cultural dance competition essay

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Introduction: Competition Culture: Winning and Losing at Dance

Sherril Dodds is Professor of Dance and Director of the Institute of Dance Scholarship at Temple University. Her research focuses on popular dance, screen dance, and cultural theory, and her publications include Dance on Screen (2001), Dancing on the Canon (2011) and Bodies of Sound (2013). She was a cofounder of the international research network PoP MOVES.

• Published: 07 November 2018
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The introduction outlines the myriad ways in which competition impacts dance, and how dance moves through and in response to this framework of aspiration, judgment, and worth. It considers the implicit competition on the concert stage as dancers compete to secure positions in prestigious companies and choreographers hustle to attract audiences and secure funding; the one-upmanship that emerges through the informal contests of social dance practice; the ubiquity of dance competition scenarios on the popular screen; as well as formal dance competitions with judges, prizes, winners, and losers. The introduction notes how dance is embedded within a neoliberal economy that favors individual success and free-market competition; yet it also argues that models of competition exist that are community-oriented, and that dancing bodies can employ tactics of resistance or critique through moving in ways that reveal and undermine the power structures of competition.

While we might commonly conceive of dance either as a creative, artistic practice, or as a recreational, community activity, we would not necessarily jump to the idea of dance as competition. Of course, in recent years the popularity of television shows that feature competitive dance or high-profile studio dance competitions come to mind, but to think of all dance as subject to the values and structures of competition may require a little more work. Indeed, I hope to show that a competition paradigm frames twenty-first-century life, and that its narratives of winning, achievement, and success have shaped how and why we dance. Within the global economy, free-market trading is organized around a framework of competition, which creates powerful monopolies of wealth and political control. In the realm of the social, consumer capitalism ensures that people compete for jobs, education, and lifestyle. And at the level of cultural expression, competition touches upon creative choices, artistic practice, and their circulating values. Consequently, dance does not exist as an autonomous art form, but instead moves through and in response to this framework of aspiration, judgment, and worth. The Oxford Handbook of Dance and Competition therefore sets out to interrogate the complex interactions between dance and competition, and how dancing bodies both create and respond to opportunities to compete.

Dance as a Competitive Practice

Aside from formal competition events, we might be tempted to think of dance as untouched by competition. Certainly, the bourgeois conception of art views it as separate from the vulgar realm of commerce and contest ( Storey 2003 ), although there are multiple instances in which the elite world of art dance comes into contact with a competition paradigm. In an editorial on competition and dance education, Janice LaPointe-Crump (2007) observes how renowned concert dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov was the proud recipient of a gold medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria, and that art choreographer Kurt Jooss gained prominence when his expressionist ballet, The Green Table (1932), won the Concours International de Chorégraphie . Indeed, international dance competitions attract illustrious judges with prestigious concert dance careers. For instance, the jury for the inaugural edition of the Korea International Modern Dance Competition included Mark Baldwin, artistic director of Rambert Dance Company in the United Kingdom, and Bruce Marks, a former dancer with American Ballet Theater and jury chairperson of the USA International Ballet Competition ( Lee 2010 ).

In addition to official competition events, professional dancers engaged in art dance must also compete in other ways, which clearly impacts their identity as performers. Dancers compete to win places at distinguished training academies, to gain positions in professional companies, and to secure the most coveted roles. Consequently, these demanding career goals can foster tendencies toward perfectionism and performance anxiety. In an anthology on elite performance across athletics, the performing arts, and business, sports psychologist Gloria Balague (2009) describes how performance involves comparison to others, which creates a competitive ethos that propels individuals to win or outdo fellow participants. She notes that competition, as a Western norm, can motivate performers to excel, but it also can lead to negative attributes such as envy and self-centeredness. The need to compete against others, and even against one’s previous performance, becomes enmeshed with feelings of success and failure. Performance psychologist Lynda M. Mainwaring (2009) also suggests that perfectionism can produce maladaptive behaviors such as deep anxiety and fear of failure.

While dancers enter into competition as workers, choreographers must also compete to ensure that their dances gain prominence. In a climate of economic scarcity for the arts, choreographers rival for funding to produce dance, and negotiate with curators and presenters to show their work. As diverse funding models exist across different nation-states, this requires choreographers to compete in a variety of ways. For instance, in the United States, the arts have a history of private sponsorship; therefore choreographers are required to attract wealthy arts patrons or executive officers of major corporations who might take an interest in their work. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, choreographers typically apply to funding bodies, such as the national Arts Council and the regional dance agencies, to acquire economic support. 1 Consequently, choreographers work hard to interpret the rules and tastes of these awarding organizations, and to win the attention of the dance representatives employed by the funding bodies, who develop high levels of social capital as a result. Indeed, the dance works themselves are propelled into competition as companies feverishly market and promote them to solicit audience interest, and this same idea can extend to entire dance genres.

In a critique of the colonizing discourses that place some dance (specifically those perceived as non-Western) within the category of “world dance,” dance scholar Marta Savigliano (2009) observes how the institutionalizing practice of “worlding” dance has created a climate of competition. She specifically uses the example of UNESCO’s collection of dances that fall under the category of “intangible cultural heritage,” stating that this project “places these allegedly ‘vulnerable’ practices into a framework of competition—for survival, for appreciation, for conservation through documentation and research, for preservation through education, and for dissemination through sponsored national and international tours and presentations” ( Savigliano 2009 , 175). A similar example arises with the Dance Heritage Coalition’s list of America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures in which 900 nominations were submitted and then judged to secure a position in the top 100. 2 In this instance the winning collection includes dancers, choreographers, dance venues, dance organizations, and dance companies.

In the same way that the creative endeavor of art dance is assumed to remain separate from the tawdry practices of economic and social competition, vernacular dances, those that we do in recreational spaces for enjoyment, interaction, and relaxation, also might appear at a safe distance from the language of competition. Yet a little further probing suggests otherwise. Of course many vernacular dances are reframed as competition forms, such as the foxtrot, waltz, rumba, and tango, which have their roots in a localized social dance practice, but are now performed within a transnational competition circuit. Even in the context of recreational settings, however, social dance traditions display elements of contest in their structure and organization. While this type of informal competition might appear to be relaxed and good-natured in its approach, the desire to attain social kudos, bragging rights, and small prizes or cash reward has the potential for hotly contested dance interactions. Dance scholar Barbara Glass (2007) identifies how competition in dance pervades West and Central Africa, and how these displays of virtuosic one-upmanship have also come to characterize African American social dance forms. The link between competition and community emerged in the earliest examples of African American dance during the era of slavery. The Ring Shout, which Glass (2007, 32) suggests is the “oldest continuously practiced African-derived dance in the United States,” frequently included a contest between two singers and then extended into improvised movements. Continuing through to the US Declaration of Independence in 1776, and the period of emancipation that followed, a number of African American festivals and social gatherings emerged, such as General Training Day, 3 the corn shucking, 4 and Congo Square; 5 dancing was a major feature of these community events, and inevitably dancers would enter into a competitive, improvised exchange ( Glass 2007 ). Opportunity to engage in “challenge dances” also came about with the arrival of European migrants in the 1700s and early 1800s, who brought their own traditions of dance contest, such as Irish jig dancing; dance-offs quickly sprang up as they came into contact with African American dancers willing and able to participate ( Glass 2007 ). In the context of African American social dance, competition contributed to engendering community spirit and showcasing black achievement. Indeed, Glass (2007) details a vast range of African American dance traditions in which contest forms a key component of the form: buck dancing, cakewalk, jitterbug, tap, breaking, and stepping, to name a few. Throughout the collection, several chapters address the competitive challenge that characterizes the dances of the African diaspora.

