Meaning of 'World'

The concert began with traditional dances from countries outside of the United States.  Before I saw any dancing, I glanced at the first few dances in the program.  They backed up the belief I’d had from the time before I’d purchased my ticket.  The production was defined in my schema: World of Dance would be an exhibition of the world’s dances.

Barefootin’ put a dent in my preconceived notions.  While I sat there, loving what I was seeing, I became passively confused.  I say passive, because I was so attentive to the performance that the quiet thoughts in my head were not important.  I was being entertained.  Yet, in the back of my mind, I remembered my thoughts before I’d even arrived at the Harris Fine Arts Center.  I had been expecting Dances of the World. 

With each new, engaging performance, I was being changed.  The pieces slowly altered my reality.  I had made an assumption about the thesis of the concert, and it was wrong.  Somewhere along the way, my mind released the definition of ‘world’ that meant ‘international’. The more suitable definition arrived, shaking its head at me with a dainty aura of knowing better, and slid neatly into its place. 

‘World’ meant ‘microcosm’.

I saw the world within the world.  I saw the individualisms that populated that world.  I saw the structures that made it its own.  I saw traditions and creations. I saw precision and adaptability. I saw stories and satires. It was a meeting place, an atmosphere. 

It educated me. Once I had the proper definition of ‘world,’ I was given the meaning of ‘dance’ as it defined by those whose world is Dance.

The concert was great for that reason.  The efforts and emotions of the many performers culminated in a truly spectacular performance.  The work was great because it housed a new world, and it did so with confidence and passion.

Bravo.

Satisfying

Intriguing, captivating, amazing--none of these words quite do justice to the performance "World of Dance" put on by the BYU dance teams. I went to "World of Dance" expecting some interesting cultural dances. When someone says, "Go to this, it's good culture," I usually roll my eyes and expect to be bored. This performance proved me wrong. Right when the first group of guys started their crazy Romanian folk dance, with whooping, hollering, and pole-slapping-floor action, I knew that boredom was completely out of the question. This and the dances following gave me a refreshing taste of other cultures, as well as a new appreciation for the discipline achievable by human beings.

This performance gave me a valuable insight into the cultures of Romania, Russia, and my very own America. The bulk of the show was comprised of many different styles of modern western dances, ranging from relaxing ballets with slow, pulsing music to foot-tapping skit type dances that made me want to jump out of my seat. There were also a few dances from other cultures (I kind of wish there had been more), each of which were amazing and provided an interesting background of that culture’s values and customs. I was intrigued by the extreme differences in each genre that I saw. I was especially intrigued by how accurately those dramatic differences in style exposed the very real differences in the cultures they represented. For example, in most of the modern dances, the men would grasp the torsos, legs, and arms of the women to pull off impressive lifts, spins and twists; in all of the foreign dances, hands touched hands, and sometimes waists, in a very formal, dignified, and specific manner. This revealed the actual differences in attitudes between American and foreign cultures about the relationship between men and women.

Another thing I gleaned from watching this work was a new definition of discipline. The very first set of dancers, feet hitting the floor with machinegun-like precision, all perfectly in sync and exactly on-beat with the music, immediately had my respect. I’ve played in orchestras and sang in choirs. The simple task of being on the same beat with the person next to you is amazingly difficult, and for some music takes constant concentration. I’ve jumped on the trampoline before, and I know how hard it is to come down at the same time as someone else (or just before if I have the purpose of bouncing someone off). I’ve tried to do the splits before, and it hurts! The dancers did all these things with seeming ease, beautifully symbolic of the discipline of the human being and of the greatness of the human spirit.

I went into “The World of Dance” expecting boredom; I left feeling rejuvenated. It is no wonder this performance has been deemed a “great work.” It is art at its best—highly valuable art that intrigues and educates, amazes and inspires—and the observer leaves satisfied.

Dancing with the Byu Dance Teams

So they think they can dance? Well, let’s be honest they have the talent to dance but some of them need to refine their performance skills. As I was watching the performance of world of dance; I began to ponder how the judges on a show like do you think you can dance, or dancing with the stars would judge a performance like this.
Let us take the international folk dancers performance first. The choreographing on these dances was wonderful; they really got the native dance down to a science. The dancers were in sync with one another, the music choice was magnificent. They surprised me how talented they were. There were a couple of minor errors here or there but I can understand that with the first performance of the season. During the performance one of the dances lost part of their streamers on their hat. He handled the situation very professionally. I applaud the group for their professionalism and precise execution. I would give them an eight out of ten.
The ballroom team hand a splendid performance. I really enjoyed their theatre arts piece. They had excellent lifts and great timing. I was surprised when looking at the program that their music choice for the piece was a hymn. I believed you couldn’t be able to dance to the hymns, wow was I proven wrong. All together I believe this group performed well and they deserve a seven out of ten.
Third the ballet team’s performance was average to sub-par. The music choice was horrendous. Ballet should not be performed to modern music! They had a performance where they danced to this nature song. I have never been so board in my life; I would rather go to the opera than watch that again. Next they decided to go with a 1920’s song. They looked like dime-store floozies doing pirouettes and chasses. These performers have great talent, but ballet is for classical or baroque music. I would give this group a four out of ten.
Finally the modern dance team’s performance was unoriginal. They performed a satirical waltz which was done several years earlier by the ballroom team. Although it was humorous please come up with something new and original. Their other numbers where basic and extremely long. Like modern art, modern dance should not be included with the countless great dance performers. I give this group a two out of ten.

