...Chapter 1 The Problem Introduction Recreation is an important human activity which benefits a person not only the physical but also a person’s well being. The “need to do something for recreation” seems to be an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be “fun” the term “recreation” implies participation to have a healthy and refreshing mind and body. It is also very entertaining. Active and healthy recreation is already practice before. One example is the era of Romans. The Romans had the coliseum, where they watched chariot races and other entertainment. The Greeks had amphitheaters where they viewed drama and comedy. Others invented the Olympics, one of the greatest entertainment sport spectacles in the world. Even the bible discusses singing, dancing, music, and other forms of acceptable recreation, so even the most ancient civilizations enjoyed entertainment and recreation of some sort. Aristotle said that happiness result from being the best we can be. The sort of happiness that Aristotle was thinking should not be equated with simple pleasure. Amusing ourselves can be pleasant, but he says it is childish. Amusement for sheer pleasure degrades rather than improves us. Aristotle admits that amusement is helpful because it refreshes us from work. But amusement is never as good as true leisure, which...
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...Music, Drama and Dance Chinese Music Chinese music has a very long history. In the primitive society, about four to five thousand years ago, dances and songs had already occurred. This can be prove by a excavated cultural relic - an egg-shaped wind instrument called Xun (ocarina) which made of pottery clay with six holes which believed it is from the Neolithic Stone Age. The evolution of musical culture in Chinese history was begun to develop rapidly and successfully in the Zhou Dynasty (11th century-256 B.C.). A large number of orchestras or ensembles started to occur during that time. Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) was the most influential time in terms of musical culture. It had viewed as one of the best in the world and greatly influence on the development of music in other countries such as Korea and Japan. In general, there are five categories for Chinese music and each of the categories has various types, styles and forms which they are are song, ballad-singing music, Chinese Opera music, instrumental music and dancing-and-singing music. Song can also be divided into two categories which are ancient art songs and folk songs. Folk songs can be subdivided into mountain airs, labor songs, epic songs, songs with multiple sounds of voices, and ditties. In addition, due to the different regions with different national minorities, the mountain sough could be so different in style. There are many different types and styles in the musical cultural in China. Another good example...
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...Entertainment Media and Culture sitting in a tree… The relationship between culture and entertainment media could best be described as a partnership. Entertainment media is used to sell brands and introduce different cultures to the four corners of the world. Culture is influenced by art form. Art imitates life. Entertainment is one of those art forms that drive culture. Media’s role is to communicate culture to the masses. Society has both positive and negative influences from entertainment media that shapes American culture. Media literacy understood by the masses could have a changing affect on the relationship between culture and media. Entertainment has shaped American culture and its values. An enjoyable event or performance partner with products or services helps sales. Popular dances of the day are borrowed for traditional ceremonies like weddings. Media companies use different forms of entertainment to sell products or services and traditional events host advertisement. Most often entertainment is the highlight of cultural events. For example, prom night in American high schools traditional celebrate with a dance. The Macy’s Day Parade sponsored by the retail giant is a merger of products, services, and people united by entertainment. Entertainment has a way of influencing culture by drawing massive audiences. TV themed talent shows like American Idol are shaping culture by interacting with a global audience of millions through a cell phone text...
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...A thorough look at Africans in America would not be complete without considering African-American dance. From plantation dances that enslaved Africans used to express their tragedy and triumph, to the ever-changing slick motions of modern hand dancing, black rhythmic movements are an integral weave in the fabric of American culture. Dance grew out of hardship but became entertainment. African dance has contributed a plethora of qualities to dance in America; and we can see proof of this through the dance of today. Being such a diverse country, America has the gift of consolidating unique moves from various societies to acquire an outstanding dance collection. American dance as we know it would be totally different if not for African Americans....
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...Dance The performance art that will be the topic of this paper is dance. Dance has been around since the beginning of time. It was also used as a basis of communication in many cultures. Dance has also been used in religious ceremonies and rituals, the telling of folklore and sometimes a recording of historical events. Dancing is also not restricted to humans. Some animals also use dance as a way of communication. Examples of the include mating dances and some dance to prove their superiority. Dancing is defined as moving rhythmically usually to music, using prescribed or improvised steps and gestures (Sporre 2009). Dancing is also divided onto various genres such as ballet, modern, and urban dance styles. Ballet dancing is technical formalized classical dance style that started during the Italian Renaissance. Ballet is first on this list because billions of people around the world are enchanted by this style and line up to see performances. Ballet comprises a highly theatrical dance presentation consisting of solo dancers, duets, and choruses. Unlike other disciples and forms or dance besides break-dancing ballet demands extreme focus, strength and flexibility. Mostly all practitioners have to start ballet at a very young age to develop the gracefulness that takes decades to master. Ballet is comprised of three different types classical ballet, neoclassical ballet and contemporary ballet. Classical Ballet is the type you mostly see in traditional non-modern performances...