Competition as an Economic and Cultural Dominant

That dance has been subject to the values and structure of competition across multiple styles and genres is perhaps no surprise given the interest in competition at a global level. While I do not suggest that all cultures and nations treat competition in the same way, several scholars observe how competition has emerged as an economic and cultural dominant. Specifically, the politico-economic tenets of neoliberalism have ensured that competition reigns as a global value system. Anthropologist David Harvey (2005) asserts that the theory of neoliberalism rests upon ideas of individual freedom, free-market trading, and minimal state intervention. Rooted in classic Western liberal thinking, which was founded on the enlightenment philosophy of the individual capacity to think freely, rationally, and independently of government and authority, and which underpins a liberalist economic paradigm that supports a trading market free to operate without government intervention, neoliberalism reworks classic liberalism within a framework of globalization ( Steger and Roy 2010 ). Globalization describes the rapid expansion and escalation of economic networks across the world, facilitated by the high-speed creation and exchange of information through digital technologies, and resulting in vast multinational corporations ( Steger and Roy 2010 ). Consequently, the neoliberalist paradigm not only supports the deregulation of the economy and the privatization of state operations, it demands that all human actions are steered by the marketplace ( Harvey 2005 ). Furthermore, competition has become the modus operandi of the neoliberal ethos: “Competition—between individuals, between firms, between territorial entities (cities, regions, nations, regional groupings) is held to be a primary virtue” ( Harvey 2005 , 65). Global studies scholars Manfred B. Steger and Ravi K. Roy state that neoliberalism and its philosophy of competition have impacted almost all nations. Yet Harvey (2005) argues that, in spite of its ideological claims of freedom and common sense, neoliberalism demonstrates a poor record of achievement both in relation to capital accumulation and quality of life. Notably, Steger and Roy (2010) show how neoliberalism is often interlinked with neoconservative values, such as extreme militarism and patriotism, old-fashioned family values, and a lack of engagement in multiculturalism and environmental issues. 6 Therefore neoliberalism extends beyond an economic system into an entire worldview.

The grip of neoliberalism on social and cultural life has been felt across the globe, although its belief systems have been embraced by some nations more than others. Several scholars observe how the United States has demonstrated a commitment to competition unparalleled by any other country ( Duina 2011 ; Rosenau 2003 ). This indicates an American exceptionalism based on the belief that the United States is a greater and more knowledgeable nation that any other. In her book, The Competition Paradigm: America’s Romance with Conflict, Contest and Commerce , public health scholar Pauline Rosenau describes how competition is perceived as essential for character building and social interactions: “Competition is said to be in some way unqualifiedly superior to other forms of social motivation. It makes demands of self-discipline, toughness, courage, and sacrifice” (2003, 2). She goes on to suggest that competition has become a universal value, a taken-for-granted ideology that assumes individuals operate as self-interested social actors, and divides people into winners and losers.

In his book, simply titled Winning (2011), sociologist Francesco Duina draws on a range of theorists to think through the place of competition as a social phenomenon and how this invites certain modes of behavior. He calls upon psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud’s belief that humans possess a strong desire to kill or destroy, therefore competition acts as a safety valve through which these urges can be played out in a controlled environment. Moving on to sociologist Pierre Bourdieu’s ideas of distinction, Duina (2011) argues that competition allows individuals to distinguish themselves from their peers; whereas a winner enters into a selective space or elite group, losers are left behind. 7 While victory provides certainty about success, loss prompts us to question our skills and selfhood, and indicates that we have misjudged to some extent. Yet winning cannot be assumed an end in itself. As Duina (2011) shows, winners need to continue to work to maintain their position, and losers must address their shortcomings. Rosenau (2003) also observes that competitors rarely start from equal positions given that an imbalance of resources, skill, and wealth can impact on performance, which undermines winning as an absolute marker of success.

I would further argue that competition does not always prioritize pitting oneself against and at the expense of others. LaPointe-Crump (2007, 4) invokes the Latin root of compete, competere , meaning “to seek or strive together,” which emphasizes a collective effort or, as LaPointe-Crump asserts, working to perform beyond expectations. Although the discourse of competition as an economic and cultural dominant has become deeply pervasive, some scholars have attempted to reclaim failure as a philosophical alternative ( Gross and Alexander 2016 ; Halberstam 2011 ; Petroski 2001 ). And while the Western neoliberalist paradigm has extended to multiple nations, other belief systems regarding the purpose and value of competition continue to exist. As I have highlighted in the previous section, Africanist ideas of contest as a means to organize community and showcase achievement also circulate globally. In this volume, several authors address questions of success and failure, and winning and losing at dance, although we are collectively interested in the ways in which dance is bound up with competition of varying forms, and how specific frameworks of competition shape dance practice.

What Competition Does to Dance

Within a social, political, and economic landscape that privileges competition, it bears little surprise that dance becomes enmeshed within the values and structures of contest. Across a range of film and television, we see a fascination with dance competition and how it inserts bodies into narratives of rivalry and one-upmanship. The contest between individual dancers, dance groups, and dance genres offers a common plot structure within popular dance film, such as Saturday Night Fever (1977), Strictly Ballroom (1992), You Got Served (2004), Stomp the Yard (2007), and the Step Up (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015) and StreetDance (2010, 2012) series, to name but a few. The desire to see dancing bodies set in competition with each other also extends to documentary films, such as Mad Hot Ballroom (2005), which follows a public school ballroom dance competition; First Position (2011), which focuses on the Youth America Grand Prix; and Jig (2011), which centers on the Irish Dancing World Championships. Furthermore, dance competitions feature in multiple television entertainment shows, such as Come Dancing (1949–1998), Strictly Come Dancing (2004), So You Think You Can Dance (2005–present), 8 Dancing with the Stars (2005), America’s Ballroom Challenge (2006), America’s Best Dance Crew (2008), Dance India Dance (2009), and Got to Dance (2009). 9 On screen, competition dance serves the purpose of spectacle and drama, as it must visually captivate film and television audiences, and hook into spectators’ desire to follow the successes and failures that play out as dancers move through each round.

Beyond screen representations, formalized dance competitions are a global phenomenon, across a multitude of styles and genres, which are staged as regional, national, and international events. 10 Undoubtedly, the reframing of dance as a formal competition changes the practice. In a study of competitive Irish dance, anthropologist Frank Hall (2008) asserts that competition homogenizes the movement according to adjudication standards, and in so doing provokes issues of authenticity, authority, and control of the culture. Thus competition potentially fixes dance as judges maintain agreed-upon competencies that construct a version of the dance considered to be correct or true to its purported origin. Within the competition framework, preservation and reproduction frequently curb adaptation or innovation. Several authors in this volume also focus on the interests, priorities, and impact of officially sanctioned competitions on dance, although I pause here to consider the breadth of children’s dance competitions in the United States, which are dependent upon and closely aligned to the multitude of dance studios throughout the country that children attend as a recreational activity. Notably, these local studios are typically a feeder to university dance programs; therefore the aesthetic values that underpin dance studio training and its close relationship to competition culture influence how and why dancers move as they enter higher education.

The Association of Dance Conventions and Competitions (ADCC) operates in the United States as a nonprofit organization and seeks “to promote quality, integrity, and opportunity within the dance competition and convention industry.” 11 The extent of dance competition culture is evident from its website, which states, “[the ADCC] was founded in 2014 to support the 300+ dance competition and convention owners, 40,000+ dance studios, and hundreds of dance merchants across the country as we work together to expand and professionalize our industry.” 12 On an ADCC Affiliate Membership form, it suggests that dollar revenue for the dance competition industry in 2012 stood at $486.6 million. 13 Clearly, dance competition is big business. Dance scholar Susan Leigh Foster (2017) traces how private dance studios have transformed dance from a leisure pursuit to a competition framework; therefore student dancers have little opportunity to train and perform outside this competition ethos. Through a Marxist lens, Foster (2017) observes the shift in dance from a use-value, invested in meaningful personal expression and creativity, to an exchange-value as dance enters a marketplace designed for high levels of social and economic return for the people and institutions involved. Foster (2017) views competition as a neoliberal endeavor as dance studios participate in training students for the labor force, thus replacing community values with market values.