Dance, dance, and more dance!

I've always loved watching dance performances. Something about them just warms my heart. Yes, I now that may sound cheesy, but it's true. Dance, for me at least, can express things that words can't always express. The World of Dance was no exception.
Each dance was powerful in it's own way. For instance: the scooter one. I know that one made me laugh till tears, but it was so brilliant! They added something to it (the dolls and scooters) that one would never think to see at a dance. Not only did this catch every one's eye, but it left them with a good impression.
Another dance, still powerful, but in a different way, was the ballet preformed to "High on a Mountain Top." While the other dance was to make you laugh and have fun, this one had a much more serious attitude. It made me stop and think, and it really went deeper than that; it touched my soul. Now I've never been all that enthralled by ballets, but I can appreciate a good ballet when I see one (especially because one of my best friends is a ballerina) and that was a good one!
Another thing that helps make a dance powerful is the costumes. If, for example, one of the the cultural dances the people all come on wearing everyday clothes that you would find one wearing here at BYU, it wouldn't be the same. You would think it was just another made up dance, but you wouldn't know that culture it was, or even that it was a cultural dance. The experience would be now where near as rewarding.
Another thing I really like about the dance was the lights and background images they had. Some of the more eccentric ones had brighter lights which helped set the mood. While others, ones that were more serious and calm, would have lights that weren't as bright and flashy.
All-in-all I really enjoyed the experience and if I had the chance I would definitely go see it again.

Flow

If you would have asked me 3 years ago if I danced I would have said something like, "I can have a seizure in any position you like." (Yes, I can have a seizure while standing.) I did not see myself being or becoming a "dancer" without extensive training, which I wasn't very interested in. What I was interested in however, was playing the piano. (This tangent will circle back around, I promise.) I loved to compose and interpret works. My creative process is an extremely private, personal, and even spiritual or sacred act. When you combine the desire for privacy with a profound fear of an audience rejecting your work, however, what you get is a string of train-wrecked piano recitals. Performances that could have been skillfully, and passionately played to an empty room moments earlier were only an embarrassment once my performances were underway.

Things continued in this way until I discovered two concepts that not only changed my playing, but also changed every creative endeavor that I would later embark upon: Self-editing and Flow.

Self-editing:
Self-editing is the process in which our mind, in search for the absolute best idea, whispers to us, "No, don't do that, that's not the best." While this is a crucial skill to have when trying to navigate a math problem or an awkward social situation, it is destructive to the creative process. There are two ways to shut off self-editing. One is the use of hallucinogenic and narcotic drugs (which is why we see seemingly divine improvisations by drug-using musicians). The second method is try and maintain a state of constant analysis, brainstorming, and synthesis. When you brainstorm, you should write absolutely everything down. If you eliminate it from your decision making before it reaches the paper, you're self-editing. If you just let the ideas flow, then later you will be able to possibly tweak a bad idea to make it an exceptional idea that no one had ever thought of because they, like you, had always eliminated it as an option before it even really existed. Don't self-edit too soon. Doing this while performing, and still respecting the piece you are trying to perform takes some practice.

Flow:
You can call it "being passionate," being "In the Zone," or "losing your inhibitions," but it's more than all of these things. According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, "When we are in creative flow, we are fully absorbed in whatever we are doing and find it easy to achieve peak performance." Not self-editing is crucial to achieving "flow". One aspect of flow is that the artist "becomes one" with the art form. The pen or paintbrush or musical instrument seems to be simply an extension of the artists body and consciousness. What was most important for me is that when achieved, the audience seems to melt away and a person is left alone their work. This happens because a person's mind is working so hard on concentrating, that it rejects any inputs that are not crucial to furthering the task at hand.

I love to dance. If I work hard enough at not self-editing and just enjoy myself, then using my body in order to express an emotion is a very pleasurable activity. So what does this have to do with World of Dance? What makes some dancers better than others? What makes anyone better at one skill than another person? Some of the dancers might have had more"talent," some might have practiced more, or eaten a good breakfast that morning, but I would like to suggest that as you watched this performance, whether you knew it or not, what you were really watching was performers at different levels of "flow." If you were to put yourself in their shoes (assuming that you know the correct dance steps) would you give enough of yourself to try and achieve some higher state performing, or dare I say--living? I believe that everyone has it in them to be an expressive--if not talented--dancer, if they are willing to train their minds to allow them to be so. Throughout your university experience, I would encourage you to work on these crucial skills. As you fill your mind with the information it needs access to in order create "Great Works," please don't be a person who as Sir Ken Robinson stated -"Look[s] upon their body [only] as a form of transport for their heads." Dance!

