The Evolution of Dance essays

The Evolution of Dance essays For millions of years anthropologists have looked at dance as a means for learning about other cultures, as we gain knowledge through movement. It is through this type of social and cultural expression that we (as spectators and/or performers) are able to delve, firsthand, into the significance of such traditions, the symbolism of the dances, and the roots that feed them. However, with all of the easy-access learning resources that have been made available to us, including (but not limited to) books, periodicals, and web searches, a great portion of modern society now fails to recognize the importance of preserving dance as a type of artistic communication, when other more efficient means of acquiring information exist. Thankfully, the students at the University of Texas at San Antonio understand this issue and have introduced the Latin Dance Society, as a student organization on our campus, in order to rectify the situation. Before delving into all of the wonderful ways that UTSA students have implemented their talents into the preservation of our campuss cultural diversity, I will take a step back to examine the way that the study of dance has evolved from the preliminary study of human gesture and movement. For starters, we may begin by classifying all types of movement into two groups: structured movement systems and habit/skill. Under the structured movement systems category, we have all of our choreographed movement such as martial arts, sporting activities, dramatic arts, and ceremonial (ritual) events. The habit/skill category which includes, postures, facial expressions, and spatial orientations differ from the previous, in the way that these movements remain out of the focal awareness of their actors(Farnell 91). In other words, these are the movements we preform subconsciously. From this point on, I will discuss dance in terms of those choreographed struc...