The economic and social impact that dance competition places on its young participants should not be underestimated. In a New York Times article on dance competition, journalist Debra West (2004, 4) relays how families must provide significant financial support for children who are eager to enter: “ ‘She dances to the bathroom, she dances to breakfast,’ said her father, who estimated that it costs $15,000 a year for Jordan and her sister, Rachel, to compete. That includes eight or nine hours of lessons a week, rehearsal time, choreography fees, travel expenses, entrance fees and costumes.” Yet this also comes with an emotional cost, as parents must bear the brunt of devastated children who fail to win ( West 2004 ). In a later article, also in the New York Times , journalist Erika Kinetz (2005) describes how these competitions, which attract thousands of participants primarily between the ages of ten and sixteen, have bolstered dance studios, raised dance standards, and attracted talent scouts and other industry professionals; yet ethical questions have emerged regarding both the emphasis on competition over other values, and how these young people are represented on stage. 14 While I do not intend here to tangle over the question of whether such competitions are inherently good or bad for their child participants, 15 competition seems to be intrinsically bound up with questions of moral value.

In line with a neoliberal rhetoric, Foster (2017) identifies a pervasive belief that competition is good for dance. LaPoint Crump (2007) meanwhile sets up the argument that dance and competition are grounded in antithetical belief systems, although she plays this as a ruse as she goes on to demonstrate how competitions are commonplace in American arts education. Notably, her bait concerning the relationship between dance and competition motivated several readers to respond outlining both the ills and benefits of competition in dance. 16 Indeed, several scholars attempt to address the complexity of what competition brings to dance and how this shapes both individual and community behavior. In a study of the National Student Dance Competition in Taiwan, using Bourdieu’s ideas of habitus and cultural reproduction, dance scholar JuanAnn Tai (2014) argues that, on the one hand, these competitions play a significant role in the socialization of young dance students; yet, on the other, they restrict opportunities for individual creativity and agency. And anthropologist Meena Khandewal and communications scholar Chitra Akkoor (2014 , 278) focus on Indian dance competitions in collegial settings to demonstrate how these highly professional public performances stage a “confident hybrid American-Indian identity,” which nevertheless masks the complex lived experience of immigrant communities. 17

I am therefore less interested in absolute values of competition regarding its capacity to be intrinsically good or bad for dance. Instead, I have asked the authors in this collection to think about what competition does to dance, and how dance responds to and negotiates ideas of competition. As this volume shows, there are multiple ways in which dancers resist, critique, and provide alternative choreographies and discourses in response to the way competition might seek to contain and control bodies. Only by looking at the detailed contexts in which competition happens, and suspending value judgments about the relative merits or dangers of competition, can we begin to think through the nuanced relationship between dance and competition and what it means for those involved.

What Dance Does to Competition

The Oxford Handbook of Dance and Competition examines dance practices across a diversity of settings to consider how dance both produces and engenders the values of competition. The dances under discussion span social dance from late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century England, and early twentieth-century American vaudeville, through to twenty-first-century dance on the global screen. The performance contexts in which these competition dances arise encompass the concert and commercial stage, the recreational spaces of sports, folk, and popular dance, and the film and television media. And the international reach of the volume attends to dancing in China, India, North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia, and Europe. Although the collection includes dances that have attracted substantial scholarly interest, it also introduces movement genres that are new or emergent topics within dance studies, such as Gaga, martial arts, Romanian folk dance, Sean Nós , British rapper dance, Jamaican dancehall, and New Orleans second line.

The book is organized in six parts, and each takes a different perspective on dance and competition. As always in an edited collection, the content of each chapter might belong to more than one part; therefore the reader is welcome to reflect on how each chapter can be placed in conversation with others. Part   I : Economic and Social Currencies of Competition examines competition as a means of economic survival and social standing. In Chapter 1 , “Taking the Cake: Black Dance, Competition, and Value,” Nadine George-Graves traces the cakewalk as it moves across several performance contexts to illustrate how it engenders African American values of accomplishment and visibility while being subject to social and monetized economies of race and racism. In Chapter 2 , “You’ve Got to Sell It! Performing on the Dance Competition Stage,” Karen Schupp considers the values that are sold through studio dance competitions, in relationship to how young girls choose to invest in these competitions to create their own meanings and sense of achievement. In Chapter 3 , “Competitive Capers: Gender, Gentility, and Dancing in Early Modern England,” Emily Winerock turns to dance manuals and the English literature of the late Renaissance to show how the galliard offered a competitive opportunity to showcase individual standing in relation to masculinity and gentility. In Chapter 4 , “Endangered Strangers: Tracking Competition in US Federal Dance Funding,” Sarah Wilbur observes not only how the federal funding organization, the National Endowment for the Arts, has placed dance-makers and dance in competition with each other, but also how its early philanthropic mission protected Euro-American concert dance, while its later strategy supported a neoliberalist agenda that served to support the US economy. And in Chapter 5 , “Marking Your Territory: The Struggle to Work in Flamenco,” Kathy Milazzo tackles how five flamenco dancers working outside Spain have been prompted to find creative solutions to sustain their professional practice in a depressed marketplace fixated on a Romantic flamenco past.

Part   II : Re-Choreographing and Re-Presentation for the Competition Frame addresses how dancing bodies and movement aesthetics are re-choreographed in response to a competition format, and how this changes the meanings and values associated with the dance. In Chapter 6 , “Reappropriating Choreographies of Authenticity in Mexico: Competitions and the Dance of the Old Men,” Ruth Hellier-Tinoco explores five case study examples of the Dance of the Old Men to show how competition sets in motion concepts of authenticity, appropriation, and control at both local and state level. In Chapter 7 , “Above and Beyond the Battle: Virtuosity and Excess within Televised Street Dance Crew Competitions,” Laura Robinson focuses on how street dance competitions on television construct virtuosic and corporeally enhanced super-bodies, but which favor the choreography of the collective over the neoliberal obsession with the individual. In Chapter 8 , “Shifting Dynamics: Sean Nós Dancing, Vernacular Expression, and the Competitive Arena of the Oireachtas ,” Catherine E. Foley discusses how the vernacular practice of sean nós dancing in Ireland rethinks issues of performance, identity, place, and authenticity as it enters a competition arena. And in Chapter 9 , “Visible Rhythms: Competition in English Tap Practice,” Sally Crawford-Shepherd reflects on how success is re-evaluated as tap dance shifts from a live improvised challenge dance that foregrounds auditory rhythms, to a televised competition form, via theatrical performances and examination syllabi, to place increasing emphasis on set choreography and visual spectacle.

Part   III : Winning, Participation, and the Negotiation of Meaning concerns how dancers approach competition, and the strategies they use to negotiate and challenge the dominant rhetoric of the competitions in which they are involved. In Chapter 10 , “The International Dancehall Queen Competition: A Discursive Space for Competing Images of Femininity,” Celena Monteiro argues that Jamaican dancehall queen competitions offer a site for women to simultaneously embody and critique dominant discourses across the intersections of gender, race, and sexuality. In Chapter 11 , “Congratulations, We Wish You Success: Competition and Community Participation in Romanian Dance Festivals,” Liz Mellish reveals the contradictions that coexist across Romanian dance competitions in which the formal competition downplays rivalry in favor of community participation and a desire to sustain the dance, yet a healthy sense of competition plays out informally between local dancers, choreographers, and group leaders. In Chapter 12 , “Non-Competitive Body States: Corporeal Freedom and Innovation in Contemporary Dance,” through a Foucauldian analysis of the disciplinary power effects that shape the body, Nalina Wait and Erin Brannigan assert that whereas codified forms of contemporary dance place dancers’ bodies in competition with an ideal, the “(un)disciplined” field of somatic practices engenders a non-competitive ethos. In Chapter 13 , “Reclaiming Competitive Tango: The Rise of Argentina’s Campeonato Mundial ,” Juliet McMains contends that, in light of the Europeanist appropriation of tango into formal competition events, Argentinean dancers have sought to reclaim and redefine tango on their own terms; this project nevertheless remains entangled with biases and values that have emerged through locating tango in a competition frame. And in Chapter 14 , “Dance-Off, or a Battle for the Future: Dance Reality Shows in India,” Pallabi Chakravorty addresses the complex articulations of desire in television dance competitions in India through the consumerist desires of a remix aesthetic, the eroticization of the female body, and the desire to win as a means to secure social mobility.