Just Dance

I have never been much of a dancer. As much as it shames my mother, I’ve always been a bit of a “gringa” when it comes to dancing. I can’t move my hips; I over-think the beat; my movements are of a long time nerd. Nevertheless, or perhaps because of that, I have a healthy admiration for dancers. I’ve always enjoyed dance movies and I was actually looking forward to the World of Dance.

The performance did not disappoint. For the first part of the show, I sat spell-bound by the dancers’ control, finesse, and coordination. I was especially impressed by the ballet dancers. Although the dance itself wasn’t too exciting, it displayed the dancers’ skill well. The precision of the movements and the control of their limbs must have taken years to develop.

As for what happened after the first half… Who can forget the scooters? The whole tone of the performance so far had been serious. There were fun and exciting dances, but serious in that they were exactly what they appeared to be. The scooter dance appeared to be serious at first. A guy in a tuxedo moves -beautifully, solemnly, gracefully- across the stage. Then he goes offstage and out comes another guy in a tuxedo. Only this time, he has a scooter with doll in a cocktail dress attached to it. It has been awhile since I laughed so hard. I loved how the dancers were confident enough to go ahead and make fun of dancing itself.

World of Dance was able to put together such a variety of different styles and put it together for one spectacular show. So as a result of seeing the World of Dance, I think I’m going to try a little harder in my Zumba classes.

Since When has Dance Been Innovative or Even Meaningful?

Many would argue, from the beginning of dance. That is the beauty of the arts. This particular performance, however, shocked me. Ballet doesn’t mix with ballroom and point shoes are rarely seen in a contemporary piece, cloggers aren’t disco dancers and men in tuxes should never dance with scooters. Strange how these performances are the ones the stuck in my mind the longest.

In class our discussions of rhetoric, pathos, logos, ethos, and now “receiving” helped me sit through the hours of what would have been a meaningless performance. However I was intrigued. What was the meaning behind the dances? What were the choreographers trying to make me feel in reference to rhetoric or pathos? Why was that particular piece of music chosen? I had never bothered to understand dance, it’s beyond me. I’m much too literal. So I must admit that trying to puzzle through the dances were frustrating. Some were for simple enjoyment or to let you have a taste of an old folk dance. Others so that you could oooh and ahhhh at the graceful figures and difficult lifts or routines the dancers were performing, and still others that made you want to stand and get on stage with them.

I never realized before how difficult it is to make the audience understand the story behind a dance or a piece of music. I think that’s why we make fun of dancers, they have to work really hard to get their point across and it usually makes them look very silly. Still it was an amazing performance and I was impressed with the creativity and proficiency of the performers. I rarely enjoy dance performances. I enjoyed World of Dance.

Dance.... Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

Going into this, I was not really looking forward to sitting through the whole show. To be up front I was really dreading having to watch this performance. I am not one to drool and grovel over the fine arts, so to say. Ballet, Contemporary Dancing, Ballroom, and the International Dance Ensemble just don't strike me as entertaining. So for those of you who can relate, you can imagine how unhappy I was watching everyone smiling with joy as the show started.

The show began, I sat thinking to myself, what had I done that had been so wrong that to punish me, I had to sit and watch this performance. Was this Miss Cowley’s way of punishing me for missing class, because if so it was very cruel and unusual, and it was working. While sitting there with the intent to learn nothing from the show, I remembered something my parents had taught me as a child. They told me ‘’ Son, no matter what you do in life or whatever obstacles come your way, it will only be as good or bad depending on how you conceive it to be.’’ So it was at that point I decided that I was going to make the best of this show and learn something new about dance, to appreciate the hard work and dedication of others even if it was not something I enjoyed.

With new intentions and an attitude adjustment I sat and watched. The dancers performed as if their lives depended on it. It seemed as though the only thing that mattered to them was their company and the stage. Their moves and body language told stories words could not express. Their precision and well thought choreography began to catch hold of my attention span. I could sense myself appreciating the time and work these dancers had put into the performance. I was amazed at how fascinated I had become, the dances went on and by the end I had found a new appreciation for dance. It was no longer just hip hop or club dancing but I now realized that there was an art to it, dance was a lifestyle for many.

In the end I was able to appreciate the different performances that were displayed, some more than others. I was no longer as ignorant about dance as I was coming into the show. If nothing else, I was able to appreciate the love these people had for what they enjoyed doing. We all can at least agree that anyone who puts their time, blood, sweat, and soul into their work should be recognized. So in conclusion I can honestly say that the ‘’World of Dance’’ was a very good show. Congratulations to all those involved, I applaud you all.

