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Dance Reflection Paper

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Submitted By aissatasow75
Words 563
Pages 3
Aissata sow
Prof. Callon
Dance 2303
12/8/14
Reflection paper

I came to this class expecting to stand with a group of my class mates and watch the instructor dance while we try memorizing the moves. But it was the total opposite! This class was so different in so many ways. Over the course of the semester, I have learned about different types of dances including hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet and contemporary, Bhangra, Bollywood, Latin, Zumba and much more. My definition of dance before was not what I thought of dance until I took dance appreciation. I always thought dance was using your body to dance to the beat of the music, but it is so much more to that. Dance is actually when its purpose is for dance, it has intentional rhythm, contains culturally-patterned sequences, and contains extraordinary non-verbal patterns.
I liked how you were organized and how you structured the class lectures and discussions. When I walked in your class, I was somewhat disappointed because it wasn’t a dance studio, it was a class room. But after you started telling us more about it, and told us how the class lectures will be I started becoming more excited about it.
What I really loved about dance 2303 was the group project we did in the middle of the school year. The group I had been paired with was amazing, and I liked how we all worked as a team. We expressed different ideas and each one of us had our own unique way of learning and teaching each other. My favorite part of the whole semester was when we went to the dance studio and you showed us some dance moves. I am sure I wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the class room seemed to enjoy it as well. I loved how dance could fill a whole room with different types of emotions. My least favorite thing in dance was the “celebration of learning” I am actually not a testing person, when it comes down to tests I freak out and get overwhelmed.
I have learned a lot about cultural dances. In many different cultures, dance can be viewed in different ways. What one cultures sees as dance can be what another culture can look down upon. Before I took this class, I wasn’t really into learning about different cultural dances now I can actually see a dance from a different culture and I learn to embrace it and understand it than I did. Being in Dance 2303 taught me to be more open-minded about cultural dances.
Dance 2303 has changed my views on dance completely. I never really knew they had a class where they teach about dance history. I didn’t really think about dance in that way until I took dance appreciation. I really want to take a dance class in the future after we went to the dance studio, I loved the vibe I got when I was dancing. I can say I learned something about myself. I learned that I have to be open-minded to learn new things, and explore my options. Just because something isn’t what I expected doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it. I have learned to appreciate dance in many ways dance isn’t just a movement, it has a lot of history and meaning behind it.

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