Part   V : Judging, Spectatorship and the Values of Movement attends to the values and criteria that underpin frameworks of judgment and experiences of spectatorship in the competition realm. In Chapter 15 , “Miss Exotic World: Judging the Neo-Burlesque Movement,” Kaitlyn Regehr posits that judging and evaluating neo-burlesque artists within a national competition, which appears to uphold dominant standards of beauty and femininity, stands in contrast to the neo-burlesque commitment to body positivism, social inclusivity, and a progressive feminist politics. In Chapter 16 , “Rapper Dance Adjudication: Aesthetics, Discourse, and Decision-Making,” Jeremy Carter-Gordon turns to English rapper dancer competition to illustrate the different kinds of criteria that inform judges’ processes of evaluation, and the various ways in which they transform their perceptions into a ranking. In Chapter 17 , “Dismantling the Genre: Reality Dance Competitions and Layers of Affective Intensification,” Elena Benthaus identifies the generic and intertextual cues, specifically in relation to American vaudeville and melodrama, to show how they create an affective spectatorship experience for viewers of the reality television dance competition So You Think You Can Dance . In Chapter 18 , “Why Are Breaking Battles Judged? The Rise of International Competitions,” Mary Fogarty looks at the contentions that underpin judging practices in international breaking competitions, and how such “taste-making” is concomitantly influenced by the promoters who organize these events. And in Chapter 19 , “Not Another Don Quixote! Negotiating China’s Position on the International Ballet Stage,” Rowan McLelland establishes that while ballet competitions in China position its dancers, teachers, and training institutions at a standard of excellence on the global stage, its lesser investment in Chinese ballet companies results in the best competition dancers leaving to work outside China.

Part   V : Losing, Failing, and Auto-Critique takes up an antithetical position to suggest that failure, loss, and a resistance to structures of winning can be a welcome or celebrated position, and one that is embodied within danced attitudes to competition. In Chapter 20 , “Dancing with the Asian American Stars: Margaret Cho and the Failure to Win,” Yutian Wong considers how actress and comedian Margaret Cho’s failure to win Dancing with the Stars seeks to critique tropes of Asian American contest and ideas of belonging, but ultimately fails to destabilize the restricted paradigm that delimits Asian American success. In Chapter 21 , “Loss of Face: Intimidation, Derision, and Failure in the Hip-Hop Battle,” Sherril Dodds examines how facial choreography is part of a strategic play in hip-hop battles that both provokes and reveals failure, but which also privileges values other than winning and success. In Chapter 22 , “Making Play Work: Competition, Spectacle, and Intersubjectivity in Hybrid Martial Arts,” Janet O’Shea looks to the language of sports and games to move martial arts sparring outside an outcome-oriented model of winning and losing, toward a process-driven interest in creativity and play. And in Chapter 23 , “You Can’t Outdo Black People: Soul Train , Queer Witnessing, and Pleasurable Competition,” Melissa Blanco Borelli presents an intervention against the neoliberal belief in competition and individualism to assert that a viral YouTube commentary on the dancers from the Soul Train line offers a collective queer black pleasure that “out-does” the deleterious effects of capitalism on black social life.

Finally, Part   VI : Hidden Agendas and Unspoken Rules exposes some of the veiled ideas and strategic agendas that underpin dance competition. In Chapter 24 , “Freedom to Compete: Neoliberal Contradictions in Gaga Intensives,” Meghan Quinlan focuses on a Gaga dance intensive to assert that, although the experience emphasizes personal growth and individual pleasure, this training opportunity places dancers in competition with one another as they seek to pursue career opportunities within the neoliberal marketplace. In Chapter 25 , “ ‘We’ll Rumble ’em Right’: Aggression and Play in the Dance-Offs of West Side Story ,” Ying Zhu and Daniel Belgrad contend that while the film is frequently read as an interethnic contest between the Puerto Rican Sharks and the white-ethnic Jets, the choreography reveals a broader competition between the values of youth and the constraints of adulthood. In Chapter 26 , “Dancing like a Man: Competition and Gender in the New Orleans Second Line,” Rachel Carrico attends to the gendered outcomes of second line footwork competitions that typically privilege a masculinist frame, yet provide opportunity for women to critique such criteria and evaluations through engaging the perspective of a “badass femininity.” And in Chapter 27 , “Man and Money Ready: Challenge Dancing in Antebellum North America,” April F. Masten elaborates on the social and economic conditions of mid-nineteenth-century American life to show how male and female dancers earned a viable living through challenge dances that were strategically promoted through social interactions and the popular media. The collection ends with an Afterword by Susan Leigh Foster, whose recent work has also turned to productive questions concerning the relationship between dance and competition ( Foster 2017 ).

As a final thought, I hope that The Oxford Handbook of Dance and Competition encapsulates and contributes to ongoing debates over competition as a deeply embedded social and economic practice, which often seeks to fix bodies according to normative concepts or to create marked indicators of inequality. More important, however, my aim with this collection is less concerned with showing how dance perpetuates a competition paradigm, than with how it employs a tactics of resistance or critique through moving in ways that reveal and undermine the power structures of competition. Dance not only enters into challenges, contests and competitions, but in doing so its embodied actions also do the work of contesting, challenging, and offering competing or alternative ideas. In this sense, dance wins every time.

Further information about these funding bodies can be found at http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/ and https://www.danceuk.org/resources/navigating-dance-world/agencies/ (accessed January 13, 2017).

See http://www.danceheritage.org/treasures.html (accessed January 19, 2017).

General Training Day was a military holiday across the seventeenth, eighteenth, and early nineteenth centuries, and became an important African American holiday for socializing and dancing ( Glass 2007 ).

The corn shucking is a harvest festival from the slavery period, but which continued into the twentieth century, whereby African Americans came together to husk corn, and would end with a supper for the workers, along with music and dancing ( Glass 2007 ).

Congo Square was part of the French Quarter in New Orleans, and would feature a rich mix of “African-based and Afro-Caribbean dance” ( Glass 2007 , 93).

Although the authors exemplify these values in the 1980s neoliberal policies of former US president Ronald Reagan and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the 2016 US presidential election campaign of Donald Trump was founded on these same neoconservative beliefs.

Duina (2011) provides an extensive study of winning and losing, and the traits and values that underpin them.

Originally a US production, So You Think You Can Dance has been franchised in thirty-seven countries.

Versions of the British Got to Dance have been exported to eight other countries.

For dance competitions outside Europe and North America, the following articles reference contests in Korea ( Jin 2005 ; Kim 2014 ), India ( Fernandez and Reyes 2008 ), Taiwan (Tai 2004), and Australia ( Russo 2010 ).

https://www.theadcc.org/ (accessed January 27, 2017).

https://www.theadcc.org/about-the-adcc/history/ (accessed January 27, 2017).

http://www.dancecompgenie.com/ClientData/pdf/ADCC_Studio_Affiliate_Membership.pdf (accessed January 27, 2017).

Although Kinetz (2005, 1) specifically references “midriff-baring outfits,” other concerns might be directed at the extensive use of adult makeup and costuming, and the sexualized, racialized, and gendered dimensions of the choreography.

In this volume, Karen Schupp offers a nuanced reading of the stakes involved in studio dance competition specifically from the perspective of the young girls involved.

LaPointe-Crump’s (2007) ideas featured in an editorial from the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance , and several readers directly responded to her assertions in the January 2008 issue.

On a similar topic, geographer Elizabeth Chacko and English scholar Rajiv Menon (2013) focus on second-generation South Asian students in the United States and their performances within collegiate bhangra and raas garba song and dance competitions. Chacko and Menon (2013) detail how the element of contest places greater emphasis on displays of cultural authenticity as performers seek to appeal to first-generation South Asian judges; yet their dance performances are full of references to US and other national cultural practices that reveal the complex hybrid position they inhabit with their contemporary lives.

Balague, Gloria.   2009 . “Competition.” In Performance Psychology in Action: A Casebook for Working with Athletes, Performing Artists, Business Leaders and Professionals in High-Risk Occupations , edited by Kate F. Hays , 161–187. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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Fernandez, Lisa , and Gary Reyes . 2008 . “ Biggest Indian Dance Festival to Feature 500 Performers. ” San Jose Mercury News , April 26, 3B.

