Summary Of Reflections In Black: Dance Critique

533 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: a critical reflection dance essay

The Lula Washington Dance Theatre is a modern dance company that travels worldwide to express African-American Culture. “Reflections in Black” was the title of the beautiful production, and I was honored to see an amazing group of dancers perform at The Smith Center. Every dance had its own creative movement, and I focused on all to find an interpretation for each. There was one dance that I was especially intrigued by. The final dance of the show included all of the dancers. It was titled “Rain.” As soon as I heard the title, I had a feeling it was going to be a really dark piece with sharp movements. The style of dance was hip-hop, and Rennie Harris was the choreographer. It was a very cool dance with upbeat and fast music. At first, the lighting was very low and pretty dark. Once all of the dancers joined the dance, the lighting was more noticeable with …show more content…

The beginning seemed very mysterious and seemed out of place. In the middle of the dance, groups of men and women were introduced. Both groups had their unique choreography, but there were moments in which they did some choreography together and partnered up with each other. In the end, I noticed the energy of the dancers had increased. The dancers expressed that by showing bigger movements and face expressions. The piece uses the space very well. I was able to see every dancer and how they traveled through the stage. One of my favorite parts was when the male dancers interacted and partnered up with the women dancers. It was interesting to see how focused they all were on their partners. I don’t think there were specific sections of the work that changed with the music or mood; the upbeat mood was there the whole time. I think this piece was well put together; everything flowed along very well. The dancers’ movements in the piece didn’t seem out of place. The music went very well with each

Show More
Related

  • Essay On Black Bottom Dance

    714 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before the Lindy-Hop became popular and long before tap dance was established in the United States, Black Bottom dance was popular among both Blacks and Whites in Harlem, New York. The dance craze, appropriated from the blacks in Harlem’s nightclubs, became a big rage when brought to the white community and put on stage. Black Bottom dance, also known as “Swanee Bottom” was an popular dance among lower class African Americans in the early 1900s. Beloved to be introduced by Alberta Hunter, a popular blues singer, Black Bottom was a dance that emerged from African American culture. Although Black Bottom is not a family recognizable dance today, the popularity of the dance at this time caused a great ripple in the dances that came later on down the line.

    Read More

  • Harlem Dancer Analysis

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and artistic movement inspired by African American artists, writers and musicians. The movement demanded recognition of overwhelming talents in the arts, literature, and music. For the first time in history, African Americans earned status, respect, and credibility in a world powered by white. Black musicians brought the stylings of Jazz and blues, while writers and artists took to depicting “black problems” and ways of life. The practice, previously unknown to traditional Anglo literature, quickly became highly regarded in worlds that transcended skin color. It was both a means to reach out and connect as a color-coded brotherhood, and provided insight into the life of black

    Read More

  • African American Dance: Katherine Dunham School Of Dance

    1601 Words  | 4 Pages

    Katherine Dunham, born on June 22, 1909 was an African American dancer. Her mother Fanny June Dunham died when she became sick and her father Albert Dunham Sr., left to work as a salesman. Dunham and her older brother Albert Jr., were raised by their loving aunt Lulu on the ghetto side of Chicago. At four years old, Dunham would go to the salon, her aunt’s workplace, and would always remember how much her mother loved music. It was not long before that when Katherine noticed how people would look at her aunt because of the color of her skin. It was why Lulu lost her job and had to move in with other relatives as her aunt could not afford their little apartment anymore. They moved several times with Dunham family members, where Katherine discovered

    Read More

  • The Orion String Quartet and Nash Ensemble: A Concert Review

    786 Words  | 2 Pages

    I thoroughly enjoyed this concert from beginning to end. The opening piece, “String Quartet in F Major, K 590”, was both soothing and moving with an engaging theme that followed through the piece. The sudden stops and starts with changes in theme built the suspense and pulled the listener in to a jaunty gallop through the second section. Also the bass tones in the back ground seem to be slightly off kilter with the violins, providing a complex texture and harmony that provides depth and poignancy to the music.

    Read More

  • Summary of the Ballet "Giselle"

    538 Words  | 2 Pages

    The element that stood out the most to me was how effectively the music and the footwork corresponded. The best examples of this are seen through the dancers solos. Especially Albrecht's solo, his feet glide on the stage at the same tempo as the music. Similarly, Giselle's graceful footwork is truly amazing. I really like the similarities between the choreographed footwork and the music, it makes Giselle seem much more elegant and beautiful. This also seems to make the work look more put together and in sync because the dancers are dancing in harmony with the orchestra. The choreography by itself is amazing. The footwork is rapid and intricate, however, at the same time it is delicate and graceful. The ballerina (Giselle) made it look very easy to do the choreography, when it rea...

    Read More

  • Singin In The Rain Themes

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    In their actions, the idea behind the movie is brought to light. An adult dancing in the rain is a sign of joy and contention. Throughout the dance, they are able to catch the attention of the audience and make them feel that love is in the

    Read More

  • Harlem Dancer Poem Analysis

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sonnets is a type of poetry that originated in Italy. There are many different types of sonnets, such as the Shakespearean sonnet, Petrarchan sonnet, and the Spenserian sonnet. Despite their differences, these sonnets share some similarities. “Harlem Dancer” by Claude McKay and “In an Artist’s Studio” by Christina Rossetti share many similarities and differences such as the form, the portrayal of women, and the way the woman is objectified.

