Self-Reflective Essays

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Full Circle

Melody Muñiz

To bring this course full circle, I will start by saying my definition of dance. Dance is any form of movement that expresses thoughts or emotions. It can be done within a group or be a solitary activity; there are also several different purposes for dancing – for some it is a sacred religious practice, and for others it is a way to release energy in a healthy and fun way. I have learned so much through this course, particularly about the roots of certain dances and how they influence other types of dances. Although it was necessary to maintain social distancing and practice other COVID-19 safety measures, Professor Morejon still managed to make the class very interesting and fun.

In the beginning of the semester we talked about the broad-spectrum approach and how using that approach is so integral to understand all different types of dance. In simple terms, the broad-spectrum approach to dance is appreciating all kinds of dance regardless of how mundane or silly it may look. In the end it is the movement itself that matters. I think this ideology has really pushed me into pursuing the dance minor because it made me realize that I can dance just because I love it. There doesn’t have to be any other reason. As we moved forward with the content in class, we talked about moving past the Neolithic age into more advanced societies like the Greeks and the Romans. I was very intrigued by the war dances because I had never heard of that before. And when you think about it, it makes so much sense that they would use sharp, strong movements to get motivated for battle. It builds a certain level of camaraderie among the warriors who are called to fight. And when they dance together, they are reminded of their purpose in preparing for the war because many times when soldiers go to war they do not even really know or believe in what they are fighting for. Another interesting concept in this course was the African influence in Caribbean dances. The Africans that were stolen from their land to be a part of the slave trade carried with them their faith, customs, songs, dances, and language. For this reason, places like Brazil and Cuba still practice religions like Santeria and Umbanda. This topic reminded me very much of my own Cuban culture. Although Santeria is villainized in the Cuban culture (my abuelita would have a heart attack if she knew I was learning about this in school), I did my best to look at it through a clear lens. I had to unlearn my personal bias and re-learn the concept of Santeria and the Orishas within their proper social and cultural context. I found that this class helped me set aside my personal bias on multiple occasions and see those dances, and the cultures/religions they represent, in a more understanding, mature way. In addition to those dances, I was also very intrigued by the Renaissance and the influence of the Medici family who heavily sponsored the arts, especially Katherine de Medici. At this point in time, dancing gets separated by societal class. The upper-class nobles would dance very orderly and restrained to show their sophistication, while the lower-class people would dance more freely and energetically to express themselves.

The structure of this course – and the whole semester, really – was very different from what I am used to. But I was still able to learn so many fascinating and interesting concepts. I want to thank you, Professor Morejon, for doing the best that you could during this time. Your dedication to this class was infectious and I hope to see you in another class soon.

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Interconnectedness

Tatiana Esparza 

    To once again define, dancing is a physical form of art that can express various things, such as a story, emotions, or even beliefs. Dance takes on many different variations, and can be done individually, with a partner, or with an even larger group. Throughout the course, I have learned a lot about the history of dance and how different dances can also share the same themes and roots. It was very interesting to participate in a course fully online, especially a dance course. 

    I was hesitant at first on the value of doing a course online which I felt should really be in person and interactive. However, the professor and fellow students helped with maintaining the course to remain an interactive experience. When I first joined the class, we were discussing Bharatanatyam. At first, the dance felt so foreign to me because I had never heard of it. But as we learned and practiced it, I realized how yoga, something I am very familiar with, was a part of this dance. 

    The first lesson showed me how interconnected dance is with other themes and topics. As the class progressed, the theme of interconnectedness continued. When discussing war dances, it was interesting to see how in both African countries and during the Roman empire, war dances were used for strategy and teaching war movements to soldiers. History also played a large role in class for the development of dances. When practicing West African dances, we learned that the trading of the enslaved Africans played a role in practicing their faith while practicing the dance. 

    The importance of history was also a component for discussing ballet. We learned how the Italian Medici family, to my surprise, were the first sponsors of ballet. Then, when Catherine Medici married the King of France, ballet was adopted and practiced there. The course led me to reflect how different dances can still find commonality amongst one another.

    I want to thank Professor Morejon for a great semester, especially considering the circumstances. Being online, I thought I would never relate or connect to the topics discussed in class. But after the semester, I realized that I have enjoyed the history behind dance and how they first developed. 

 

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 Dance Styles, Cultures, Dancers

Amber Wang

            Maybe it’s because Thanksgiving is coming soon, I really want

 to give a lot of thanks to Professor Morejon. I took your class last

semester as well that I had so much fun and learned a lot from you.

Not something you can learn from a textbook, I learned everything

through feeling and communicating. This is the last semester of my

college life and I chose your class again with no irresoluteness. 

 

    Unlucky, with the COVID-19 situation I chose everything on the

remote. But thanks to Professor Morejon that during this difficult

 timing, you did what best you can do. For most students like me who 

went back to their home country, every email you sent before class 

helped us a lot to catch up with the work. The discussion board is also 

very helpful and can give us time to do some self-reflection and 

summary for each class. Now when I look over the discussion board, 

I’m surprised at how much we have learned this semester. 

 

    Different dance styles, different cultures, famous dancers, and so on.

 Also, I learned a lot with the last project. I was planning to introduce 

Chinese traditional dance like Lion dance or Peacock dance. 