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Glass, Barbara S.   2007 . African-American Dance: An Illustrated History . Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

Gross, Daniel, M. , and Jonathan Alexander . 2016 . “ Frameworks for Failure. ” Pedagogy 16(2): 273–295.

Halbertstam, Judith.   2011 . The Queer Art of Failure . Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Hall, Frank.   2008 . Competitive Irish Dance: Art, Sport, Duty. Madison, WI: Macater.

Harvey, David.   2005 . A Brief History of Neoliberalism . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Jin, Dae-woong. 2005. “Ethnic Dancers Compete in Soeul.” The Korea Herald , September 2.

Khandewal, Meena , and Chitra Akkoor . 2014 . “ Dance On!: Inter-Collegiate Indian Dance Competitions as a New Cultural Form. ” Cultural Dynamics 26(3): 277–298.

Kim, Joohee.   2014 . “ Class Reproduction and Korean Male Dancers Receiving Exemption from Military Service through Dance Competitions. ” Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science 24(4): 453–460.

Kinetz, Erika. 2005. “Budding Dancers Compete, Seriously.” New York Times , July 7, https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/07/arts/dance/budding-dancers-compete-seriously.html .

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Lee, Hyo-won. 2010. “Korea’s First Modern Dance Competition Opens in Soeul.” Korea Times , August 2, http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2011/06/145_70648.html .

Mainwaring, Lynda M.   2009 . “Working with Perfection.” In Performance Psychology in Action: A Casebook for Working with Athletes, Performing Artists, Business Leaders and Professionals in High-Risk Occupations , edited by Kate F. Hays , 139–159. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Petroski, Henry.   2001 . “ The Success of Failure. ” Technology and Culture 42(2): 321–328.

Rosenau, Pauline V.   2003 . The Competition Paradigm: America’s Romance with Conflict, Contest and Commerce . Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Russo, Frank. 2010. “Dance Contest Returns to Its Former Home.” Innisfail Advocate , February 6, 4.

Savigliano, Marta E.   2009 . “ Worlding Dance and Dancing Out There in the World.” In Worlding Dance , edited by Susan Leigh Foster , 163–190. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

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Dance Competitions: the Culture, the Training, and the Effects on Young Dancers