Di Capo Al Fine: "World of Dance"

“World of Dance” was a spectacular performance that showcased four of BYU’s dance companies in a series of exhibition numbers. The Dancers’ Company, the International Folk Dance Ensemble, the Ballroom Dance Company, and the Ballet Dance Company each performed a set of routines throughout the evening.

When I attended “World of Dance,” I watched with purpose. I actively observed with the intention of being immersed in a form of art that I rarely attend performances of and only occasionally participate in. As a result, I was entertained and inspired, and the enthusiasm of the dancers made me want to learn to dance as skillfully as them.

The effect of my attendance that evening, for me, was the new perception of dance that I left with. The show was effective at not only showcasing the skills of the dancers, but also causing me to gain a greater desire to become more familiar with the intricacies of the art form.

The Dancers’ Company danced brightly-costumed, high-energy contemporary dances. These were just plain fun. Technically challenging and visually appealing, they were dynamic numbers that contrasted with the other companies.

With the international folk dancers, I was exposed to artistic expressions from cultures that I have had only fleeting, if even that, encounters. Clad in traditional dress, their routines had historical value that other styles do not intrinsically possess. Through their dances, I felt that I began to develop somewhat of a connection with the corresponding culture.

The ballroom dance team, with their razor-sharp precision appealed to my organizational tendencies. They cut back and forth, gliding, maintaining perfect coordination with their partners. The subdued energy and passion in their movements gave their performance a depth unique from that of the other teams.

I can also honestly say that for the first time in my life, I enjoyed ballet. Previously to “World of Dance,” the only ballet I had seen were the recitals that my sisters were in when we were children. Anyone who has attended those kinds of recitals understands that the main attractor is cuteness, for the parents, and familial obligation, for the siblings. The goal is not aesthetic excellence but rather a celebration of effort.

With the BYU ballet team, though, such was not the case. I saw exceptional skill and technique. I saw the fluid grace of the movements. I saw complex emotions portrayed through the physical characterization of the ballerinas. My perception of ballet was changed forever; I now understand the true value of this particular discipline of dance.

Dance is an art form that exists in various forms and iterations throughout the world. “World of Dance” brought many of those styles and traditions together in venue in one evening. It was a comprehensive exposure to dance and the myriad possibilities it inherently contains. It was a meaningful night and one that has left its unique mark upon my artistic sensibilities.

Dancing more about Music?

I have to admit, formal dance isn't my thing. I'm not the biggest fan of dance. It's hard for me to make myself care. Regardless, it was somewhat interesting to see the phenomenon of a BYU dance performance. Upon arrival, there was much hustling and bustling in the HFAC building and for some reason this put a smirk on my face. I think it was sort of funny to watch some people act like this was the event of a lifetime and I could feel that some people were literally ecstatic to be there. Good for them.

Anyways, after waiting for a delayed start, the performance began. I was not particularly impressed and was more interested in the audience's reaction. The thing that stuck out most to me was that there was a much better reaction to the dances with music that struck the audience. The songs with lighter, slower music seemed more like obligatory pieces to let those certain dance groups have their turn. As much as I tried to feel bad for the groups that didn't get so much attention, I didn't really. You have to believe that putting as much work into a performance like this they have to be pleased to just be doing it. I don't know how they could expect a general audience to understand the complexity of their movement, or whatever someone appreciative of dance would see.

I think that because the dances were so based in music, I couldn't help but feel like I was being forced to listen to a mix tape that groups of people had come up with stuff to do onstage for. This is essentially what dance is, but I am more musically inclined so it's hard to focus. I applaud the dancers for their efforts and ability to perform this show at BYU. The one thought I can't go without saying is that blow up dolls should most likely be banned from the BYU campus... I'm surprised they already aren't.

Dinner and a Show

Wednesday, September 15, 2010. 11:00a.m. Room B037 of the Joseph Fielding Smith Building. At the exact day, hour, and place described above, a lecture for SFL 110 (a home food preparation class) takes place. The discussion today stresses the importance of producing a flattering dish; a flattering dish containing different temperatures of food, different shapes of food, different colors of food, and most importantly, different types of food. Just as SFL 110 illustrates the importance of variety in food components, World of Dance stressed the same points: a variety of music, costumes, and types of dancing.

One who knows little about dancing would not be able to notice any minute mistakes the dancers made during the performance, but she would be able to notice the change of pace that occurred throughout the whole night. The planners of the World of Dance knew better than to put all the fast dances at the beginning and leave the slow dances for the end. That would make the show too much to handle during the first half and leave the audience fighting to stay awake towards the end. Just as one cannot have all spicy food for dinner one night and have a meal with little seasoning the next, a balance must be present.

