Park 1 Elise Park Professor Edwin Austin DANCE 261 11 December 2013 Personal Dance Philosophy The human

body is a gift. It is the instrument through which we live and manifest our existence. It consists of numerous systems, each with their own structure and functions. It is the role of the dancer to explore the human body and pursue a seemingly impossible perfection through movement. I truly believe that achieving this goal is a never-ending journey, and that is one of the things I love about dancing. There are so many aspects and genres to the art form of dance and it is constantly changing according to social views and culture. Because of this, it appears that it is impossible to achieve technical expertise. Yet it is important for dancers to understand that dance requires an eagerness, curiosity, and strong desire to continue to pursue this art. I have experienced the work it takes to have perfect ballet positions, such as first, second, third, and so on, and once a dancer has the desire and ability to really perfect this technique, it is truly wonderful. It is this experience that helps dancers really understand the genius of the instrument that we have been givenour human bodies. A dancers life is revolved around dance. It is arranging movements and emotions to choreograph dances that can portray these concepts. I appreciate how Martha Graham words it in her I Am a Dancer paper, Retire? Retire into what? I dont believe in retirement because that is the time you die. This is very true for a dancer. While our bodies will age and will no longer be able to perform triple pirouettes or perfect grand

Park 2 jetes, the desire to surround your life around dance is the characteristic of a dancer. Professional dancers sacrifice so much during their careers in professional companies and really make it their whole life. Dance is different from purely athletic or artistic pursuits in that it combines the demands and challenges of both fields. It takes years to become an accomplished dancer; proper time for the body to become shaped, influenced, and disciplined. Dance is not defined by a single genre or technique form. This aspect turns dance into a complex form of movement that takes time to develop. Having been given the opportunity to try many different styles of dance while studying at Brigham Young University, I have seen that it can be difficult for a dancer proficient in one genre to expand their knowledge to other genres. However this is where the dedication and physical ability come into play and affect the ability of a dancer to pursue various fields and disciplines. Once the body has become accustomed to the techniques and movements that characterize the various genres of dance, it is important to learn how to express emotions and feeling through movement. Like any form of art, dance is a representation of human emotions and life. As a dancer, he or she needs to be able to express his or her soul and innermost emotions. Dance is considered an art form because of this characteristic. Just like a painter or sculptor is able to portray a particular belief or emotion through his or her painting or sculpture, dancers reveal their deepest beliefs and values through movement. Just like there are different mediums through which a painting can be made, such as with acrylics or watercolors on various substances, dance has many different genres

Park 3 that are better adapt to portray certain emotions. For example, having danced ballet for most of my life, I have found that this genre mostly strives to portray perfection and is often used to tell a story, such as a fairytale story with Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and the Nutcracker. After having explored the world of contemporary and modern, I realized that the ability to have more fluid and free movements allowed me to better portray my personal emotions rather than the emotions of a particular character. Of course the lines are being blurred because of certain new genres such as contemporary ballet, yet it can be said that dance as a whole is very expressive and a good form of art movement. Like Martha Graham, I do believe that dancers can be chosen. Dance is not merely a pursuit of perfect technique, with perfect leaps and turns. It is a way of life and a way to figure out the wonders of the human body. Dance is a talent that is given to some individuals and must be developed and shared with others throughout the dancers life. It is important to cultivate our talents and use them to our fullest capacity. Having the perfect dance body can be an important factor in this talent; yet, I believe it has to do more with the ability to express emotions as previously stated. Having perfect technique, such as the ability to get a perfect turnout, can only take a dancer so far. The dancers must know how to communicate with the audience in a way that cannot be achieved through others forms of art or athleticism. When I watch a performance, I tend to enjoy it more if I can watch the dancers perfect the choreography and also portray a point of view or emotion in a way that I would not have been able to discover on my own. Similarly, when I perform, I really enjoy being able to connect with my audience by showing them emotions that they have probably experienced as well. That is one of the marvelous aspects of dance and what it can bring to the dancer and the audience.

Park 4 Dance has been a part of society for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations use dance to communicate with others in their society and/or, in some cases, to please their gods. It is amazing to see how dance has transformed our culture and created the societies that we live in today. Dance is physically demanding and can be very intense and competitive, yet it is also a form of art and expression. Dancing is a way of life and once one has started on that journey, it is hard to turn back and forget about dance. It has such a broad impact on those who do it and those who watch it. I greatly enjoy dancing and hope to be able to keep it in my life and someday teach it to my children and those to follow.