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• Is a Genre of Dance Performance That Developed During the Mid-Twentieth Contemporary Dance Dance 3-4 -Is a genre of dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century - Has grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly strong popularity in the U.S. and Europe. -Although originally informed by and borrowing from classical, modern, and jazz styles, it has since come to incorporate elements from many styles of dance. Due to its technical similarities, it is often perceived to be closely related to modern dance, ballet, and other classical concert dance styles. -It also employs contract-release, floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation characteristics of modern dance. -Involves exploration of unpredictable changes in rhythm, speed, and direction. -Sometimes incorporates elements of non-western dance cultures, such as elements from African dance including bent knees, or movements from the Japanese contemporary dance, Butoh. -Contemporary dance draws on both classical ballet and modern dance -Merce Cunningham is considered to be the first choreographer to "develop an independent attitude towards modern dance" and defy the ideas that were established by it. -Cunningham formed the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in 1953 and went on to create more than one hundred and fifty works for the company, many of which have been performed internationally by ballet and modern dance companies. -There is usually a choreographer who makes the creative decisions and decides whether the piece is an abstract or a narrative one. -Choreography is determined based on its relation to the music or sounds that is danced to. . [Show full text]
• Gone Dancing Competition Team Rules and Guidelines 2018-19 Season Gone Dancing Competition Team Rules and Guidelines 2018-19 Season -Preparing a team for competition requires a commitment to extra classes and Rehearsal time. It is important that each dancer be 100% dedicated and work to the best of their ability. - The purpose of the rules and guidelines is to develop a professional environment for the progression and development of each dancer. The actions of each dancer affect the team as a whole so it is important for each dancer to be fully committed and understand what is expected of them. -The Holiday Performance and Competition Schedule will be announced in July. PLEASE BLOCK OFF THE ENTIRE WEEKEND FOR COMPETITIONS. We do not receive our routines schedule until 1 week prior to the competition dates. Weekly Requirements- Part Time Team- These teams are designed for dancers ages 5 and up who want to be part of the competition experience but cannot commit to All of the requirements of the full time team or are not technically ready for intermediate choreography. (Just because you may not be technically ready this year does not mean that after another year of working hard in all of your classes that you will not be ready the following year!) Must commit to 3 Regional Competitions. Conventions and Nationals are encouraged but not required. **Any dancer interested in becoming a part of our competition team must spend a year in a non-competition class before being considered for a team. ** Weekly class requirements: Ages 5 and up Must dance a minimum of 3 hours per week. [Show full text]
• IDO Dance Sports Rules and Regulations 2021 IDO Dance Sport Rules & Regulations 2021 Officially Declared For further information concerning Rules and Regulations contained in this book, contact the Technical Director listed in the IDO Web site. This book and any material within this book are protected by copyright law. Any unauthorized copying, distribution, modification or other use is prohibited without the express written consent of IDO. All rights reserved. ©2021 by IDO Foreword The IDO Presidium has completely revised the structure of the IDO Dance Sport Rules & Regulations. For better understanding, the Rules & Regulations have been subdivided into 6 Books addressing the following issues: Book 1 General Information, Membership Issues Book 2 Organization and Conduction of IDO Events Book 3 Rules for IDO Dance Disciplines Book 4 Code of Ethics / Disciplinary Rules Book 5 Financial Rules and Regulations Separate Book IDO Official´s Book IDO Dancers are advised that all Rules for IDO Dance Disciplines are now contained in Book 3 ("Rules for IDO Dance Disciplines"). IDO Adjudicators are advised that all "General Provisions for Adjudicators and Judging" and all rules for "Protocol and Judging Procedure" (previously: Book 5) are now contained in separate IDO Official´sBook. This is the official version of the IDO Dance Sport Rules & Regulations passed by the AGM and ADMs in December 2020. All rule changes after the AGM/ADMs 2020 are marked with the Implementation date in red. All text marked in green are text and content clarifications. All competitors are competing at their own risk! All competitors, team leaders, attendandts, parents, and/or other persons involved in any way with the competition, recognize that IDO will not take any responsibility for any damage, theft, injury or accident of any kind during the competition, in accordance with the IDO Dance Sport Rules. [Show full text]
• Types of Dance Styles Types of Dance Styles International Standard Ballroom Dances Ballroom Dance: Ballroom dancing is one of the most entertaining and elite styles of dancing. In the earlier days, ballroom dancewas only for the privileged class of people, the socialites if you must. This style of dancing with a partner, originated in Germany, but is now a popular act followed in varied dance styles. Today, the popularity of ballroom dance is evident, given the innumerable shows and competitions worldwide that revere dance, in all its form. This dance includes many other styles sub-categorized under this. There are many dance techniques that have been developed especially in America. The International Standard recognizes around 10 styles that belong to the category of ballroom dancing, whereas the American style has few forms that are different from those included under the International Standard. Tango: It definitely does take two to tango and this dance also belongs to the American Style category. Like all ballroom dancers, the male has to lead the female partner. The choreography of this dance is what sets it apart from other styles, varying between the International Standard, and that which is American. Waltz: The waltz is danced to melodic, slow music and is an equally beautiful dance form. The waltz is a graceful form of dance, that requires fluidity and delicate movement. When danced by the International Standard norms, this dance is performed more closely towards each other as compared to the American Style. Foxtrot: Foxtrot, as a dance style, gives a dancer flexibility to combine slow and fast dance steps together. [Show full text]
• 06 4-15-14 TV Guide.Indd Page 6 THE NORTON TELEGRAM Tuesday, April 15, 2014 Monday Evening April 21, 2014 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 KHGI/ABC Dancing With Stars Castle Local Jimmy Kimmel Live Nightline WEEK OF FRIDAY, APRIL 18 THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 24 KBSH/CBS 2 Broke G Friends Mike Big Bang NCIS: Los Angeles Local Late Show Letterman Ferguson KSNK/NBC The Voice The Blacklist Local Tonight Show Meyers FOX Bones The Following Local Cable Channels A&E Duck D. Duck D. Duck Dynasty Bates Motel Bates Motel Duck D. Duck D. AMC Jaws Jaws 2 ANIM River Monsters River Monsters Rocky Bounty Hunters River Monsters River Monsters CNN Anderson Cooper 360 CNN Tonight Anderson Cooper 360 E. B. OutFront CNN Tonight DISC Fast N' Loud Fast N' Loud Car Hoards Fast N' Loud Car Hoards DISN I Didn't Dog Liv-Mad. Austin Good Luck Win, Lose Austin Dog Good Luck Good Luck E! E! News The Fabul Chrisley Chrisley Secret Societies Of Chelsea E! News Norton TV ESPN MLB Baseball Baseball Tonight SportsCenter Olbermann ESPN2 NFL Live 30 for 30 NFL Live SportsCenter FAM Hop Who Framed The 700 Club Prince Prince FX Step Brothers Archer Archer Archer Tomcats HGTV Love It or List It Love It or List It Hunters Hunters Love It or List It Love It or List It HIST Swamp People Swamp People Down East Dickering America's Book Swamp People LIFE Hoarders Hoarders Hoarders Hoarders Hoarders Listings: MTV Girl Code Girl Code 16 and Pregnant 16 and Pregnant House of Food 16 and Pregnant NICK Full H'se Full H'se Full H'se Full H'se Full H'se Full H'se Friends Friends Friends SCI Metal Metal Warehouse 13 Warehouse 13 Warehouse 13 Metal Metal For your SPIKE Cops Cops Cops Cops Cops Cops Cops Cops Jail Jail TBS Fam. [Show full text]
• 'What Ever Happened to Breakdancing?' 'What ever happened to breakdancing?' Transnational h-hoy/b-girl networks, underground video magazines and imagined affinities. Mary Fogarty Submitted in partial fulfillment Of the requirements for the degree of Interdisciplinary MA in Popular Culture Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario © November 2006 For my sister, Pauline 111 Acknowledgements The Canada Graduate Scholarship (SSHRC) enabled me to focus full-time on my studies. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my committee members: Andy Bennett, Hans A. Skott-Myhre, Nick Baxter-Moore and Will Straw. These scholars have shaped my ideas about this project in crucial ways. I am indebted to Michael Zryd and Francois Lukawecki for their unwavering kindness, encouragement and wisdom over many years. Steve Russell patiently began to teach me basic rules ofgrammar. Barry Grant and Eric Liu provided comments about earlier chapter drafts. Simon Frith, Raquel Rivera, Anthony Kwame Harrison, Kwande Kefentse and John Hunting offered influential suggestions and encouragement in correspondence. Mike Ripmeester, Sarah Matheson, Jeannette Sloniowski, Scott Henderson, Jim Leach, Christie Milliken, David Butz and Dale Bradley also contributed helpful insights in either lectures or conversations. AJ Fashbaugh supplied the soul food and music that kept my body and mind nourished last year. If AJ brought the knowledge then Matt Masters brought the truth. (What a powerful triangle, indeed!) I was exceptionally fortunate to have such noteworthy fellow graduate students. Cole Lewis (my summer writing partner who kept me accountable), Zorianna Zurba, Jana Tomcko, Nylda Gallardo-Lopez, Seth Mulvey and Pauline Fogarty each lent an ear on numerous much needed occasions as I worked through my ideas out loud. [Show full text]
• 3671 Argentine Tango (Gold Dance Test) 3671 ARGENTINE TANGO (GOLD DANCE TEST) Music - Tango 4/4 Tempo - 24 measures of 4 beats per minute - 96 beats per minute Pattern - Set Duration - The time required to skate 2 sequences is 1:10 min. The Argentine Tango should be skated with strong edges and considerable “élan”. Good flow and fast travel over the ice are essential and must be achieved without obvious effort or pushing. The dance begins with partners in open hold for steps 1 to 10. The initial progressive, chassé and progressive sequences of steps 1 to 6 bring the partners on step 7 to a bold LFO edge facing down the ice surface. On step 8 both partners skate a right forward outside cross in front on count 1 held for one beat. On step 9, the couple crosses behind on count 2, with a change of edge on count 3 as their free legs are drawn past the skating legs and held for count 4 to be in position to start the next step, crossed behind for count 1. On step 10 the man turns a counter while the woman executes another cross behind then change of edge. This results in the partners being in closed hold as the woman directs her edge behind the man as he turns his counter. Step 11 is strongly curved towards the side of the ice surface. At the end of this step the woman momentarily steps onto the RFI on the “and” between counts 4 and 1 before skating step 12 that is first directed toward the side barrier. [Show full text]
• 2021 AAU Dance National Rules Handbook 2021 AAU Dance National Rules Handbook Sports For All, Forever S Hip Hop * Jazz * Ballet * Tap * Folk * Pom * Kick * Clogging Musical Theatre|Character * Ballroom Solo,Group *Contemporary Amateur Athletic Union - 1 - 2020-2021 AAU National Dance Handbook AAU National Dance Rules and Regulations TABLE OF CONTENTS Preamble……………………………………………………………………………………………………..4 I National Sport Committee Governance and Administration ......................................................4 A. National Committee Structure and Procedures .....................................................................4 1. National Sport Chair ....................................................................................4 2. Executive Committee Composition ..............................................................4 3. National Sport Committee Composition........................................................4 4. Other Committee Positions ..........................................................................4 B. Sport Committee Meetings .....................................................................................................5 1. National Sports Committee Regular Meeting................................................5 2. Non-Regular Sport Committee Meetings .....................................................5 3. National Sport Committee Special Meetings ................................................5 5. National Sport Executive Committee Meetings............................................5 6. Agenda Additions ........................................................................................5 [Show full text]
• Competitive Dance Information Packet Copy Competitive Dance Program Information Packet Mission Statement Our goals are set high and achieved through the art of dance. The dance experience promotes dedication, achievement, and the development of self-esteem, grace, poise and lasting friendships. We uphold the vision of producing performers and educators. Competitive dancers & Apprentice dancers are known as and compete as “Water Street Dance Co. We have gained recognition at many competitions the past several years, therefore we continue to use the name. However, the local Washington studio is “Just Dance.” Categories Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Musical Theater and Open. Small Groups (4-9 dancers), Large Groups (10 or more). Depending on how many dancers in a group, they can also be considered Lines or Productions. Duets and Trios are also available for the more advanced/experienced dancers and must be arranged between the dancers and the teachers/choreographers. Solos are for dancers on Senior Competitive only! We do not allow student choreography (other than seniors in High School) nor dancers not willing to rehearse. Placement Dancers will be placed in only the routines and age groups that are best suitable for that individual. Not everyone is in every dance you may only end up in one or two dances. If you have been placed in too many dances, please let Gina know and she will tell you what numbers can be eliminated. This must be done as soon as you receive your placements. No later, as you are taking a spot someone else could have taken. Keep in mind if a routine is designed to be a large group, you would have to give up a small group first. [Show full text]
• Ballet Terms Definition Fundamentals of Ballet, Dance 10AB, Professor Sheree King BALLET TERMS DEFINITION A la seconde One of eight directions of the body, in which the foot is placed in second position and the arms are outstretched to second position. (ah la suh-GAWND) A Terre Literally the Earth. The leg is in contact with the floor. Arabesque One of the basic poses in ballet. It is a position of the body, in profile, supported on one leg, with the other leg extended behind and at right angles to it, and the arms held in various harmonious positions creating the longest possible line along the body. Attitude A pose on one leg with the other lifted in back, the knee bent at an angle of ninety degrees and well turned out so that the knee is higher than the foot. The arm on the side of the raised leg is held over the held in a curved position while the other arm is extended to the side (ah-tee-TEWD) Adagio A French word meaning at ease or leisure. In dancing, its main meaning is series of exercises following the center practice, consisting of a succession of slow and graceful movements. (ah-DAHZ-EO) Allegro Fast or quick. Center floor allegro variations incorporate small and large jumps. Allonge´ Extended, outstretched. As for example, in arabesque allongé. Assemble´ Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working foot slides well along the ground before being swept into the air. As the foot goes into the air the dancer pushes off the floor with the supporting leg, extending the toes. [Show full text]
• 10B — Barron News-Shield — Wed., May 30, 2012 2 Capitol City Sunday 7:00 pm (WTBS) FAMILY GUY 10:00 pm 10B — Barron News-Shield — Wed., May 30, 2012 (DISCV) AUCTION KINGS $ ( DOGS IN THE CITY 8:30 pm ^ CELTIC THUNDER VOYAGE (DISN) GOOD LUCK CHARLIE % 2 SECRET MILLIONAIRE ^ CHRIS ISAAK LIVE! BEYOND THE SUN $ WCCO 4 NEWS AT TEN 7 YU-GI-OH! = LAW & ORDER (ESPN) SPORTSCENTER ) THE SIMPSONS % 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 10 (LIFE) THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD + ` (NICK) FRIENDS < P. ALLEN SMITH’S GARDEN HOME (DISCV) DEADLIEST CATCH ADELE LIVE IN LONDON (WTBS) FAMILY GUY ( NEWS 8 AT TEN (DISN) WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE (DISN) JESSIE CHRISTINE 7 GARDEN STATE ) FOX AT 10 (NICK) SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (LIFE) THE RESIDENT Premiere. (NICK) SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS < WHA Auction 8:31 pm + KARE 11 NEWS AT 10 (NICK) YES, DEAR (TNT) LAW & ORDER = THE BIG BANG THEORY $ ( MIKE & MOLLY ` WEAU 13 NEWS AT TEN (USA) (WGN-A) GANGS OF NEW YORK (AMC) THE KILLING 2 NEWS AFTERNOON LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT 9:00 pm (WGN-A) WGN NEWS AT NINE 9:12 am (DISCV) MYTHBUSTERS 7 THE INSIDER 12:00 pm (DISN) A.N.T. FARM $ ( HAWAII FIVE-0 < (AMC) Director’s Cut ^ NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING WITH 9:30 pm THE BIRDCAGE (NICK) YES, DEAR ) FOX AT 9 = (WGN-A) 30 ROCK ANDREAS VIESTAD (DISN) GOOD LUCK CHARLIE 9:25 am (TNT) SHOOTER + ` GRIMM (DISCV) DEADLIEST CATCH 7 % ANDREW YOUNG PRESENTS: IN THE (NICK) YES, DEAR (DISN) HAVE A LAUGH! (USA) LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT EXCUSED (DISN) GOOD LUCK CHARLIE (WGN-A) < FOOTSTEPS OF GANDHI 9:45 pm HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER IN THE LIFE (ESPN) SPORTSCENTER ( WILD BILL 9:30 am (WTBS) GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS [Show full text]
• Course Outline COURSE OUTLINE OXNARD COLLEGE I. Course Identification and Justification: A. Proposed course id: DANC R102B Banner title: Modern Dance II Full title: Modern Dance II Previous course id: DANC R102B Banner title: Modern Dance II Full title: Modern Dance II B. Reason(s) course is offered: This course meets student needs and community interest and expands the curriculum of the dance program. This course also meets UC and CSU transfer standards. C. Reason(s) for current outline revision: Course Modification and removal of co-listing of PE R116B D. C-ID: 1. C-ID Descriptor: 2. C-ID Status: Not Applicable E. Co-listed as: Current: None Previous: II. Catalog Information: A. Units: Current: 2.00 Previous: 2.00 B. Course Hours: 1. In-Class Contact Hours: Lecture: 17.5 Activity: 0 Lab: 52.5 2. Total In-Class Contact Hours: 70 3. Total Outside-of-Class Hours: 35 4. Total Student Learning Hours: 105 C. Prerequisites, Corequisites, Advisories, and Limitations on Enrollment: 1. Prerequisites Current: DANC R102A: Modern Dance I Previous: 2. Corequisites Current: Previous: 3. Advisories: Current: Previous: 4. Limitations on Enrollment: Current: Previous: D. Catalog description: Current: This course focuses on intermediate to advanced modern dance skills and technique necessary for performing dance compositions and student performances. Previous, if different: This course focuses on intermediate to advanced modern dance skills and technique necessary for performing dance compositions and student performances. (Same as PE R116B) E. Fees: Current: $ None Previous, if different: $ None F. Field trips: Current: Will be required: [ ] May be required: [X] Will not be required: [ ] Previous, if different: Will be required: [ ] May be required: [ ] Will not be required: [ ] G. [Show full text]

