reminder of how much dance can mean to some people. As a side, I think the dancing in this film is quite wonderful. The movements that the dancers use to serve to tell the timeless tale of the black swan. It always astonishes me the way that dance can tell a story like no other medium. If you haven't seen the film I would definitely recommend it.

Browner- Heartbeat Article

I am excited to discuss the Heartbeat article in class by Browner. I have never researched or learned about Native American dance technique and style before. It was very interesting to read this research report about the history of this style.

Native American dance consists of warrior society dances, reservation-era intertribal dances, wildwest shows, and postwar homecoming celebrations. All these dances have a specific meaning in the Native American realm.

What is different about Native American dance from other forms of dance is the ties it has to religion and healing. Some dances are performed to heal the sick and weary. Their dances invoke a form of healing in all those participating. I wonder how it could be that simple, yet powerful at the same time.

I also enjoyed reading about the Ann Arbor Pow-Wow at University of Michigan. I didn't know there was such a large Native American presence on that campus. It's great to know that diversity exists there. They have invitations, offerings, prayers, songs by special singers, and feasting on regional foods in an effort to bring together the University of Michigan Campus. Here is a video of the 2007 pow-wow at University of Michigan: http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/7662698

You can see in the background the intermingling of Native Americans and non Native Americans. They are walking around watching the dances and drum playing observing at a distance or even close to it going on!

I wish we could do something like this at Syracuse. I wonder if the campus would support such an event!

Native American Dance in Sports

I know in the past 10 years that having Native Americans represented in logos and mascots has been very debated in sports. While I agree that they should not be represented in a degrading manner, it should be okay to respect and honor them. Since we are talking about Native American dancing this week, I wanted to bring up a very controversial decision.

At the University of Illinois, the mascot is Chief Illiniwek. At halftime of football and basketball games, the Chief would come out and do a dance, and it was extremely cool to take part in this tradition. The entire student section lines up around the court and participates in the dance as well. However, this dance was considered disrespectful and caused a lot of controversy; due to the threat to loose NCAA funding, U of I decided to "get rid of" the Chief.

However, the person who was the Chief learned the dance from Native Americans; it wasn't something he just made up. He would go live with a local tribe to learn about them and learn the dance from them. The original tribe no longer exists, so it was other tribes who were upset with this tradition; the original tribe could not defend their action.

What is your opinion-should the Chief still be allowed to dance? Was this dance authentic?

Here is the Chief's last dance in 2007:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7tyfQu4QJo&feature=related

Another Example Of A Flash Mob

/www.youtube.com/watch?v=77O6IrDYBBI

After reading Kim's post about flash mobs, it got me thinking about where else I had seen this phenomenon. It was in an episode of the ABC show Modern Family. In this scene one of the characters who is typically thought of as uptight decides to surprise his mate and participate in a flash mob at a mall. I find it so remarkable that dance, is able to represent so much. In this case, it is showing the depths a person in a relationship is willing to go to express their feelings, it shows talent, personal expression, and boldness of the character.

3d dance film

I came across this very interesting article about a new film being made about dance. It will be in 3d. The premise got me thinking. Will a 3d dance film bring a new sensory experience to the old school dance films like dirty dancing or save the last dance. Will this extra element make that audience feel like they are there actually experiencing the numbers? I think that the extra 3d aspect could indeed bring the audience to the theater. Make them feel as if they are actually attending a dance show. Normally, I don't know how I feel about 3d movies with things flying off the screen. But, used as an art form I think the 3d could definitely work to enhance the film and bring people closer to dance.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/15/us-film-pina-idUSTRE71E0OR20110215

Dance and Twitter

Over the past year, I have become active on the social network Twitter. I enjoy sharing my thoughts with others, finding people with similar interests and talking to them, and it is a great way to hear about the news or events around the country. While I mostly follow and talk to friends or people in the Syracuse network, I do follow some celebrities and organizations. I found an article about dancers using Twitter, which describes who tweets and why. I do follow So You Think You Can Dance, some of its choreographers, some of the dancers that have been on the show, and some ice skaters. While I don't interact with them, it is still interesting to see them as "real" people and read what is important to them.

What do you think about dancers or celebrities using Twitter? Does it make them more human and help the average person relate to the person on stage? Do you think they should respond to people who tweet at them? I'm very interested in feedback.

Here's the link to the article: http://dancemagazine.com/issues/February-2008/Dancing-in-the-Twittersphere

And on Twitter I am @kegluskin :-)

All the Single Ladies

I mentioned this video in a class discussion, however I got the choreographer wrong! But, this is an original Fosse performance entitled "Mexican Breakfast" originally aired on the Ed Sullivan show. Beyonce confirmed first on 106 and Park but then again in later interviews that her single ladies dance was based on this old dance style from the late 60's (which made me a few years off from the style mentioned in class I confused it with- oops!). However, still an amazing insight on how old dance affects new dances. There were lots of Fosse videos on youtube with even more comments of other dance moves from pop, hip hop, and more like the "walk it out" video that all had old school roots. Interesting to think about the next time you're watching a music video! Years later for Fosse's dance style to still be relevant and translatable to new music forms speaks a lot to the timeless nature of his talent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz7InzhwJTo

Sign Language a Dance?