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...Sachiyo Ito and Dance Japan’s discussion and performance was especially enlightening. Sachiyo Ito and Company was founded in 1981, and is a non-profit organization devoted to establish a link between East and West though expressive and aesthetic performances. Sadly, I have never experienced a Japanese dance performance before, or any dance performance as authentic as Sachiyo Ito and Company presented. Kabuki developed its unique characteristics in 1603, and was founded by a female, Izumo Okuni. It has been a pleasure enjoyed by the people of Japan for just about 400 years. Kabuki is a category of Japanese musical that incorporates dancing, music, and acting. As explained by Sachiyo Ito, the word Kabuki can be broken down in the Japanese language, “ka” meaning to “music” or “song”, “bu” meaning “dance”, and “ki” meaning “acting skill”. Therefore, Kabuki denotes the skill of song dance and acting. All three of these elements were combined to produce Kabuki theatrical performance. Although, it became applied in a more limited way—to represent a distinct type of Japanese performance. Originally an art performed by women, and passed down from generation to generation. Then, in 1629 the Tokugawa shogunate banned women from Kabuki performance, in an attempt to preserve social integrity. The shogunate military government perceived the female performances as being too sensual and risqué, causing chaos amongst the audience. After that, young men in their teens were to perform the...
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...it is true! Tango is one of the most intimate and romantic dances in the world. Often called, “the dance of love”, tango involves a man leading and the woman following in close, coordinated steps. The music played, the way the dancers look at each, the movement of the legs and hips; the whole environment of the dance is passionate. You can find the origins of tango in Argentina. However, it only became popular when the dance hit Europe. Tango did a lot of evolving in Europe. More complex moves were starting to be added to this dance style, like the famous Spanish dip. This is also the time when tango began being done in theaters, and ballrooms for the higher class. It got to the U.S. by the 1910s, and by then, everyone seemed to be mystified by this complex, emotional dance. Tango uses both quick and slow steps, because of its changing rhythms; the dancers mostly step on the ½, ¼, and 1/8 of the beat. It can also be danced to fast or slow music. Although, I prefer faster pace music for this genre of dance, for example Objection by Shakira, it adds more feeling to the dance. This is an extremely partner oriented dance as well, both partners needs to be perfectly in sync for the tango to be well executed. The tango also involves some of the fanciest footwork I have ever seen, not to mention the swirls, sharp body turns, dips. All this makes tango a very hard dance to master. Being from Brazil, the Argentinean culture is very familiar to me. I see various similar between their...
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...The white saris with silver embroideries and the gold jewelry wrapped the actresses from head to two, glistening under the lighting; each costume piece being emphasized in every move. The camera zoomed into the actress’s face; her expressions changing according to the tempo of the music. Three year old me sat on the ground in front of the T.V., captivated as each move slowly pulled me into the world of dance. Although I didn’t start taking professional lessons until a few years later, I danced whenever I could; while my parents watched singing competitions on T.V., I would be in the dining room behind them, dancing to each song being sung. Growing older, I was no longer merely fascinated by the brilliant ambiance dance could create, but by the power it had; through movements and expressions, you could tell a story while displaying your...
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...India. We will also discuss the factors of these outcomes, and the effects on modern cultures today. Many legacies have been given to us from China and India. China gave us the Great Wall of China. This was built during the Ming dynasty and was built to protect China from invasions from the north. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279CE) the printing press was revolutionized which allowed the transmission of knowledge into China. When Marco Polo arrived in China the Chinese scholar-painters resisted foreign domination. Luxury goods such as lacquerware was a very popular item. Lacquer is a clear liquid made from the sap of the Chinese Rhus verniifers tree. This was used to protect materials from water, heat, and acid. This is still used in todays’ society. Porcelain is ceramic ware produced in China and is still used in modern society. Dinnerware of today along with many gifts are still made from porcelain. The Sub- Saharan Africans were a large community united by kinship and generally were ruled by chieftains. The Europeans were interested in these people for purpose of slave trading. The church was interested in converting Africa’s pagan population over to Christianity. West Africa was believed to be the center of the regions culture. They gave us sculptors, and ritual dances such as the mask dance. These dances were believed to connect different stages of human development and the changing of the seasons....