    Read More

  • New Dance: Evolution and Influence in the 20th Century

    964 Words  | 2 Pages

    New Dance is described as a developing art form; this dance was articulated in the early 20th century. According to Chapter 8 in History of Dance book, “the new dance emerged as a response to the ballet that populated the variety shows and music halls, which had a rigid formula of steps and poses” (Kassing). The New Dance was a product of several strands that interlaced together dancers’ studies and backgrounds; these strands and others were woven together in a historical, political, and societal framework. For instance, one strand of New Dance consisted of the concepts, techniques, costumes, and stage settings from around the world. These strands influenced major dancers and choreographers, such as, Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn.

    Read More

  • Concert Critique

    597 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first song played was from a genre that I had previously taken a test on, Sonata. The musicians played the song by the book. There were three movements and polyphonic texture. It was even fast and jerky. Nonetheless, this is the part where my rollercoaster was going down. In my opinion it was boring. Although very well played, the song itself did not interest me. I did not like the roadrunner, coyote essence of the song. The piano accompaniment would sometimes play the melody and let the clarinet follow and then they would switch. This to me seemed force instead of like the Sonatas that I listened to in class. However, apart from the musical aspect of the first piece there was a certain intensity expressed by the performers. I had never seen a

    Read More

  • Petrichor Dance Analysis

    1150 Words  | 3 Pages

    The dancers did not seem defeated, but slightly emotionally disconnected. I felt like this signified the exhaustion that comes while waiting for the rain. There were several positions that were held in the first part of the dance. I also noticed that flicking motions were a motif in the dance, whether that be from their wrists or their ankles. Morgan Moore first showed this motif as she held her leg up in a tilted position and stared down at the sheet below her. She began to flick her wrists which not only reminded me of one who is flicking the rain off their fingertips, but it looked like a begging

    Read More

  • Split Sides an Analysis of Modern Dance

    772 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Who knows only his own generation remains always a child.” This quote from George Norlin echoes the edification that cultural exposure can offer. How does African dance relate to do modern dance? The two are so heterogeneous in their make-up that one would not think of them as having similarities. The truth, however, is that all dance forms are linked in some way or another; they all strengthen and sharpen each other. Modern dance has its roots in African dance with the emphasis placed on the connection of weight and gravity. Brenda Dixon Gottschild names five aesthetics that are present in African dance. A particular piece that draws attention to the relation of the five aesthetics to modern dance is “Split Sides”, choreographed by Merce Cunningham.

    Read More

  • Esplanade Analysis

    1303 Words  | 3 Pages

    Overall time helped demonstrated the masses’ movement unity as they moved with the time and the individual’s struggle as she moved contrary to the group’s time. The dance began with a lively Bach movement, which created a feeling of excitement as the mass of dancers moved with increasing speed. The short duration needed to complete movements, regularity of the music, and repetition of dance patterns of the group established their synchronization with time. In contrast, this allegro tempo created a nervous, rushed feeling for the individual woman, which established her contradiction to the groups perception of time. The sharp, sudden adagio tempo change in Part 2 created an uneasy mood, while establishing distrust and tension between the individual woman and the masses. The stillness of the mass dancers in response to the woman in Part 2 exemplified this segregation. As the tempo slowed in Part 4, an element of sadness and isolation was apparent in the individual woman’s movement. In contrast, this tempo change for the group created an intimacy between the individual heterosexual couples. This intimacy further isolated the individual women and demonstrated her movement against groups perception of time. The changes in tempo of music and dance movement complimented the third element of dance, dynamics or

    Read More

  • Katherine Dunham Dance

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1938, she choreographed and produced “L’Ag’Ya” in the federal theater in Chicago. In 1939, the Katherine Dunham dance company performed for the Quadres Society. In 1941, her first film was released, “Carnival of Rhythm”. In 1942, she was a featured dancer in the patriotic film Star Spangled Rhythm and staged dances for the film, “Pardon My Sarong”. In 1947, One of Katherine Dunham Groups were able to present her choreography of “The Caribbean Backgrounds” at Howard University in Washington D.C. Something that Dunham can be remembered by is the title of an advisor, in 1966 Dunham was appointed by the president to be an adviser for the World Festival of Negro Arts held in Dakar. (Katherine Dunham Centers, pg. 1). In conclusion, the amazing life of Katherine Dunham and career can be seen as a miraculous one, and although she was not alone Dunham is perhaps one of the best and most influential pioneer of black dance in the world. To this day and age one can say that Katherine Dunham has done her job correctly, because all she wanted was to she wanted to do was make a statement that African-American and African-Caribbean dance styles are related and can be put together to form powerful choreography which she taught here in

    Read More

  • Dance Concert Analysis

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    This piece was based slightly on swing dancing as apparent in the costumes and choreography. The choreographer of this was Joshua L. Peugh. The composers of the music used are Tommy Duncan, Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh, and Bob Wills. My favorite part of the piece was when one of the performers walked across the stage carrying a cactus that would get bigger each time she walked across the stage. This both helped separate each small dance from each other but also added a sense of comedy and a familiar transition throughout the piece for the audience. The performer did this five times and by the final entrance the cactus was easily clearing her head. I liked how this piece from group dances to couple dances and flowed very well. The overall mood of this dance was lively and fun. Another moment that stood out was when the strings of lights came out at the final of the piece. This added a touch of warmth and added to the swing, country feel of the dance. Because I am classically trained in ballet, I appreciate turn out and piles between steps; however, I thought that this piece successfully told a story. It seemed very well rehearsed and the effort put in showed. The dancers portrayed the emotions of the piece as well. I especially thought the costumes were very fitting to the theme as well as the

    Read More

  • Dance Essay: The Art Of Dance

    966 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Dance, the art of precise, expressive, and graceful human movement, traditionally, but not necessarily, performed in accord with musical accompaniment. Dancing developed as a natural expression of united feeling and action.”

    Read More

More about Summary Of Reflections In Black: Dance Critique

Open Document