The clip you'll see below is a girl performing her final project for her sign language class. She chose a song and performed it through sign language. If we define dance as any form of movement through your body, this is an example of a style of dance. Would you consider sign language a form of dance before seeing this clip? What about after? Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv3tadz5Q3o

Salsa Portrayed in Movies

The following clip is from one of my favorite movies, Center Stage. The plot is about a professional ballet company and in this scene the group decides to take a night off from the intensity and focus on a different style of dance at a salsa club. As you watch, pay attention to the way the different characters (white vs. African American) move and and use elements of their bodies that we discussed in class (hips, ribcage, knees). Personally, I thought they all did a great job in looking "authentic", but then again, they are professional dancers. I think it is interesting to see the way these professionals are able to adapt to different styles and gain that sense of "fluency" even though they are not from Latin American descent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rSgC3tNMik

Dance and Sports

I found this clip of a flash mob dance at a Kansas basketball game. I am a big college basketball fan and I just thought this clip was funny and amazing at the same time. The article says that the group of students only practiced for a total of 2 hours before the game on Monday night and performed it to promote looking out for friends when drinking. Even the coach was dancing by the end. Besides that the message is a great idea, the fact that the school got together enough students to make this work is pretty impressive and everything they're doing is from their seats. They even have a clothing change! It just shows how dance is so ingrained in our culture that it is being used at big-time college basketball game for entertainment and for a cause.


http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/22766/kansas-game-features-flash-mob-dance

The Hustle

In today's class, the topic of salsa types/styles came up and The Hustle was briefly touched on. Though we have yet to see a bunch of examples of various salsa styles, I think it's safe to say that we all have a pretty general understanding of what salsa dance is "supposed" to look like. Here's a vid (rather small) of two people doing the hustle.

http://www.dancedancedance.com/jg_hustle.html

What similarities/differences between "typical" salsa and the hustle can you all point out regarding the movements, dance steps, music, style, etc.?

Dance bring people together

I am a huge geek when it comes to dancing and musicals. If it's out i've probably seen it or at least heard the music and seen it. Dancing movies are my guilty pleasue, so i have no problem sharing this video and having people laugh at my ridiculousness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA3_8AomNQ4

This is the video of Glee's Thriller mash-up. Althought we've talked about Thriller on the blog. This dance is about more than just the dancing and singing. A mini synopsis of the episode is that the glee club and the football team were forced to join together to create a halftime show for the championship game because the football team has been torturing everyone on the glee club for being girls, or gay, or sissies because they like to sing. This forces the coach make them work together so they can join together.

The video shows how people can work together through dance and other means of artistic expression to create a common ground, which they were able to do.

Also, I think the choreography is amazing.

Mambo in the Movies

I'm excited to see that this week's reading is so popular. I, too, have been inspired to write a blog about it. While reading the first few pages of Professor Hutchinson's work, all I could think about was a scene from the movie Dirty Dancing. It kept playing over and over through my mind as I was reading, so finally, I had enough and decided to write about it.
Dirty Dancing is, by far, my favorite dance movie (and one of my favorite movies in general). I love the dance routines in the movie and many of them have a Mambo/Pachanga/Salsa influence, so I decided to relate it to the article.
One scene in particular is, in my opinion, similar to "Mambo on 2." The scene in Dirty Dancing is referred to as "Johnny's Mambo" (appropriate, isn't it?) and can be found here (with an advertisement to start it):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkqA_jj4Flk

Dirty Dancing is set in 1963, which was the turning point of the 1st generation to 2nd generation of Mambo dancers. It was also roughly ten years after the Mambo became a dance craze in New York City. It was definitely a popular dance in the time period that Dirty Dancing takes place in.
The footwork of the routine isn't entirely accurate compared to On 2 Mambo, but Mambo dancers synchronized their dance to the music that they danced to, which is shown in the movie. Also, there were "flashy" moves that made Johnny and Penny stand out. There were some moments with large arm movements, faster turns and dramatic poses which is also similar to New York Mambo. As an added fun fact, the location that Dirty Dancing is set in is in the Catskills, which just so happens to be where Joe Piro took some of his Mambo dancers to perform, as we learned in the reading.

Overall, it seems there are quite a few similarities between Dirty Dancing and actual Mambo dancing. I think it's a good representation of Mambo. What do you guys think? In your opinion, do you think Dirty Dancing is similar to or different from the reading?

Palladium Mambo Legends Dancing!

Everyone should take a look at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMeFLXoJvLA . I did a little research on the Palladium dancer's that Professor Hutchinson discusses in this week's reading, Mambo on 2. Palladium mambo dance was the first generation of mambo dance that started in NYC! Look at these Palladium legends reuniting and dancing the mambo.

What I took from the reading was that, during a very segregated time of the 50s and 60s, Palladium was the grounds for a lot of interracial socializing. The mambo dance brought together Puerto Ricans, Blacks and Jews to dance under one roof. People were allowed to interchange their ideas and work and dance together. How awesome!

