Dance – Anthropossibilities

Dance For All

Dance showcases the uniqueness and capabilities of individuals and can provide opportunities for growth and leadership. However, dance lessons are not readily accessible and available for many populations, especially minorities or underprivileged people. Additionally, many dance education curriculums are not diverse and center on only certain styles of dance, rather than styles from around theContinue reading “Dance For All”

Panorama of Dance Ethnology

Dance ethnology is the study of dance as a means to analyze human culture, social structure, and societies. It is a relatively new branch of anthropology, but research and publications focused on collecting and interpreting dances are becoming more available. Ethnologists identify what is considered dance and studies the expressive and rhythmic aspects of movement.Continue reading “Panorama of Dance Ethnology”

Folklorico

Mexican folk dance is a symbol of Mexican culture in the United States and throughout Mexico. Mexican folk dance portrays Mexican heritage and the history of certain regions in Mexico. Although there are aspects of Mexican culture such as the art, food, and music that is well known, folklorico dance is often unrecognized. Since thereContinue reading “Folklorico”

Anthropology and the Study of Dance

Dance is considered the movement of the body as a way of human expression. Most people regard dance as simply a physical movement, but dance has many underlying values and meanings. Dance is a critical aspect in human cultures socially and artistically. All around the world, dance portrays stories, symbolizes relationships, depicts emotion, and socialContinue reading “Anthropology and the Study of Dance”

Dance and Cultural Diversity

Dance plays a critical role in understanding culture since its very being brings insight and understanding into diverse societies and ways of life. The widespread manifestation of dance around the world is valuable since certain dances can be used to study the cultures it originated from and provide insight into non-western societies. The cultural contextContinue reading “Dance and Cultural Diversity”

The Mechanics of Studying Dance from an Anthropological Viewpoint

Studying dance from an anthropological viewpoint can be very difficult. Observation, interview, and consultations of secondary sources are some methods commonly used by ethnologists. However, dance can be hard to write about since verbal descriptions are limited. Therefore, dance ethnologists have formulated certain symbols and methods that apply to ethnic and artistic dance. These methodsContinue reading “The Mechanics of Studying Dance from an Anthropological Viewpoint”

The Importance and Cultural Significance of Teaching Dance to Children

Dance can be a creative outlet for children to explore their identity, form relationships, combat stressful situations, and discover their uniqueness. Dance can be utilized to increase engagement and learning in students. Dance has therapeutic aspects and can help children gain self-esteem. Dance education also helps with communication skills and inter-personal relationships as it teachesContinue reading “The Importance and Cultural Significance of Teaching Dance to Children”