The part of the show that really caught the audience’s eyes was the intricate costuming. The costuming appealed to the visual learner and gave a peak into the cultural background of the dance. The costumes in the first two Romanian songs, dashed with bright fabric and bells, and in the dance titled “A Daisy in December,” blew minds away with the color and the detail. One would not want an all-brown colored meal and one would not want costuming all one color during the whole night either.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010. 9:00p.m. Walking outside the Harris Fine Arts Center, a girl thinks back to the World of Dance she just viewed. She lets out a laugh ever so slight, and realizes the director of the show, and the teacher of her cooking class earlier in the day would be close friend. After all, they both believe in mixing up color, intensity, and type, whether on the stage, or on the plate.

Culture

Being “cultured” is not something that is very important to me. Given a book list of the top 100 best books, I will have read maybe 5 – 3 being the simplified version – but I will have at least heard of 75 of them. Poetry, musicals, plays and Shakespeare all say one thing to me: bleh. I have two reasons for dealing with any one of those four items: school requirements and girls. However, if you ask me to name the top 5 summer blockbusters over the last 5 years, I could probably give you a list that far exceeds what you are looking for. If you ever want to know something about sports, I’m your guy. You can imagine the kind of biased precepts I would have had towards World of Dance.

Assuming that I was not excited about World of Dance would not have been much of a stretch given my examples that I have previously shared; sometimes in life, assuming really is not a smart way to go. Being the lucky soul I am, I went to a dance recital in the winter semester earlier this year (yes, it was because of a girl). I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it, so receiving this assignment turned out to be exciting instead of a requirement.

Having enjoyed that last dance recital, I found it easier to stay awake and enjoy this one. The variety of the dances kept everyone looking forward to the next piece. Had all the ballet, the ballroom, the contemporary, and the international pieces been grouped together, it would have made it easier for someone to zone out. The changes in scenery, music, dancers and theme were great for captivating even the most uncultured, unhappy person.

The theatre ballet was familiar, the contemporary, entertaining; the international, educating; the ballroom, inspiring. Each group helped the overall ambiance, and not a one diminished the show as a whole. Whoever was in charge of deciding the order of the dances and groups did a wonderful job in their variation. It definitely was an enjoyable experience.

After walking away content, I wondered what else in life might be worth seeing given a shot. After thinking about it, I may have to go to a dance recital or two per semester. And if those are enjoyable, who is to say I wouldn’t want to start reading more important books, or perhaps take the time to watch Shakespeare? Maybe I should move a little slower, but perhaps there is something to being “cultured” in today’s world.

Dance: a Reflection of Women's Roles

I enjoyed the dance numbers. I loved the talent and grace shown. I loved the music and the costumes. But during the whole show there was one thing I couldn't get my mind off of: the different ways the movements reflected the role of womanhood. I noted the choices made without always assuming I knew what was meant by those stylistic choices. For example, I noted that in one contemporary dance the lines between men and women were virtually extinguished. They dressed the same and danced the same. The girls were lifted by guys and also by girls. It wasn't about a separation in genders like so many of the couples dances are; some might interpret that it was just about the dancing without any regard to gender. I wanted to share my observations without having to commit to any specific interpretation.

The most obvious projection a dance can give off about women is by how modestly they are dressed. If anything signals how closely dance toes the line between grace and seduction it's the fact that girls sometimes wear ludicrously immodest clothes (check out any of the TV dance shows if you think I'm exaggerating), this begs the question of what the purpose of such dancing is. I didn't feel that BYU fell into this trap. Of course, I was also on the side of hoping that when BYU goes to competitions no one is confused about who is with BYU and who is with the other competitors (unless they are flawlessly modest too:)).

Besides dress, there is also the projection of how they interact with their partners. The international dances had a very strong community and celebratory feel. In one the girls and the guys danced completely separately and in the other both groups danced with everyone in turns. This really lent itself to the nostalgic, communal feel. In some of the other dances there were distinct couples throughout the entire dance (ballroom being an obvious example). The ballet numbers offered an interesting contrast. The first ballet number featured only three girls, emphasizing grace. One of the later numbers had a very distinct teasing feel as one girl toyed with 2 or 3 guys, this was also comparable to the flirty 20's themed dance. In the number "High on the Mountain Top", the men in the dance weren't present as real partners, they were simply there to add to the impressive female performance. And of course, it must be recognized that the role of a woman was represented by a blow up doll in the "Wheelenese Waltz," I don't think I could begin to interpret what that might mean!

Finally there is the personal interpretation of the dancers themselves. The most interesting thing I noted was in the "Tango Sabroso" (I think), the choreography was actually interpreted differently by two different dancers. To me, this brought in the difference between those who simply dance and those who act while they're dancing. I considering these two separate but equal so it really just was interesting for me to note. One girl focused on going through the motions of the dance, trying to make them as correct and beautiful as possible. The other girl was acting; she added facial expression and a distinct tone to her dancing. Both gave a different reflection on women in dance, one reached for the beautiful, the other for the alluring.

