7.3: Dance as Education
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- 292832
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Dance is one of the 4 major visual and performing art forms (music, theatre, dance, and visual art). The premise of this chapter is operating within a paradigm that dance is for everybody– no matter the background, religion, socio-economic situation, race or ethnicity, age, or ability. Since dance exists in every culture on Earth, it has traditionally been celebrated and practiced by everyone, not just a few who show natural ability for movement or performance. Therefore, dance should be more than an activity-based lesson with year-end recital in sparkling costumes, a standard practice in the western dance milieux. Instead, dance should educate and cultivate knowledge about the world, including histories, cultures, communities, and the place of the self within those contexts.
For example, Figure 7.3 illustrates the teaching of classical Cambodian Khmer dance, the careful positioning of the hands, and the celebration of traditional culture through costume and poise. Perhaps you are of Cambodian decent or know someone who calls Cambodian culture an integral part of their ancestral story. Knowing more about the dances of the world tells the historical, cultural, and artistic stories of perspectives that enrich our world. Moreover, the integration of aesthetic and kinetic dance movement makes it not only expressive, but communicative within the structure of social and cultural understanding (McCutchen, 2006).
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(Mobilus in Mobili (2015, Oct 11). Khmer Dance American Cambodian festival - Richmond Folk Festival. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cambodian_American_Heritage_Dance_Troupe_(22084441726).jpg / https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobili/22084441726/)
Pleasing in appearance; Aesthetics is responsive to or appreciative of what is considered to be artistically or naturally beautiful (Merriam-Webster, 2024).
Derived from the 19th century Greek word kinētikos (meaning "of motion"), kinetic is something that has to do with movement or motion. The study of kinetics is a branch of science that deals with the effect of force upon material bodies that causes motion (Merriam-Webster, 2024).
Kinetics is just moving. Aesthetics is a philosophy of beauty. Kinesthetic is the way one perceives or feels movement in one’s body, pairing motor development from basic functional to technical proficiency with sophisticated artistic production. The ultimate aim is for a dance teacher and dancer should be the acquisition of kinesthetic competency. But how does a dance educator guide their students to cultivate kinesthetic dance abilities? One way would be to recognize and accommodate different learning styles.
Coupling the terms kinetic and aesthetic, kinesthetic is the way one perceives or feels movement in one’s body, where motor skills are paired to sophisticated artistic production.