History of Dance: an Interactive Arts Approach by Gayle Kassing (260-328)

Summary:

    This last chapters of the book features a series of learning activities that help students dig deeper into the history of dance, dancers, and significant dance works and literature. These activities are presented as reproducible templates that include perceiving, creating, performing, writing, and presenting oral activities infused with technology. Teachers also can use this book, and use the activities inside as optional assignments or as projects to help apply the information and to use technology and other integrated arts sources to make the history of dance more meaningful. The History of Dance is an indispensable text for dance students who want to learn the history of dance and its relationship to other arts of the times using today's interactive technology.

Quote:

     "Dance takes further research. You must find dance and the music that accompanied it, and learn and practice the dance so that you can perform it" (Kassing, 315)

Reaction:

     You have to practice a dance routine before performing it; Its common sense. If you don't know a routine, why would you perform it? well, unless you want to embarrass yourself of course. You have to find a song that fits your choreography. if its a slow dance, find a slow song. If its a fast dance, find an up beat dance. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book :). Dance is my passion. So, learning more about the history of it was very interesting to me.

History of Dance: an Interactive Arts Approach by Gayle Kassing (195-260)

Summary:

     This second to last section of the book also covers dance from the 20th century, including dance at court, dance from court to theater, romantic to classical ballet, and dance in the United States. It also focuses on 20th-century American dance; highlighting influences on American ballet and modern dance as it emerged, matured, and evolved during that century. This chapter also focuses on major dancers, and as well as, choreographers.

Quote:

    "How people danced are linked to society and the historical period" (Kassing, 255)

Reaction:

      This statement is indeed definitely true. We have different kinds of dance every year, or so. They're all different styles. For example, in 2007 we had a dance called "crank dat". 2008 we changed to "stanky leg". In 2009, the popular one was "your a jerk". 2010, the new dance was "Dougie" And last but not least 2011, "catdaddy". Every year or every generation, the dance styles/dance moves changes, and becomes more and more popular, until a new one comes out.

History of Dance: an Interactive Arts Approach by Gayle Kassing (130-195)

Summary:

    This section of the book looks at dance throughout the 20th century. This section presents the main points. It presents the who, what, when, where, why, and how of dance history in relation to other arts and to historical, political, and social events. This section of the book provides way to create, perceive, and respond to the history of dance through integrated arts and also technology. The studies of dancers, dances, and dance works within an interactive arts, culture, and technology environment is supported by the National Standards in dance, arts education, social studies, and technology education.

Quote:

     "The quality of a dancers' technique is the effectiveness of the dancer's relation to the choreography" (Kassing,193)

Reaction:

     I love this quote. And I agree with it 100%. The effectiveness of the dancer's relation to the choreography is the dancer's technique. Without any technique, the choreography would be very messy. And also, its not just having technique. It's adding a certain type of quality to your technique so that your choreography matches what you want.