Dancing has the power to glorify the roles of women in grace and beauty or to demean and abase their role to that of a prostitute. The style of dancing adopted by a culture is a reflection of where on this spectrum women are viewed (though I'll be the first to recognize that there is no black and white interpretation). I am happy that -- in general-- the women in "World of Dance" were granted a position of respect.

The Unsocial Neighbor - Please Don't Sit Next To Me

“Great…” I thought as the girl with her hair in pigtails and a giant, cheesy smile on her face sat next to me. “Well seeing how we’re sitting next to each other I’ll start the introductions my name is……...” I am like Dory on Finding Nemo with names; three seconds after she said it, it had been forgotten. I like to be punctual when I go to events; but I think next time I go to a play/concert I will be fashionably late. I arrived at the play fifteen minutes early which meant that I had fifteen more minutes of the “get to know you game” that people always play when they meet someone new. She continued to talk and I continued to listen to her high pitched squeal of a voice ramble on about how she loved going to dances and this was her second time seeing it and how all through high school she wished to be a professional dancer. I was not in the mood to socialize, flirt, or interact with anyone! I simply wanted to sit in my seat, and read the program.

I guess she thought it was her duty to share everything she knew about dancing with me. She explained that I should, throughout the show, look at the dancers’ upper bodies no matter how fast their feet were moving and picture myself doing it. I nodded showing I would acknowledge her proposition. She then told me about all the dancing classes she took when she was in high school, her goals for the future, and how hard dancing is. I said "Wow that's really cool" and looked away. I tried my best to sound uninterested but she just wouldn’t take the hint!

My stranger in seat S-27 continued to talk for another 5 minutes (which felt like 20) asking me a series of questions about my childhood: where I lived growing up, what did I used to do, etc. As I was answering, a rumbly in my tumbly gave me a horribly obscene solution to the hyper-social creature sitting next to me. For lunch that afternoon I had inhaled a large, cheesy piece of lasagna which had upset my tummy. My body was telling me to release a minor storm of flatulence and I thought this might the perfect opportunity to stop the conversation with miss talk-a-lot. Fortunately, I had enough decency to hold it back knowing that it would only cause embarrassment and inflict unpleasantness to all of my neighboring citizens. I endured the talking a bit longer and the show finally started! I didn’t hear another word come out of her colossal oral aperture. I’m sure she was enjoying the colorful and dramatic show as much as I was. I loved every dance number and was in awe at how gracefully they moved portraying their emotions to us. I would like to go to more dancing/visual art events in the future. However, my encounter with the girl next to me reminds me that I need to find someone that will go with me to these events to avoid another incredibly uncomfortable situation.

Shape, Line, Color

The first day in my AP Art History class last year we learned to analyze everything through shape line and color (it makes any good work of art, right?). I watched this with the same approach, because I really had no idea where to begin to write about it. I don't dance well, although I have participated in ballets (I tend to do the acting bits and skip out on dancing). My approach worked out well enough; I could talk about the brilliant colors that were used in the international dances, or the subdued colors used by the ballerinas, possibly the vivid palette used by the contemporary dancers; I could discuss the short choppy lines of the first dance used for rhythm, the long flowing lines in each of the ballets, the natural lines employed by the modern style. Unfortunately as I write this I don’t have a desire to do that, I don’t have much of a desire to do anything, in fact.

When I went to the performance I had just awoke from a nap that I had taken between World of Dance and an activity I had earlier Saturday morning. I was tired and late. Lucky for me there were some technical difficulties so I sat in my seat right as a man came out to welcome us and pray—I have never been to another performance where I have prayed before (sports don’t count), it was really interesting—I thought then I would be able to sleep, as I usually do when I go to any cultural events with my family. I didn’t sleep through this, not because I couldn’t (I’m adept at sleeping in chairs with loud noise), but because there was a lot to take in and it was well done, the mix of each of the styles of dance and all of the colors were enthralling. After all the dancing and colors and music I had a free afternoon and was really glad to get it over with. It was a good experience, but I wouldn’t go of my own free will, especially with so many other obligations.

Dancing = Emotions

Never have I been a dancer. Not a good one anyway. But there is just something about watching a good dancer or a group of them that awakens me inside. It brings a stir of emotions.

I think dancing is a strong metaphor for many of life's situations. Well, for life really. It's a non-verbal communication from performer to observer; like from a writer to a reader or a speaker to an audience or an athlete to a crowd. They are saying, "Look what I've done: I've created a visual of my inner feelings and I want to extend them to you as well." Well it worked. I caught the vibe. I felt the emotion.