See you in class!

Salsa and Pachanga

After doing the reading for this week, I looked up some Salsa dances and came across this video. It's interesting because if you watch the male's legs, they look they are the personality of the dance. Usually people are enthralled with the movement in the feet, but in this case, his whole body takes the character and personality of the style. Also, it's interesting how the focus is on the male, when the female normally is the focus of ballroom structured dances. What does this say about gender roles in this performance of Salsa and Pachanga and about the gender constructs in this dance as a whole? All in all, a good performance and definitely worth watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmOYzNxIU6g

Youtube Dance Lessons

Quite often in class, we all mention how easy it is to look up dance routines on Youtube and learn steps, moves and routines from there. Essentially, I've come to think of it as Youtube dance lessons. It's free, it's easy and you don't get laughed or yelled at for messing up a move. It's perfect. It makes me wonder why people are still adamant about not dancing.
Anyways, the popularity of Youtube and learning choreographies from there got me wondering what dance routines have become the most popular for people to learn. I found a website that lists what they claim to be the "Top Five Most Iconic Music Video Dance Routines." While it's not official or anything, looking at the majority of the list made me laugh because I am guilty of either participating in some of these routines, or at least trying to learn them. Here's the link:

http://musicouch.com/musicouching/top-five-most-iconic-music-video-dance-routines/

I think most of us have danced to the YMCA and the Macarena at some point or another. Also, a friend of mine and I tried to learn the routine that is #1 on this list, but we gave up after about 10 minutes. Here's a good video of people who had plenty of time to get the routine down though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mv9Hv9MeXQ
Enjoy!

Dancing for a cause

Some universities use dance for a good cause and Penn State is one of the most well-known and successful every year. Penn State's Thon has become the thing to look forward to every year. It is a 48 hour dance marathon to raise money for kids with cancer One of my best friends is a senior a PSU and this is all she talks about as she is SO involved. This year her and a friend were raising money to be put in a raffle to be chosen to dance for 48 hours straight. There are SO many people that want to dance to that they have to raise at least $2,600 to be entered in the raffle and each $500 after that they get an extra ticket. My friend raised over $15,000 and still doesn't know if she will actually get to dance during the event. Program's like this that involve dance really show how much dance is integrated into our culture. To learn more about Thon here is a link http://www.thon.org/

Jerkin'

After watching Rize and learning about Krumping, I was reminded of a dance movement in LA that I heard about this summer called Jerkin'. I don't know if anyone else has heard about it or if we are going to talk about it in class sometime, but I thought I would pass along a really interesting article and documentary from LA Weekly. When reading about Jerkin' I drew a lot of parallels to other dances we've learned about. Specifically, like the b boy article, Jerkin' is just as much about looking sharp as it is about dancing well. Jerkin' dancers have a specific dress, from the skinny jeans and sneaks to the crisp neon t-shirts. Also, the Jerkin' movement has grown out of LA high schools, predominantly kids under 18. This just shows another example of how dance creates structure for kids living in hostile environments. Check out the article and video and maybe we can talk about it in class one day!

Article: http://www.laweekly.com/2009-08-06/music/we-8217-re-jerkin-8217/
Video: http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2009/08/jerkin_video_new_boys_intervie.php

Links

It seems as if everyone was interested in seeing more clips of stepping and strolling so I included them here :

-Strolling is usually used to show that your organization is present at parties/gatherings ect, here it's shown on stage at a step show

-Enjoy!

Phi Beta Sigma syracuse chapter at a step show in Oswego:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boNaiMZzO5U&feature=related

Kappa Alpha Psi Strolling, first thought that came to mind was the "stripper dance" in RIZE, possibly where they got it from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G-brWeMmqs

Delta Sigma Theta Strolling:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWprpnSBeeI



Also, I appreciate how each one of these African American dance traditions link with one another throughout our readings. I do believe however that you can, in fact, trace the roots of these dances to Africa and not necessarily to America. The African experience in America is unique in that they are one of the few cultures brought to this country against their will. As a way to keep African traditions within the new African American community, as well as keep the community together in times or turmoil (slavery ect..) African traditions were passed down through word of mouth and demonstration. So, while these dances do focus on the African American experience they also have strong correlations to African dances, purposely.

Revelations... Finding Connections to other forms of African American Dance

After reading Alvin Ailey's Revelations article and scouring the Internet for videos of its dance, I've come up with a conclusion. Alvin Ailey's modern dance is similar to Krumping. Call me crazy, but both dances have a very spiritual and religious purpose. While the movements look completely different, their purpose is the same. To invoke some sort of spirits with the dance.

Revelations does however provide audiences and dancers with a historical interpretation of events in African Americans past. Revelations attempts to tell the story of African Americans movement toward freedom during the time of slavery. It calls out to eliminate the current racist style of dance and make way for a brighter more unified future.

Krumping on the other hand calls to the gods to fix their current situation. Krumping seems to be the present day religious dance comparable to Alvin Ailey's. Both dances are spiritual in nature and very interesting.

I really enjoyed reading about Alvin Ailey's article and look forward to discussing it in class today!!