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Dance and Cultural Diversity (DANC 301 )

California state university, fullerton.

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Final Paper Anh T Nguyen Dance 301: Cultural Diversity in Dance Professor Darlene O’Cadiz January 19th, 2024

Dance, as an art form, is a combination of gesture and movement that existed on earth for millions of years ago. Even before the invention of language, humans employed hand gestures and bodily motions as a means of communication. With the emergence of music, these movements are recognized as dance. Moreover, dance is a part of human culture, and it is very a powerful form of cultural expression. Dance serves as a connection between the past and the present, allowing cultures to adapt and grow while preserving their heritage and traditions. Throughout the course, I learned new knowledge about dance, culture, and how they contributed to each other. Three concepts that I found interesting are the methods used to analyze dance, Chinese dance, and the healing side of dancing. Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) is a method used to study and understand movement. It all started with Rudolf Laban, a German dancer, and a key figure in modern dance. (O’Cadiz 2018, p3). The method was popular method among the dance community to describe, visualize, and interpret human movement. One of the important tools in LMA is writing down specific ways of how a human moves, it will be successful if a dancer can visualize the dance just by reading the notes just by reading it. LMA analyzes how fast or slow movements are, how much effort is utilized, and the different qualities that movements can have. For instance, a movement might be described as sharp, smooth, heavy, or light. For this reason, the method is based on body, effort, shape, and space (O’Cadiz 2018, p4). The body will focus on the physical aspects of movement, such as the dancers extending their arms creating a flowing line with their fingers and hand. Effort focuses on the qualities or dynamics of movement, for example, the dancer makes a sudden sharp gesture after a slow movement. Shape refers to the forms and patterns created by the body during movement such as the dancer creating a circular shape with their hands up high. Space will look at how movement travels through the environment, for instance, a dancer

strength, and good luck in Chinese culture. The instrument that comes along are drums, cymbals, and gongs. Besides the historical part of dance, it is also possessing the remarkable ability to heal and soothe the soul. This concept is interesting because of what dance can do to a person&#039;s mind and soul. The body and mind create a sense of mindfulness and presence, helping individuals temporarily relieve the stresses and worries of everyday life. According to the book Dance and Cultural Diversity by Darlene O&#039;Cadiz, it states that dance also helps a patient to express things that the patient finds difficult to do verbally (O’Cadiz 2018, p199). Besides that, the body releases chemicals called endorphins in the brain and body while dancing which helps the body to relieve pain and reduce stress. The story of Mary Wigman, one of the pioneering figures of German expressionistic modern dance, has contributed significantly to our understanding of how dance can serve as a means of healing the psyche. In her early adulthood, she experienced a time of personal crisis, so she locked herself in her parent&#039;s room and discovered that she was moving in despair, this later drove her to seek solace and self-discovery through movement. She danced as a way to heal herself, and eventually be able to overcome the hard time through dancing. Her personal experience paved for dance therapy. The connection between art and psychology emphasizes the importance of the mind-body connection. I gained a lot of new knowledge in the course including the history of Chinese dance which I found impressive as I visited China last summer and could witness one of the ancient shows in Chongqing. Learning about the dance analysis methods helps me to understand how dance has been preserved over centuries without the aid of cameras. Moreover, I used to learn K- pop dance to maintain a healthy life and relieve stress; therefore, I could relate to the healing potential that dancing offers.

