Learning more..

Throughout this assignment I have struggled to pull away from some of the websites I have found myself on!

In class we have been discussing Contemporary dance as an art form in the 20th century -including how it has evolved. There are many, many websites which offer information on this topic and as I have been reading through them I feel I have extended my knowledge of what I have learnt in class.

'It was during the explosion of new thinking and exploration in the early 20th century that dance artists began to appreciate the qualities of the individual, the necessities of ritual and religion, the primitive, the expressive and the emotional'

'The twentieth century was indeed a period of breaking away from everything that ballet stood for. It was a time of unprecedented creative growth, for dancers and choreographers. It was also a time of shock, surprise and broadening of minds for the public, in terms of their definitions of what dance was. It was a revolution in the truest sense.'

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/History_of_dance_-_Early_20th_century_from_ballet_to_contemporary_dance/id/1472975

From doing that yesterday

I have decided to look at images of dance today, but still remain looking at Black Contemporary dance....

..... well, sadly, I did not manage to find many images.

There were some amazing dancing pictures though. It was rather difficult to find images which had a focus on Black Contemporary dance.

Pearl Primus

Pearl Primus Born 29/11/19 - Died 29/10/94

She was also a choreographer, dancer and anthropologist. She promoted African dance forms and wanted people to view and understand them as important.

The following quotes were taken from this website-
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1995/2/95.02.03.x.html

'modern dance looks to the expressive needs of the individual rather than to European models for its movement techniques'.

'Modern dance is expressionistic, and so any position necessary to create the desired effect is acceptable'

'Blacks were denied entrance to ballet careers so modern dance became the method of dance by which they could shine'

In class & online..

There is some really good information available online about Black dance and as it matches with what we have looked at in class recently, I have decided to research it further.

Black pioneer in modern dance Katherine Dunham has been called the creator of African-American Modern dance. She held a strong connection with Dance Anthropology and choreographed over 90 different dances. Dunham ran the Katherine Dunham Dance Company for over thirty years.

There were beautiful images of Katherine Dunham so I have attached some -

Loving discovery..

Douglas Dunn's 'Talking dance' was put up during class, I copied it down into my book and was reading it over and wondered if there was anything about it online. Sadly, I didn't have any luck but I found something else (on a Douglas Dunn page) which I think is really cool -

I dance to obliterate duration.

I dance to dignify form as content.

I dance to equalize figure & surround.

I dance to put intuition in conversation with thought.

I dance to demonstrate the great facility & ridiculous limits of the un-accoutered human body.

I dance not to be stuck in one position.

I dance in order to stand up straight.

I dance because you don't have to carry your instrument.

I dance because I can't wait to be asked.

I dance to achieve a vital, non-heroic presence.

I dance to shrink to an irreducible kernel of purified being.

I dance to arouse things out there that have not yet done so to enter my mind.

I dance to have a say in what I submit to.

I dance to forget why I dance.

- http://douglasdunndance.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=31Itemid=31

... The most viewed clip..

I was surfing online and some how the video clip 'evolution of dance' appeared, so i clicked it and watched it again. The clip is really interesting to watch :



I decided to look up more about it and discovered that it was the most viewed YouTube clip. Which I think it awesome that a dance clip is the most viewed clip!

Internet has opened up access to dance - The fact that a dancing video clip is the most viewed clip on YouTube proves that people are accessing dance through the internet, it is available to
them and people are enjoying its availability!

Looking more closely...

Today I was trying to truly research my topic.
A website which I found interesting was: http://www.dancemass.tv/

Dawn DeMendonca, the creator and founder of the online dance studio believes: 'The internet allows dancers to gain more exposure, earn income online and generate more awareness...now with making good use of modern technology, and some marketing knowledge dancers can now look forward to having that opportunity to share their passion on a mass scale'.

This website is giving artists the ability to teach dance online, and get paid for it! Websites like this one are becoming more common, a person wishing to learn dance no longer has to leave their house, but just connect to the internet.

Trying to reveal..

My dialogic journal is my attempt of revealing the often seen as 'invisible' connection of dance and the internet.

The internet has made so much knowledge available.

Dance lessons are available online!
Famous dancer's bibliographies
Videos of dance
Information on the history of dance.

Discovering Laban Movement

Although I was wanting to find out more about Laban's writing, the internet guided me in a different direction!

The internet has given me the ability to see for myself what Laban movement actually looks like. The dancers in this video are using Laban's movement theory:

..Making decisions

I had an idea which was to focus on some of the course reader articles and then see if I could find out more about the topic they discuss online.

The making of Modern Dance - Rudolf Laban (the nightmare years in Zurich 1014-1919).
This article discuses the journey of Laban, describing key moment which occurred on the journey.There was a section about when he left Zurrich in 1919 -Laban had written his first book -'Die Welt des Tanzers, a visionary wor In Funf Gedankereigen' .

I have decided that I will search online for more information on Laban's writing.