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...A Life Changing Experience The experience of the APEC Youth Science festival was incredible. It has had an enormous impact on me in many ways, changing the way I look at the world and connecting me with people and events far beyond my formerly limited experience. I am extremely glad to have had this opportunity. It was a wonderful experience on multiple levels. It challenged me and expanded me intellectually and socially. I feel that this experience has had an immense impact on me. Through this program I had first-hand access to some of the brightest young minds in both the United States and the world. The sharing among students of ideas and experiences in science, and in other areas as well, was enlightening. I felt like I had the chance to absorb knowledge from those around me. This environment spread beyond the students and also included the faculty and speakers. We had access to incredible faculty who were able to give much to the experience and share their own science insights. The program also brought in speakers and other science professionals from around the world who were at the top of their respective fields. This festival gave me real access to the movers and shakers of the science world, an experience beyond any available to me anywhere else. The most fascinating aspect of this experience, for me, was the exposure to new cultures. This includes the twist culture puts on science. I found huge difference in the viewpoints of many cultures...
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...formed in the 1970s amongst African American Groups in urban New York City, during a time when “block parties” and it’s associated music started to become extremely popular. Credited with founding hip-hop music, DJ Kool Herc, an immigrant from Jamaica, started to extend the percussive breaks in popular funk and soul music (Dyson). This new sound became so popular that DJs needed to start using two turntables to lengthen percussive breaks, effectively creating an entire new sound and new genre of music (Bekman). Hip-hop music is characterized by four main elements: rapping, scratching (DJing), break dancing, and graffiti (Chang). Because music is dynamic and constantly changing, hip-hop started to develop sub-genres within hip-hop, such as southern trap music or west coast gangsta rap. Hip-hop music in different regions started to develop their own unique style of hip-hop, and although all of these sub-genres could be considered “hip-hop,” the music adapted and started to reflect some of the social issues within the region. In order to further inform and achieve the goal of creating an unbiased account of how hip-hop music came to be what it is today, I have organized my paper into two main sections. The first section will detail the...
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...didn't have anything to look forward too, or be happy about, jazz was there. Jazz gave people hope when there was little hope to be found. Jazz impacted American lives in many ways, from clothes all the way to changing how people thought after African Americans. Jazz changed American life in many different ways. In fact, jazz had a large effect on the literary world. Fashion was changed dramatically thanks to jazz music. Since, jazz made people happy, it also made them feel rebellious. Which caused women and men to dress differently from how they did before. The Women’s Liberation Movement was helped by jazz music, because it provided means of rebellion against set standards of society. African Americans felt like they fit in better with society because jazz music was distinctly African American music. For the first time in history, the culture of a minority became the desire of the majority (A New Jazz Culture)....
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...The last ingredient in chili is perhaps the most important: the spices. Spices make the chili less bland, much like how the different cultures inside and outside of my family tree add new and interesting flavors to our own culture as we assimilate bits of each culture we encounter into our own. For example, my father enjoys cooking a variety of meals. He makes lentils or tofu ground beef with rice and cabbage rolls, dishes passed down from my Lebanese great-grandmother, but he also makes Mexican sopes and Chinese lettuce wraps, foods from countries where we have no ancestors. We pick up traditional dances from our foreign friends and learn other languages in classes, clubs, and just through listening to others speak. The assimilation of different...
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...own sense of individuality in order to keep his and Shirley’s marriage steady despite the fact that he always feels isolate and alone * Due to Scott’s lack of inclusion and self-expression within his family, he yearns for cultural group that will accept him. His personal context restricted his feeling of acceptance. This is shown through the strict conformist rules that Shirley and Lez impose on Scott when he dances | * Generational difference – May’s parents have a different view of belonging to American culture. They feels as if they belong more strongly to the Japanese culture which is why they decided to move back to Japan and teach may about Japanese culture. * May and her parents have different perceptions of belonging due to generational difference. This is shown in the image of May outside the front of her house with her mother on the inside (Mis en scene and proxemics). This shows that May’s mother does not feel as if he belongs in the American culture, he is scared of the American society and culture and is physically placing a barrier between the culture and herself. * May’s sense of belonging is contrasted to that of her parents as she has a good and...
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...Among the most successful and popular dance act during the 1900’s were known as the Tiller Girls formally remembered for their prestigious high-kick routines. Touring their act throughout the United States and Europe the girls begun a new social era. Culture critic Siegfried Kracaver mentions the girls are no longer individuals, but a lasting unit whose movements are mathematical demonstrations. (1975 p.67) He earlier believed the intense uniformed routines had no given meaning, describing the girls as machines in a factory repeating the same movements without being interrupted, however he later changed his opinion which I will expand upon through my essay. Throughout, I’ll be focusing on the dance technique of the Tiller Girls while looking...
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