La La Land: A Rant

This post will be a bit different than my others. Today, rather than talk about a specific genre of dance or a specific dancer, I’m going to address something that has been bothering me since I went with family to go see it: La La Land with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. 

Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely many aspects I enjoyed. The costumes were gorgeous. The dresses were bright and colorful and flowed very well during the dance numbers.

The choreography itself was also great. I really enjoyed the opening dance number. It was fun and exciting, people were dancing on their cars. It was an enjoyable thing to watch. I enjoyed the storyline as well. The story of two struggling artists who do what it takes to make it in Hollywood, even if it means making sacrifices, is one that few have experienced but many have aspired to.

I do, however, have many complaints. First of all, and the most shallow reasoning, I didn’t like the ending. I won’t spoil it, but it was very disappointing. The sacrifices made were realistic and reflected sacrifices many people have to make in order to be successful in Hollywood, but that doesn’t change the fact that I didn’t like it. I’m a romantic, what can I say? I had a certain ending in mind when I started watching the movie, and when that ending didn’t happen, I was disappointed.

My other complaint, and the one that is the main focus of this post, is that neither of the main characters can really sing or dance. This movie was clearly a musical, and I feel that people who can sing and dance should have been casted in the lead roles. There are plenty of talented performers that would have killed for an opportunity to perform in a movie like this. Instead, they casted big names in Hollywood that they knew would draw in larger audiences, rather than choosing talented performers that would make it a musical that would go down in history. Essentially, they chose looks over talent, a trend that seems to becoming more and more apparent in modern Hollywood.

The dances featuring the main characters were always simple. Why? Because they don’t actually know how to dance. They’re actors. Not singers, not dancers; and to anyone that has any background in the arts, it really showed.

I don’t know. Maybe I’m judging it too harshly. Is comparing movie musicals to Broadway musicals even fair? Each has their own advantages, such as the endless possibilities for set locations in movies, whereas Broadway musicals typically have (in my opinion) more talented performers and can be longer because of intermission. I just couldn’t help being surprised when I came out of the movie and my family couldn’t express how much they loved it, whereas I found it somewhat tedious to watch.

I am just blown away that with all the talented theater performers who have been trained in singing, dancing, and acting, that they chose main characters who only had background in acting. I was disappointed. I’m sorry that this was just a rant, but this is just something that’s been on my mind.

Flamenco

Flamenco is a style of dance that originated with the gypsies of Andalusia, the most southern region of Spain. It most likely emerged sometime between the ninth and fourteenth century when the gypsies that now reside in Andalusia migrated from Rajasthan in northwest India. As the cultures of the Spanish people and these gypsies intermingled, the dance style now known as flamenco was born.

Flamenco truly is a captivating art form. It is a dance of passion and energy that can be performed alone (by a male or a female) or with partners. Modern flamenco is characterized by the artful combination of three things: cante (singing), toque (traditional Spanish guitar playing), and palmas (all rhythmic aspects, including the dance itself). A good example that shows all three can be seen here. All three of these aspects come together in beautiful harmony to create a wonderful piece of art.

For women, the costumes are also an important part of flamenco. A traditional flamenco dress had many ruffles in the skirt and would accentuate the movements of the dancer, as seen in the above picture. Many modern flamenco dancers, however, have begun to opt for more modern and elegant gowns that have a similar effect, as pictured to the right.

There have been many famous and extremely talented flamenco dancers since the dance style’s birth.  Carmen Amaya (see a video here) is considered by many to be the best flamenco dancer in history and definitely one of the most imitated. During the first stage of her career, she broke all the traditional rules of female flamenco with her somewhat masculine style. During this period of her career, rather than focus on the arms and upper body, as most female flamenco dancers did, she chose instead to focus on her legs and the rhythm, a style with was typically left to males. Where most females were delicate and flowing, she was aggressive. She is also famous for breaking precedent and wearing a traje corto, a tight fitting suit during a performance that was typically only worn by male flamenco dancers. Many disapproved her divergence from the traditional female flamenco style. During the second stage of her career, however, she adopted the more feminine style. This new approach was just as captivating as her masculine style, marking her as one of the most talented flamenco dancers in history.