Since other classmates were already chosen that topic, I decided to

 change my topic to Belly dance. This is a type of dance I know 

 nothing about, except the name. 

 

    But now I got familiar with it not only its culture, but also the dance

 origins, development, and so many advantages about the dance 

through this project. Also, from watching other presentations, I learned

 something I did not know before and also got a new understanding of

 the dances. Overall, this class is not only enjoyable but also a class 

that benefits a lot. I’m glad I had this course in my last semester.

 

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 Dance Across the World

Riley Scheier

 

    This semester in Introduction to Dance, I was given a new perspective on the way the world views dance as a whole. I entered this class with a broad amount of knowledge on the way dance is viewed in the United States, as I grew up with dance being a very large part of my life. However, I was unaware of the vast history of dance and its wide variety of uses across the world. Personally, through our culture, I understood that most people in the United States see dance as a past-time without much more meaning behind it. This is very different from the way other countries use dance not only for entertainment but for cultural and spiritual reasons. 

    We initially sought to define what dance is in a concrete way. This was very difficult to do because dance has many different interpretations to many different people. The way that I defined dance was that it is choreographed or improvised movement that tells a story, evokes an emotion, or is performed for celebration. I believe that this definition encompasses a lot of what dance is, however, it is very difficult to define in one sentence. While some people in the United States would define it more in a performance aspect, others across the world would define it more based on its cultural uses. 

    One of the most interesting things that I learned in this course is the way that dance evolved from yoga, specifically from Bharatanatyam. I enjoyed learning about this because I’ve seen firsthand the way that yoga is used so much in dance and to see the way the origins combined to create what we know as modern dance was very interesting. Diving into Bharatanatyam, it is a very impressive style of dance. It takes much precision, balance, and control and the performers are very poised and beautiful. This was one of my favorite styles of dance to learn about and I hope to learn more about it in the future. 

    Another one of my favorite topics that we learned about in this course was pantomime. I found this especially interesting because miming is not typically something that people think of as related to dance. However, after learning more about it, I began to see all the connections between miming and dance. This applies mainly to performance dance that tells a story. This is because dancers can use the principles of pantomime to portray a story without using their words. While the connection between pantomime and dance isn’t one I would have made on my own, it is one that I continue to see throughout many different styles of dance. 

    Another new purpose of dance that I learned through this course is the use of dance in many countries as a preparation for war. These war dances are used not only to prepare the people fighting physically for war, but also to create excitement and unity about going into battle. This is similar to the use of dance as a celebration because both of these use the art form in a way that is different from using it as a performance for education. Both of these uses of dance are widely used but also differ greatly between many different cultures. Exploring the different cultural and spiritual uses of dance is something that I am very interested in studying in the future.

    As we moved more into the modern uses of dance, I became more comfortable with the fact that I had prior knowledge in these areas. However, I still enjoyed learning more than I already did about modern dance. I greatly enjoyed going back to the basics of ballet and tap; two styles that I do very often. I also enjoyed exploring how these styles translated to musical theater and especially about how ballet translated into modern dance. Throughout this class, I have learned more than I ever thought I could about the origins of dance and its great variety across the world.

 

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Myself Through Dance

Nicolle Garcia

    Dr. Morejon’s dance class (DAN 130) was the highlight of my semester. The pandemic, political, social, and racial climate and suffering going on in our world this fall of 2020 made it very difficult to keep moving forward, let alone focus on my studies. I do not need to say much to explain how difficult this time has been for everyone, and despite us all being under a miasma, we did it! We made it through the semester.

    Through dance and the environment created in the classroom, I made new connections with other people and with myself. I found a confidence through dance that I did not have before. One of my favorite parts of the class was the first day of class when we all spoke aloud what dance means to us, and then we danced it. I felt so embarrassed at first, but Dr. Morejon and my peers were so supportive. It was a great feeling to express myself through dance and to learn what it is like to surround myself with positive energy and support.

    The confidence I found through dance made its way into all other aspects of my life, especially in the arts. I am a singer and after being able to dance and express myself in front of people while dancing, I felt like I could do anything. “Here I am. This is me, and I am not sorry about it,” is what I began to think when creating art, writing music, performing for a large audience. Everyone’s art is worthy and special because only you can create it. We cannot let institutions, competitions, and placements define our self-worth. 

 

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Why I Dance 

Colette Shea

     This dance class has taught me to look at dancing from a different perspective. All my life, I have grown up in a very strict, competitive dance environment, where we always strive for perception. It was so refreshing to take a step back and look at the real reason we dance. Learning about new styles and cultural meanings really made it all very clear to me. 

    Dance is not something that always needs to be stress filled and intense. We are also able to remember the organic movements and the source of our expression. Throughout the semester, while learning about different cultures and time periods and how they danced, I looked at the art differently. As a class, we were able to connect with each other, even though we had no past experience with each other and nothing in common besides our interest in dance. 

    While we learned about the history of each dance, it made me feel grateful for all of the different styles and outlets we have at our disposal today. It made me appreciate where the dance came from and how it developed into the 21st century. Dance can often be seen as a lost art or underappreciated to those who don't understand it, but with this group and in this classroom, it felt like a safe space to dance freely. 

    This class taught me more than I ever could have possibly imagined, and professor Jorge made it all come to life. I have a different respect for the art of dance and the program here at UM. It reminded me why I dance, and why it is so important.