Work Cited O&#039;Cadiz, D. (2020). Dance and Cultural Diversity (3rd ed.). Cognella, Inc. bookshelf.vitalsource/books/802003A

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The Impact of Dance Competitions on Dancers: Weighing the Benefits and Drawbacks

Dance competitions have long been a topic of debate within the dance community. Some argue that competition is essential for a dancer's growth and development, while others believe it can have negative effects on their well-being. In this essay, we will explore both sides of the argument and evaluate whether the benefits of dance competitions outweigh the drawbacks or vice versa. On one hand, dance competitions provide dancers with valuable opportunities for growth and improvement. Competing against other talented dancers pushes individuals to strive for excellence and reach their full potential. The pressure to perform at their best can motivate dancers to work harder, refine their technique, and expand their artistic abilities. Additionally, competitions offer a platform for dancers to showcase their talent and gain recognition within the dance community. This exposure can lead to future opportunities such as scholarships, professional contracts, or even teaching positions. Furthermore, dance competitions foster a sense of camaraderie among dancers. Sharing the stage with peers who share the same passion creates a supportive and inspiring environment. Dancers can learn from each other, exchange ideas, and build lasting friendships. The competitive nature of these events encourages dancers to support and uplift one another, fostering a positive and encouraging atmosphere. However, it is important to acknowledge the potential drawbacks of dance competitions. The intense pressure to win can lead to heightened stress levels and anxiety among dancers. The constant comparison to others can negatively impact a dancer's self-esteem and confidence. Moreover, the subjective nature of judging in dance competitions can be disheartening. Dancers may feel discouraged if they do not receive the recognition they believe they deserve, leading to feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt. Additionally, the competitive aspect of dance competitions can sometimes overshadow the artistry and creativity of dance. Dancers may become overly focused on winning and lose sight of the joy and expression that dance brings. The emphasis on technical perfection can hinder individuality and limit artistic exploration. It is crucial for dancers to strike a balance between the competitive drive and the artistic integrity of their craft. In conclusion, dance competitions have both positive and negative impacts on dancers. While they provide valuable opportunities for growth, recognition, and camaraderie, they also come with the potential for increased stress, self-doubt, and a loss of artistic freedom. Ultimately, whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks or vice versa depends on the individual dancer and their personal goals and values. It is essential for dancers to approach competitions with a healthy mindset, focusing on personal growth and artistic expression rather than solely on winning. By doing so, dancers can navigate the competitive dance world while maintaining their love and passion for the art form. Word Count: 498 words

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In today's fast-paced and materialistic world, the definition of success has become synonymous with wealth and financial prosperity. However, it is essential to question whether money truly equates to a fulfilling and meaningful life. In the play "A Raisin in the Sun," the characters Mama and Walter have contrasting views on what constitutes a successful life. While Walter believes that money is the ultimate measure of success, Mama holds the belief that love and freedom are the true keys to a fulfilling life. Walter's perspective reflects the prevalent mindset in our society, where success is often equated with financial achievements. He believes that money can solve all problems and provide the freedom and opportunities needed to escape their current situation. Walter's desire to invest the insurance money in a liquor store stems from his belief that financial success will bring happiness and fulfillment to his family. On the other hand, Mama's viewpoint challenges the notion that money is the sole determinant of success. She understands that true success lies in the intangible aspects of life, such as love, relationships, and personal freedom. Mama values the freedom to pursue one's dreams and live a life aligned with one's values and passions. She believes that genuine happiness and fulfillment can only be achieved when one is free to be their authentic self. While it is undeniable that money plays a significant role in our lives, it should not be the sole measure of success. In today's society, the pursuit of wealth often leads to a relentless chase, where individuals sacrifice their well-being, relationships, and personal values. It is crucial to recognize that success encompasses a broader spectrum of achievements, including personal growth, meaningful relationships, and a sense of purpose. In the real world, we often witness individuals who have amassed great wealth but still feel unfulfilled and empty. They may have financial security, but they lack the emotional and spiritual fulfillment that comes from pursuing their passions and nurturing meaningful connections with others. True success lies in finding a balance between financial stability and personal well-being, where money serves as a means to an end rather than the end itself. In conclusion, the pursuit of money should not be the sole focus in our lives. While financial stability is important, true success lies in the intangible aspects of life, such as love, freedom, and personal fulfillment. Mama's belief that love and freedom are the keys to a meaningful life resonates with the idea that success should be measured by the quality of our relationships, personal growth, and the ability to live authentically. Let us redefine success and prioritize the things that truly matter, creating a life filled with purpose, joy, and genuine fulfillment.

The Importance of Honesty, Loyalty, and Compassion in Friendships

Introduction: Friendships are an integral part of our lives, providing us with support, companionship, and a sense of belonging. In a letter from Chris to his friend Ron, we gain insight into the values that Chris holds dear in their friendship. Chris emphasizes the importance of honesty, loyalty, and compassion, which are fundamental pillars in fostering strong and meaningful connections. Section 1: The Value of Honesty Chris firmly believes in the power of honesty in their friendship. He emphasizes the need to be honest with each other, no matter what. This unwavering commitment to truthfulness creates a foundation of trust and open communication between friends. Honesty allows for genuine understanding and ensures that both parties can rely on each other's words and actions. By valuing honesty, Chris demonstrates his belief in the strength that comes from being transparent and authentic in their friendship. Section 2: The Significance of Loyalty Another value that Chris holds dear is loyalty. In his letter, he reassures Ron that he will always have his back, no matter what. This unwavering support and commitment to their friendship showcase the importance of loyalty in relationships. Loyalty means standing by each other through thick and thin, offering support, and being a constant presence in each other's lives. Chris's words reflect his understanding that true friendships are built on a foundation of trust and dependability, where friends can rely on each other during both good times and challenging moments. Section 3: The Power of Compassion Compassion is yet another value that Chris emphasizes in his letter to Ron. He expresses his understanding of Ron's situation and assures him that he is there for him. Compassion involves the ability to empathize with others, to understand their struggles, and to offer support and kindness. Chris's willingness to be there for Ron, to listen, and to provide comfort showcases the importance of compassion in friendships. It is through compassion that friendships can deepen, as friends feel seen, heard, and understood. Conclusion: Based on Chris's values expressed in his letter to Ron, we can understand the significance of honesty, loyalty, and compassion in fostering strong and meaningful friendships. Honesty builds trust and open communication, allowing friends to rely on each other's words and actions. Loyalty ensures that friends have each other's backs, providing unwavering support and dependability. Compassion allows for understanding and empathy, creating a safe space where friends can share their struggles and find solace. By embracing these values, we can cultivate friendships that are built on a solid foundation of trust, support, and understanding, enriching our lives and bringing us joy and fulfillment.

The Effectiveness of Mirror Box Training in Rehabilitation

Mirror box training has emerged as a promising rehabilitation technique for individuals recovering from stroke or other neurological conditions. This innovative approach involves the use of a mirror to create the illusion of movement in the affected limb, thereby facilitating motor relearning and functional recovery. The warm-up activities, including stretching and passive range of motion exercises, set the stage for the mirror box training. By preparing the muscles and joints, these activities help optimize the effectiveness of the subsequent rehabilitation techniques. During the mirror box training, participants are presented with a mirror that reflects the image of their unaffected limb, creating the illusion that the affected limb is moving. This visual feedback encourages the individual to perform symmetrical movements, promoting the reestablishment of neural connections and motor control. The incorporation of transitive and intransitive movements during the training sessions allows for a comprehensive approach to motor skill relearning. Transitive movements, such as reaching for objects or performing fine motor tasks, and intransitive movements, like pronation and supination, cater to a wide range of motor functions, enhancing the overall efficacy of the rehabilitation process. Following the mirror box training, functional task practice based on task-oriented treatment principles further consolidates the gains made during the training sessions. This targeted approach ensures that the skills acquired through the mirror box training are translated into real-world activities, promoting functional independence and improved quality of life. In conclusion, the integration of mirror box training with warm-up activities and functional task practice presents a holistic and effective approach to rehabilitation. By leveraging the principles of neuroplasticity and motor learning, this method holds great promise in facilitating recovery and restoring functionality for individuals undergoing rehabilitation after neurological impairments.

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