Other famous flamenco dancers in history include Antonio Gades and Cristina Hoyos (seen dancing together here). Antonio Gades, born Antonio Esteve Ródenas, owned his own dance company like many other famous flamenco dancers. Famous for his good looks and his mixing of modern and traditional flamenco styles, he won an unprecedented amount of awards for his dancing. He discovered Cristina Hoyos and made her the lead dancer in his company for twenty years. She was also famous for her traditional flamenco with a twist of modernism. Gades and Hoyos often performed together.

Sara Baras is the most famous modern female flamenco dancer. She began dancing from a young age, receiving instruction from her mother. She has an amazingly beautiful and graceful modern style (seen here). She was awarded the Madroño Flamenco in 1994 in Montellano for being the “most outstanding artiste of the year.” She has opened for the Carnival in Cadiz (an immense honor), has appeared on television, and was filmed for a scene in Mission Impossible 2. She currently owns her own dance company and travels the world performing with them. She now has an immense number of fans across the globe. She, like many other modern flamenco dancers, has replaced the frills of traditional flamenco dresses with elegant flowing gowns.

Joaquin Cortes, born Joaquin Pedraja Reyes, is the most famous modern male dancer (see him perform here). He was encouraged by his uncle to embrace dance and really fell in love with it when he traveled to Madrid. He began his career in ballet, traveling with the Ballet Nacional de España. He now owns his own flamenco dance company, which took the world by storm with his second solo production, Pasíon Gitana. This production was seen in more than thirty countries worldwide by more than a million people. It won him the hearts of Europe and made him the first Spanish dancer to headline at the famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City. He has performed in multiple movies and continues to produce shows and performances with his dance company.

Flamenco is clearly an art form that has taken the world by storm as social media has been introduced. It is the embodiment of passion into dance and will hopefully continue to captivate audiences worldwide for centuries to come.


Word Count: 772

http://www.dancefacts.net/dance-types/types-of-dances/

https://www.britannica.com/art/flamenco

http://www.andalucia.com/flamenco/dancers/carmenamaya.htm

http://www.andalucia.com/flamenco/dancers/antoniogades.htm

http://www.andalucia.com/flamenco/dancers/cristinahoyos.htm

http://www.andalucia.com/flamenco/dancers/sara-baras.htm

http://www.andalucia.com/flamenco/dancers/joaquin-cortes.htm

Twerking–A Brief History

Instead of blogging about a particular dancer this week, I’m going to blog about a dance move that you’ve most likely heard of, particularly in recent years: twerking. This sexual and provocative dance move has taken the world by storm. Contrary to what the media will tell you, it did not originate with Miley Cyrus’s 2013 VMA performance with Robin Thicke (a sad interpretation of twerking if you ask me).

Twerking has actually been around for much longer than it has been in the mainstream media. The dance dates back centuries, having most likely originated somewhere in West Africa. It has an uncanny resemblance to the Mapouka dance from Côte d’Ivoire (modern versions of which can be seen here and here (a side note: if you decide to investigate this further, beware of simply typing “mapouka” into YouTube)). The Mapouka dance focuses mainly on the buttocks; the resemblance to modern-day twerking is easy to see.

According to the Western perspective, twerking is a highly sexualized and provocative gyration of the hips and buttocks. It has even been added to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, which defines it as “sexually suggestive dancing characterized by rapid, repeated hip thrusts and shaking of the buttocks especially while squatting.” But twerking isn’t new. In many West African cultures, it was an expression of joy and celebration performed at family gatherings and weddings. One blogger recalls seeing older women in her predominantly West African church go to the front of the church and twerk if a certain song of praise was sung. There, it was not a sexual thing; it was a form of worship.

Twerking has long been a part of black culture; even disregarding its original cultural origins, black women were twerking in rap and R&B videos long before Miley Cyrus ever hit the stage. One of the first recorded instances of the use of the term “twerking” occurred in DJ Jubilee’s “Do the Jubilee All” from 1993 when he says, “twerk baby, twerk baby, twerk, twerk, twerk.” Other songs since then include “Whistle While You Twurk” by The Ying Yang Twins, “Twerk That Thang” by Master P, “Get Low” by Lil Jon, and many others (Destiny’s Child almost released “Twirk” but ended up deciding against it, just FYI ’cause who doesn’t love Beyonce?)