Let me describe to you the feeling after a dance concert, especially this one. It's a feeling of surreal desires to fall in love. Those of you who have already fallen in love must feel the strong emotions of that love being awakened anew. Another emotion felt is that of wanting to improve one's own life and come closer to God. You feel that as a mellow, quiet piece progresses, the performer(s) are moving ahead in their own search for atonement with God. It also gives desires to sing and dance and shout for joy, especially after an enthusiastic, joyful piece of quick-paced,jubilant dancing. Even the feeling of joy that comes after a good laugh is felt in a comedic piece (such as blow up dolls on scooters.)

There are a plethora of emotions and feelings that can be felt at a dance concert; also acknowledging that negative ones can abound in the heart of the disbelieving, the boring, those who have no soul or heart, or the mildly hard of feeling. But we won't focus on those, nor will the many more infinite amount of feelings or emotions be described. Many emotions and feelings were felt, leaving me with the most powerful one of all: Happiness.

Art from Top to Bottom

When I entered the auditorium Wednesday night, I thought myself, "I really hope I don't fall asleep. I have such a hard time staying awake for events like these." It is not because they are boring. It is because typically it's late at night, they turn off the lights, the music is terribly soothing, and ZONK! I fall asleep. To my pleasant surprise, not once did I nod off or jerk abruptly! I was slightly worry at the beginning because they were having technical difficulties with the microphone but they managed perfectly fine without a microphone.


The music was riveting and exhilarating! There is no way anyone could fall asleep! The costumes were extremely colorful, intricate, eye catching and appealing. I like how in several of the individual performances they combined music and costumes to create an additional artistic illusion. In a few of the performances, the performers had bells on their shoes. They would stomp their feet and add an extra creative boost and rhythm to the show. The cultural and exquisite clothing, beautiful music, and catchy beats alone caught my attention but then their dancing got me stuck on their every movement.


Every performance was like opening presents Christmas day. Each performance was a pleasant surprise! You look at it just like any other old present but start to get excited as you start unwrapping it!


The general performance was so refreshing. The performance was very eclectic. They had costumes, music, and styles of dance of all sorts. The variety was as broad as ballet to clogging. Not only did they have many beautiful performances, they also included a very entertaining comical show. The gentlemen introduced and escorted their lovely partners in style. The show was a great experience and I would recommend anyone and everyone to go.

Humor Makes the Rest Better

The World of Dance performance was very impressive to me. Judging just by the sheer talent of the dancers, it was a marvelous show. However, for many of us who may not comprehend or be as appreciative of the finer things in choreography, the performance was still outstanding because they were able to cater to a diverse audience through their various dances. Many similar performances would put me to sleep but I think that theirs was particularly effective because of the insertion of several humorous dances.
For me the first comical dance was very timely, coming at a point in the production when I needed a break. In this dance the performers pretended to be spreading rumors through whispering in each other’s ears. Although perhaps this scene did not showcase the amazing athleticism and gracefulness of the dancers, it was the most entertaining to me. The exaggerated expressions of the dancers and the speed at which the dance developed made it interesting. Many of the other dances were impressive for the synchronization, but this one was a good changeup for the viewers – each dancer acted as an individual and showed a unique personality through his/her behavior. With each performer doing his own thing, it was difficult to know who to pay the most attention to, and, as a viewer, I found myself constantly scanning over all of them to see what was going on. These dances are good for keeping the audience focused on the production.
Another dance that kept my interest was the scooter dance. The effect of this dance was also made particularly effective by its timing, in between some other serious dances and also by the acting of the dancers who took it so seriously. Possibly this number would be offensive or at the least uninteresting to a profession dancer but I think it was useful for keeping the attention of the audience, which probably had few experts in choreography in it. What really makes this dance stand out though is the unexpectedness of it. After having watched a good portion of the performance, I had a few laughs and was also impressed by the dancing, but I did not expect such a performance, for me it was pleasant surprise.
While of course it would have been inappropriate for the whole performance be pure humor and fun, without these aspects the performance, many viewers might have tuned out after a while. Personally for me, it helped me to appreciate the rest of the production and want to stay tuned for the entire time.

Show and Tell -World of Dance

As Larry would say from Vegetales, “ I laughed, I cried it moved me Bob.”

These wonderful collections of Dance numbers; brings together the old new and the new old. It also recollected emotion in tranquility with every piece. In dance you see many layers to the deep dish that is presented without a word and what great power there is in that Rhetoric. There’s romanticist moments were there is revolution and change that collaborated to connect.

To some dance can be seen as a form of a text. To others it’s just movement not entertainment. They’re some that like to see things in a Formalistic way and some in a New Historicism. I believe the performers showed forth they’re light and talent of dance through every form of movement; thus catching the motions that move.

For every person has a story, for every story has an expression, and for every expression needs no words. Magical Realism plays a part in the experience that I experience making me ask the question is this real? Yes, but I’m watching a story to the individuals and trying to interpret the creation that is being created in front of my eyes. At times it feels fair tale maybe even a dream from the trance hypnotism of the dance.

