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
I always find this scene interesting when I watch this movie because of how it represents salsa and the stereotypes associated with it. The interesting part about it is that the salsa club we see here in this scene doesn't portray salsa in the same 'sexy' light that we've seen in most explanations about salsa, but instead just show it as a dance with a fun atmosphere and a good time. It's interesting how in the dance community it's seen as a fun dance, not necessarily a sexy one.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christina's comment. I also think it is interesting the way you talked about the "fluency" understanding that rhythm and body movement I think is something more naturally learned if you grew up as Christina mentioned just enjoying the dance for what it is. That natural rhythm and soul for it when being taken on by a professional dancer is something they work to master, where as for others it just comes naturally when learning it.
ReplyDeleteIn this movie, the scene seems to represent the ballet dancer's fantasies of being able to escape from the rigidity of ballet training and just enjoy herself while dancing. However, although she is able to learn the steps (trained dancers must necessarily be able to pick up choreography quickly), to me these dancers still look like ballet dancers dancing salsa rather than like salseros - I think it can be very hard to shed all those years of posture training!
ReplyDeleteAlso, re: Kelly's comment, while there is a difference between a dancer who grows up in a tradition and one who learns it later in life, I would question whether the difference is "natural." Even though one of them is learning at a very young age - often as soon as they are able to walk - they are still _learning_ rather than doing something that's "natural" or in-born. The dancer growing up in the tradition has had more of an opportunity for the dance and its meanings to become internalized, but it still is a learned behavior that has been reinforced by family and community approval.
I love Center Stage as well! And, I agree that in this movie they do a fabulous job at looking authentic at every dance they perform. I think it speaks volumes of these dancers abilities. It is my opinion that dancers who are extremely talented are able to adapt and are able to look authentic in virtually any dance they perform
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