So twerking isn’t new. At all. So why, then, has it suddenly become so popular with Miley Cyrus? Well, it’s not exactly surprising. The mainstream media loves to take things that traditionally belong to other cultures, put a white face on them, and present them as some new trend that only recently came about. Remember that time Justin Bieber had dreads? Or the excessive amounts of culturally offensive Halloween costumes you can find at any costume store? Or all the times Miley Cyrus has twerked, surrounded only by dancers of color that seem a bit more like props than back up dancers at times? Even Taylor Swift has twerking in her video for “Shake It Off” (which, if I might add, is also full of stereotypes and cultural appropriation).

So yes, twerking isn’t new; it’s only new to the mainstream media. The media will probably tire of it eventually, and when that happens, black culture will be there to reclaim it.


http://www.xojane.com/issues/the-origins-of-twerking

http://www.vh1.com/news/51270/twerking-complete-history/

http://djbooth.net/news/entry/twerking-history

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twerking

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Prince

“I don’t wanna die, I’d rather dance my life away.”

Prince, 1999


Prince was a man from Minnesota who defied all kinds of stereotypes and molds. He was one of the few African American rock stars; he was rather androgynous, going so far as to have a female alter ego for himself (her name was Camille, pictured below; certain songs were written and performed by Camille rather than Prince); he loved lace and purple and scarves, all things that most rock stars never would have been seen wearing in public; he even legally changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol  that fused the male and female symbols together for a time, after which many people jokingly referred to him as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. His song “Darling Nikki,” which openly references masturbation and sexual activity inspired the beginning of the Parents Music Resource Center (the federal group that labels songs as explicit). His album Sign o the Times touched on many taboo topics including AIDS, drug abuse, gender identity, sexual urges, and spirituality. He was simultaneously feminine yet definitively male. He constantly broke molds; just when crowds thought they understood this complicated man, he would do something crazy and surprising and completely change their opinions of him. He could easily be considered one of the most confusing artists to have ever lived; he could also be considered one of the most prolific and influential artists of all time (he produced an album a year at the height of his career, many of which went platinum multiple times over, such as Purple Rain which went 14x platinum).

Prince’s dancing style, like everything else that pertains to Prince, was wild and free and completely unique to Prince. It was sexual, and it was random. Other than saying that about it, it’s honestly a very difficult style to put into words. Rather than trying to describe his style, I have chosen to include a number of links to live performances, many of which I feel capture the essence of his dancing. What I can say about his dance style though, is that like many other artists which I have already written about, he thrust sexuality into the open. He, unlike the others however, also addressed taboo topics besides sex and sexuality (“Darling Nikki”, “Jack U Off”, and many others, especially from Dirty Mind), such as gender roles (“I Would Die 4 U” and “If I Was Your Girlfriend”), AIDS (“Sign O’ the Times”, which actually touches on many controversial topics), and spirituality (“Controversy” includes the Lord’s Prayer and “The Cross” also includes spiritual aspects) among many others.

Prince’s influences can still be seen today. His high-pitched, falsetto style is emulated by many singers today, including Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, and other male artists who are famous for singing in a high pitch. He also made a social statement with his music, outfits, and behavior, constantly challenging stereotypes and anti-stereotypes alike. He was a man who forged his own path and did as he pleased, producing many great hits and dancing his way into our hearts.

P.S.: I didn’t include some of his most famous songs simply because they didn’t pertain to the article, but I feel that I should provide links to “Purple Rain,” “Little Red Corvette” (I apologize for the content during the intro, but I couldn’t find another video), “When Doves Cry,” and “Kiss” (apparently any videos of it are impossible to find, but they recently added Prince to Spotify so you can find it there) simply because they are some of my favorite Prince songs.