World of Emotion

World of Emotion

There is nothing I would change about World of Dance with the exception of its title, as it would be more appropriately called, World of Emotion. My range of emotion during that hour and a half went from excited, to enlightened, to amused, and confused. All of this can be attributed to the costumes, colors, and backgrounds connected with each performance.

Before the first number began, the whole stage was dark and covered with fog. This created an automatic dramatic effect that kept the audience on the edge of their seats, wondering what was to come next. It was the perfect way to start off a performance, with the audience one hundred percent engaged. Further along in the show, there was a ballet performance where my emotions changed to calm and serene. The performers were all in delicate, free-flowing, pink costumes and had soft, sweet music that put me into a very tranquil state. Although ballet is difficult to do, it still gives the audience the allusion that they are effortlessly gliding through the air.

The serene feeling I had from watching the ballet performance however did not last very long. The background changed, upbeat music started to play, and out came six energetic dancers. The girls were all wearing bright colored, sequin-covered dresses and rhinestone overlaid shoes. The boys wore brightly colored ties with their outfits to match. If the choreographer wanted to exhilarate the audience with their performance, they undoubtedly accomplished it. I couldn’t help but want to get out of my chair and dance the whole time I was watching the upbeat dance. Near the end of the performance there was another ballroom performance, but with quite a different effect. It began with a single dancer on a dark stage with a spotlight who began with simple moves and was not very stimulating to watch- until plastic blow-up dolls made the appearance that is. Just about the whole audience burst into laughter when the dolls peeked out from begin the curtain. It only got more hysterical when the audience realized the dolls were attached to scooters and the real dancers were gliding across the stage with them. While it was undoubtedly considered dancing, the performance was still able to turn it into something absolutely comical.

Like all art forms, dance is an art that can be structured to instill any feeling within the hearts of the audience. To do this, the dancers used everything from costumes, to music, to dance styles, to props. Even though I already had a major appreciation for dance, it was amplified immensely through this performance.

The Impact of Backdrop

The Impact of Backdrop
_____On September 15, 2010, I realized how powerful the impact of backdrop could be while attending BYU’s “World of Dance.” During the production, I noticed that there was a different backdrop for every dance number. In particular, the dances “Calusarii”, “High on the Mountain Top”, and “Tango Sabroso” utilized backdrop as a device to set up a scene and more clearly tell a story. Without the use of backdrop during these dances, I would have been bored out of my mind and would not have been connected to each scene. In fact, I once attended a dance concert in my community that used no backdrop at all, which only confused me throughout the production. Because of the proper use of backdrop in “World of Dance”, I was able to have a very fun experience, able to appreciate the art of dancing, able to find the dancers and their surroundings very interesting.
_____As the first dance during the production, “Calusarii” caught my attention with its unique backdrop. Before the music even started, the audience was able to visualize a backdrop containing a full moon and a dark sky. The backdrop introduced the setting, helping the audience realize that the dance would take place at night under the full moon, which is very important in the form of folk dance. Even more impactful was the eerie and mysterious mood that the backdrop provided for the dance. If the backdrop had not been present, I would have only seen bells on dancers’ feet and heard a strange language that I didn’t understand; I would have been utterly confused. Because of the backdrop, I was given a wonderful story told through dance.
_____As well as “Calusarii”, “High on the Mountain Top” was an incredible dance that utilized backdrop effectively. In the beginning of the dance, the backdrop was a beautiful sky, representing the glory of God. As the dance continued, the backdrop moved as if the dancers were flying, symbolizing their journey toward Zion. During the climax of the music, the instrumental implied that the lyrics would be “On Zion’s mount behold it stands.” At this powerful moment, the backdrop changed into a strong mountain with the same sky behind, revealing to the audience that the dancer’s had reached Zion within the scene. Through the use of backdrop, the dance was able to show greater symbolism and help the audience more clearly understand the story structure of the dance.
_____Besides “Calusarii” and “High on the Mountain Top”, “Tango Sabroso” utilized backdrop to intensify the emotion of the dance and further explain the story. Throughout the dance, the backdrop remained a constant pattern of flame. The dancers were all dressed in red, but the intensity of the backdrop flames reflected the passion of the fiery scene. Without the backdrop, the audience probably could have still understood that the dance was about fire and sparks; however, the emotional connection that the backdrop added created a more powerful scene. Because of backdrop, the dance was able to “jump out” at the audience and keep their attention the entire dance.
_____At BYU’s “World of Dance”, backdrop was a powerful technique utilized to strengthen the emotional connection of each piece while also clarifying the message of each individual story. As prime examples, the dances “Calusarii”, “High on the Mountain Top”, and “Tango Sabroso” fully used backdrop to make their scenes more impactful than they would have been without. As an audience member, I fully appreciated the use of backdrop and realized that it adds a dimension to dance that draws attention and gives understanding.