..Quick thought on the internet

Dance is absolutely huge on the internet -
Anyone can post a video of themselves dancing - any style. The internet (to me) has opened up the dance world. It it so easy to learn more about contemporary dance!!

Contemporary dance

I am interested in viewing some contemporary dances pieces and the internet makes this so simple for me,

I viewed this amazing dance -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdESlHprO1U

There are so many others! Dancers are able to post videos on YouTube and other aspiring dancers can view them and leave comments if they wish. Viewing other people dancing can help improve your own and can extend your mind when it comes to the body's possible movements.

... thinking more

The interent has opened up peoples ability in learning about dance.

Dr. Alex Kolb spoke to our class about the early pioneers of 20th Century European dance and I was able to learn about this topic by searching it online, and finding an online journal to read :

'Re-thinking dance history' -

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=YTGEJEYsxLIC&pg=PA170&lpg=PA170&dq=20th+century+european+dance&source=bl&ots=DXJo3DU6Ir&sig=vn_wQIteX2tmRGzkl-eObQ6ruNk&hl=en&ei=69kgSsfiKaCWtgPi6q2HBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1

I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the article on this website -

http://www.earthlydelights.com.au/history6.htm

Slight success

I stumbled across this book called 'Invisible Connections: dance, choreography and internet communities' Which takes the stand similar to the previous book I read through ( Is Technology the future for dance?).

The approach taken is different to my intended one, as it discusses the effect that the internet and technology can have on dance and performance. There is belief that the internet 'offers new platforms for dance theatre in performing and creating their work'

Researching..

Today is the first day of the holidays and I am going to try and update my blog regularly...

I just spent some time trying to find more articles on this topic, but I didn't have much luck. I think this topic is extremely interesting, with endless possibilities, and it is to late now to change my journal topic so I won't give up, instead I will just keep searching for more articles!

Is technology the future for dance?

Jane Westbrook (1995), believes that dance and technology are combined in terms of 'design'. She believes that technology is mainly used as a source of image -
"as ' decoration', an articulation of space, the technical space occupied by a body or bodies, or as source of sound" pg.16.

Trying to answer the question.

Robin Grove - In 'Is technology the future of dance' states that ' technology is where dance has always been.... I see dance as one of the forms of technology itself'.

The lighting and music which are involved in dance add to the technological aspect of a dance performance.

Dance as art

About a month ago Dr Denys Trussell came and spoke to our class about the topic - 'Dance as art'

Today I tried to see if I could find any relevant information connected with his discussion and found an awesome article by Anne-Marie Daley-Peoples.

Daley-Peoples states that -
"Modern dance is an art as elusive as it is great. No one has ever offered an all-inclusive, totally satisfying definition if it"

I feel that dance is a great art form which is difficult to define, I feel that it is up to the individual to define what dance is, what it means, or what it does for them.

- Anne-Marie Daley-Peoples' discussion-
http://www.nzartmonthly.co.nz/daly-peoples_029.html

wow...

http://www.learning2dance.com/

' We are the only website on the internet that offers online dance lessons, dance videos and shows by professionals and world renounced instructors at the touch of your mouse button'

Online dance lessons!!
The discovery of this site was just by chance - I feel it is a truly amazing website.

Dance no longer has to be exercised, performed, or learnt through physical contact. Dance lessons are available online and they are treated as real. Cyber-lessons.

The dance world seems to be forever changing!

As thoughts emerge..

In keeping with the requirements of this task I am trying to record my thoughts on this topic as they emerge.
I have been thinking today about the literature that I should look for regarding this topic...

I have requested from the library a book called- 'Is technology the future for dance?' and I have high hopes that it will be helpful!

The google search

I am letting my thoughts guide the direction of my research.. so I thought what better way to start my journal then on my home page. Today, I googled the word 'DANCE'.

I was shocked to discover there were 442,000,000 results.
There were three video clips on the first page...


Which were..

Fallout boy - Dance Dance Dance
Evolution of Dance
Jabbawockeez Best Americas Best Dance Crew winners.

These videos are from a popular website called YouTube.
I discovered that YouTube has so many dance videos available - there are even lessons on how to dance particular styles.

With 442,000,000 results I am now aware that the connection between internet and dance is A LOT bigger then I thought it was!!

Where it all begins...

PHSE 235 Assignment 2 Dialogic Journal

I have an interest in 'Dance and the Internet', so I am going to research and look in depth at the 'access of dance' in terms of the internet. I will explore the connection of 'Dance and the Internet' and try to discover the aspects of this connection.


By creating an online blog I will record my thoughts and have conversations with myself regarding this topic. The blog will allow me to provide evidence of relevant background reading, quotes, and critical discussion. As my topic is 'Dance and the Internet' - it makes sense that my dialogic journal is presented as an online blog.

I will keep in mind what is key to this exercise - the development of my ideas!
I wonder where 'Dance and the Internet' will take me!!