Word count: 597

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/prince/biography

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3552811/From-broken-home-Minnesota-transforming-history-pop-music-forever-Prince-one-influential-artists-time-premature-death-57.html

http://www.today.com/popculture/princes-royal-influence-wbna4499702

The Supremes

The Supremes, originally made up of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard, took Motown by storm. The group began performing together at a young age as The Primettes; in fact, they were originally turned down by the record label that took them to the top of the pop and R&B charts because of their youth. They had humble beginnings, originally performing locally and doing backup for other lead singers. When they went solo as their own group, Ross was not the lead singer. Ballard, with a sound closer to Aretha Franklin, was initially considered the lead singer. Under her lead, however, the group produced multiple flops. Eventually, after signing with their record label, Ross was made the lead singer; the group then began to flourish.

They received special attention from their manager, Berry Gordy Jr., and became wildly popular. Even at the height of Beatlemania in the 60’s, they still produced multiple #1 hits with chart-topping songs like “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Baby Love,” and “Where Did Our Love Go.” The combination of their fantastic costumes and their vocal sound that captures the essence of Motown enabled their rise to stardom.

At the height of the civil rights movement, they also represented empowerment to black women. They were the epitome of African American success. Not only were they wildly popular with black audiences, they were also one of the few groups to cross over to white audiences and top the pop charts. They also appeared on many popular talk shows, such as The Tonight Show and The Hollywood Palace. They had a stance in the liberal politics as well; they were often seen at Democratic political fundraisers for President Lyndon B. Johnson and were specifically invited to the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (seen on the right).

Now, on to what you’ve been waiting for: the dancing. From a group that was so amazing and influential, they must have some amazing choreography, right? Surprisingly, The Supremes’ choreography was relatively…plain. As can be seen from the links provided earlier, their dancing was incredibly simple and sophisticated. Rather than wow the crowd with their dance moves, they chose instead to make their sound and appearance the main focus. Their choreography consists mostly of swaying with the occasional position change or coordinated gesture to emphasize a specific lyric of the song.

The relative simplicity of their dancing came as a surprise to me, actually. Dreamgirls, one of my favorite movies/musicals, was loosely based on The Supremes. I didn’t realize how loosely the comparison was until I began doing actual research on The Supremes. Although they got some elements right, like the costumes, the choreography was exaggerated for Broadway and the movie, and the plot only had some similarities, such as the romance between Deena Jones (Ross) and Curtis Taylor (Gordy). Some characters in the movie were actually based on multiple people in reality. Unfortunately, Dreamgirls is not entirely fact, although it is still one of my favorite movies. The sound for most of the songs is also more Broadway than Motown (although “Listen” is a personal favorite of mine, the only song that remotely even has a chance of standing alone is “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.”). Although it isn’t necessarily an accurate representation of The Supremes, I would still suggest watching Dreamgirls.

Essentially, this article was written to show that simple dance moves can also capture the hearts of crowds when paired with quality talent. After all, the vast world of dance includes both the simple and extravagant. The Supremes had a profound influence on culture; their simple dance moves lent them an air of sophistication that gave them the ability to influence society the way they did.


http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/diana-ross-and-the-supremes/biography

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/SUPREME-BEINGS-WHAT-DREAMGIRLS-GETS-RIGHT-2465737.php

http://www.billboard.com/artist/419238/supremes/chart

Madonna–The Queen of Pop

“I was used to dancing, but only when someone told you what to do. So in the nightclub I was all over the place, I combined everything. Street dance, modern dance, a bit of jazz and ballet. I was Twyla Tharp; I was Alvin Ailey; I was Michael Jackson. I didn’t care; I was free.”

-Madonna Ciccone


When people think of Madonna, many images may come to mind. She often reinvented herself and her image for a single performance or appearance, drawing inspiration from everything from nuns to sex symbols to her famous bridal gown on the cover of “Like a Virgin.” (Watch her 1984  performance of the song here.)

Madonna was never considered “normal.” She always pushed the limits, and this crossed over into dance as well. She once said, “When I performed Like a Virgin on the MTV Awards and my dress went up and my ass was showing, it was considered a total scandal. It was never the average, and now it’s the average. When I did Truth or Dare [aka In Bed with Madonna] and the cameras followed me around, it was not the average. So if I have to be the person who opens the door for women to believe and understand and embrace the idea that they can be sexual and look good and be as relevant in their fifties or their sixties or whatever as they were in their twenties, then so be it.”

She blazed a path in dance and pop culture that has been followed today. She thrust female sexuality to the forefront of pop culture, something that had never been done before. In fact, before Madonna, the vast majority of huge pop stars were male. After her, many female pop stars became popular.

As she ages, Madonna continues to wow crowds with her consistently unconventional outfits; she disregards the conventional “expiration date” that seems to be placed on pop stars. At age 56, she wore a revealing outfit inspired by matadors and had a bit of a “wardrobe malfunction.” She also continues to dress and perform in what was once considered a scandalous fashion.  Due to her creating a place for female sexuality in pop culture, this is now the norm.

She has inspired many other performers that came after her. Her influence can be seen in performances by Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, the Spice Girls and many others. Every female pop star, however, enjoys their freedom to create music and perform in any way they feel expresses themselves because of Madonna. Had she not been the sexual, unconventional, phenomenal star that she was, modern artists like Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, and Beyonce would not have the freedom to become the huge stars they are today. The music and performance market would still be essentially closed to women, so next time you listen to your favorite female pop artist, take a moment to thank Madonna for making their career possible.

All hail the Queen of Pop.


Word Count: 494

Source 1: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150310-material-girl-madonna

Source 2: http://prince.org/msg/8/422733

Source 3: http://www.azquotes.com/quote/1229338

Source 4: http://giphy.com/search/madonna

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Elvis Presley–The King

“Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can’t help but move to it. That’s what happens to me. I can’t help it.”

-Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was known to many as “the King of Rock and Roll,” and for good reason. He wooed a whole generation of Baby Boomers by blending the sound of African-American blues, Christian gospel, and a classic country sound into one seamless voice with a face that appealed to the masses.

You might ask why the King of Rock and Roll is on a blog about dance. Elvis was one of the most passionate dancers the world has been gifted with. He often went on-stage without any choreography. He simply danced. His raw talent was impressive to say the least. His free and passionate dance style became easily recognizable across the nation. His gyrating hips were completely unprecedented, yet that only drew fans in. The slightly taboo nature of his dancing kept people around the world coming back for more.

Many, however, disapproved of this newfound liberation. It was often described as animalistic and vulgar. The raw sexuality was too much for the older generations. PBS reported that many shows refused to have him on for fear of bad ratings and upsetting producers, regardless of his wild popularity across the nation (he did hold the record for most albums sold worldwide for thirty years after his death, after all). CBS once had him on for three appearances with Ed Sullivan, one of  television’s most popular personalities at the time, who once declared he would never hire Presley after a performance on The Milton Berle Show in which Elvis’s hips were gyrating as much as usual. His first two appearances on CBS were unfiltered; after some pressure, however, the third appearance was shot only from the waist up. Steve Allen of The Tonight Show, another popular television personality, rejected multiple requests from NBC to cancel Elvis’s already booked appearance. Allen’s solution? He had Elvis sing his famous “Hound Dog”…to a basset hound.

(See the video here: https://youtu.be/-phwGzFLdGM)

Elvis did much for the world of rock and roll. He brought three different sounds together–the blues, gospel, and country–in a united front to sweep the nation. He not only did much for the music world, however; he also changed the world of dance. His provocative hip-gyrating thrust sexuality, something that is now central to current dancing trends, into the center of the dance world. Although his life ended in an unfortunate downward spiral, his effects on on our current culture can still be seen today. Anyone who has been to Las Vegas can verify that Vegas is home to dozens of Elvis impersonators. Heck, you can get married BY the King himself–well, an impersonator, but you get the point–in Vegas (see here, here, and here for more information).

Long story short, Elvis is well-loved by many. He changed the face of dance by being openly sexual during performances. May he never be forgotten. Long live the King.

PBS source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/music/elvis.html

US Embassy source: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2006/07/20060710113924aawajuk4.964846e-02.html#axzz4WwGCw97T

Martha Graham–Master of the Contemporary Style

“Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.”

–Martha Graham


Martha Graham was an innovator of the contemporary style. She essentially single handedly created the American contemporary style, influencing generations of dancers to come. I know of her influence from personal experience; when I took modern dance classes, we learned the Graham style.

Martha Graham

Martha Graham began her career in 1916 at Denishawn school and dance company, where she was taught by Ted Shawn. He discovered and nurtured her innate talent. In 1923, she left the company; and in 1924, she began teaching and experimenting with choreography at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Young Martha Graham

As she broke free and began to choreograph herself, Graham began to focus on the individual in works such as Deaths and Entrances (1943) and Appalachian Spring (1944). By focusing on the individual, she made her style distinctly American, one of the most individualistic societies on the face of this earth. She began to explore the depths of human complexity through movement and choreography. Her work, unlike any other choreographer’s before her, was infused with social, political, psychological, and sexual themes. She took a strong stance on various societal issues, such as when she refused Hitler’s invitation to perform at the International Arts Festival that happened in conjunction with the Olympic Games in Berlin. Political and social moves like this quickly characterized her as an artist that was aware of the what was going on in the world and had the political power to do something within it.

Martha Graham 2

Graham’s expression of the individual and of various societal issues and controversies emerged from her experimentation with contraction and release of various muscles or muscle groups in the body (if I remember correctly from my own classes, the core muscles and the muscles around the pelvis were often the subject of these contractions and releases). By focusing on the basic and elemental activities of the human body, she was able to infuse her dances with a certain vitality that couldn’t be found in the predominant style of the time. The sharp and angular yet direct movements of her technique, exemplified in the above picture, were entirely foreign compared to anything the world of dance had ever seen before in an era where ballet was the dominant dance form.

Martha Graham 3

Martha Graham 4

Over the course of her career, Graham choreographed 181 masterpieces that are still performed today. She began the Martha Graham Dance Company and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance later in her career. Today, the Company performs Graham’s works along with works inspired by her, thereby constantly presenting new styles to the world and keeping alive Graham’s legacy of ingenuity. Extremely prestigious dancers like Mikhail Baryshnikov have performed with her company, and it is held in high regard in over fifty countries. The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance is the longest continually operating school of dance in America. Both her school and her company are still in operation today and are considered very prestigious.

martha graham company

martha graham company 2

 Even though she passed away in 1991, the influence of Martha Graham is still incredibly pervasive in the dance world. As I said before, it was the style of modern dance that I learned and  that many others across America and around the world learn today. I am consistently in awe of the creativity, ability, and raw talent of dancers like Graham. She will forever be cherished by the dance world as one of the greats and as the creator of the American contemporary style.

martha graham final pic

The Contributions of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson: Thinking is the biggest mistake a dancer could make. You need to feel. You become the bass, you become the fanfare, you become the clarinet and the flute and the strings and the drums.
Martin Bashir: So you almost become the physical embodiment of the music.
Michael Jackson: Yeah.


Michael Jackson was, without a doubt, one of the greatest performers of all time. His older brother, Jermaine, was intended to be the lead singer of the group; however, even at the young age of four, Michael quickly stole the spotlight and captured the hearts of their audience. He was the star of the Jackson 5 and remained the star through the Jackson 5’s transformation into the Jacksons.

The Jackson brothers pose for a portrait in the backyard of their home, Los Angeles, 1972. From left to right, Jackie Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson (1958 - 2009), Tito Jackson and Marlon Jackson. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The Jackson brothers pose for a portrait in the backyard of their home, Los Angeles, 1972. From left to right, Jackie Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009), Tito Jackson and Marlon Jackson. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

As he transitioned into his solo career, he rose through the charts, becoming one of the most popular artists in America. He quickly developed his own individuality in his sense of style, his singing, and his dancing.

Michael Jackson (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)

mj danc

When most people think of Michael Jackson, they think primarily of his musical career. Many, however, fail to remember that he was also an incredible dancer. His dance style is one of the most recognizable in the world. It was typically fast-paced with sharp movements. Most of the focus was directed to his waist down with lots of movement of the feet, crotch grabbing, hip thrusts, kicking, and his signature moonwalk. Although Michael Jackson was not the originator of the moonwalk,–his most famous move in which he gave the appearance of purposefully walking forward while gliding backwards across the stage–he made it his own, and it is now associated mostly with him. Even the rhythmic rising of his pants as he moved to show off his white socks seemed to become a part of the choreography.

mj dance 2 mj dance 3 mj dance 4

He didn’t only focus on his feet however. He used his arms a lot as well in many of his signature poses and most famous dance moves.

mj arms 2

He also emphasized hand movements with the use of a shiny, white glove on a single hand.

mj glove

Although his hands and upper body were also important in his dancing, his footwork remained the main attraction, mesmerizing people across the globe. People began to imitate his unique style; this was impossible however. Yes, the dance style of Michael Jackson was unique; but when coupled with his unique persona–the boyishness, the sweetness, the rage, the androgyny, all rolled up into one contradictory yet fascinating human being–it became something that no one could ever effectively copy. His charm was distinct and permeated everything he did, especially his dancing.

The loss of Michael Jackson was the loss of one of the greatest performers of all time. He was a legend in both the world of music and of dance. His unique style, with its sharp movements and extensive footwork, will never truly emerge again; there will be no other like Michael Jackson. Those shoes that moonwalked their way into the hearts of his fans are simply too large to fill.


Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/27/arts/music/27assess.html?_r=5&register=google

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/michael-jackson/biography

Misty Copeland

“You can find a pretty body anywhere…what makes a dancer a true dancer is what they make of all of that on stage, and what they bring to the audience.”

Misty Copeland


The story of Misty Copeland is truly one of the most inspirational stories in the dance world. She is African American, something that is very unusual in the world of ballet.

Misty 1

She was promoted to principal dancer–or the highest level in a dance company, particularly a ballet company–of the American Ballet Theatre in June of 2015, making her the first African American principal dancer at ABT in their 75 year history. She actually didn’t begin dancing until she was thirteen, which is considered late in the dance world. Most, if not all, dancers that perform at her caliber of performance began when they were in kindergarten. Having been promoted to the spot of principal dancer within ABT, she is an inspiration to those that feel they aren’t represented in the world of ballet.

Misty 2

She again made history as the first black woman to dance in the lead role as “Odette/Odile” in ABT’s production of Swan Lake.

Misty 3misty 5

One of her greatest moments, however, almost ended her career. In rehearsals for Firebird one day, she began to feel extreme pain in her left leg. She didn’t tell anyone however; she felt the weight of the African American community on her shoulders. She didn’t want to give up her lead role, as she felt to do this would be to let down the African American community that was beginning to realize how significant her position in the American Ballet Theatre was. American Ballet Theatre

She suffered through the pain and gave a performance that received good reviews from even the harshest critics. When she went to the doctor later, she discovered that she had six stress fractures in her tibia, three of which had almost been complete breaks. Doctors told her she would never dance again; yet after having a metal plate put in her leg, she returned to the stage to pursue her passion.

She is also unusual in the fact that she receives media attention from more than just those in the dance world. Her status as the first African America principal dancer has given her attention from much of the younger generation that would usually not have an interest in ballet. She is also the first ballerina Under Armour has ever featured in their advertisements.

Misty copeland under armour

The ballet world has very specific ideas of how it believes its dancers should appear; Misty was often told that her body did not fit the physique and that she wouldn’t make it very far. She was told that her muscles and breasts were too big to look graceful on the stage; yet now, she is one of the most well known dancers to the public. Misty Copeland is truly inspiring to me. She began performing at an age that many would consider much too late to become successful in the dance industry, yet now she is one of the most well known figures of the dance world. She has made history as the first African American principal dancer. She has danced with multiple fractures in her leg just to make a point. She achieved her dreams despite the odds being against her from the very beginning and made history in the process; to me, that is the epitome of success.

Misty


Sources:

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http://www.cbsnews.com/news/misty-copeland-unlikely-ballerina-60-minutes/

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/30/living/feat-misty-copeland-dancer-abt/