PROJECT: 4

RE- PERFORMING
I choice to re- perform "Funk Lessons: White People Can Dance" originally done by Adrian Piper.



This was very easy to re- perform mainly because I can identify with the ideas of the piece. It was almost perfect being that I am the only black person in the class! The common stereotype and misconception is that white people just can't dance and being at Cornell and experiencing white people and their dance habits, I've come to find many situations and examples that fully support this argument. But my question is who sets the standard for what is or isn't dancing? Since dance is a verb I feel like anyone can technically do it. Of course the real issue is the matter of what society deems as dance that is pleasing to them, and these opinions differ all way down through different social groups, class, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, age ... so on and so forth.
Dance is seen as a skill whether it be the fine art of dance or competition or hobby or past time, but I feel that some part of dance is internal, mindful, even spiritual. Having the presence of mind to move in the ways in which you decide is a big part of " your dance". I believe that everyone has their "own dance".
FEEDBACK: What do you see as having "your own dance"

• Can it be taught (your own dance not just dance the skill)
• How does this phrase apply beyond the common definition of dance
• Does everyone really have their "own dance" or am I false and getting way to artsy lol

Here's what WIKIPEDIA had to say about it:

Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music,^[1] used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting.

Dance may also be regarded as a form of nonverbal communication between humans, and is also performed by other animals (bee dance, patterns of behaviour such as a mating dance). Gymnastics, figure skating and synchronized swimming are sports that incorporate dance, while martial arts kata are often compared to dances. Motion in inanimate objects may also be described as dances (the leaves danced in the wind), and certain musical forms or genres.

Definitions of what constitutes dance are dependent on social, cultural, aesthetic, artistic and moral constraints and range from functional movement (such as folk dance) to virtuoso techniques such as ballet. Dance can be participatory, social or performed for an audience. It can also be ceremonial, competitive or erotic. Dance movements may be without significance in themselves, such as in ballet or European folk dance, or have a gestural vocabulary/symbolic system as in many Asian dances. Dance can embody or express ideas, emotions or tell a story.

Dancing has evolved many styles. Breakdancing and Krumping are related to the hip hop culture. African dance is interpretive. Ballet, Ballroom, Waltz, and Tango are classical styles of dance while Square and the Electric Slide are forms of step dances.

Every dance, no matter what style, has something in common. It not only involves flexibility and body movement, but also physics. If the proper physics is not taken into consideration, injuries may occur.

Choreography is the art of creating dances. The person who creates (i.e., choreographs) a dance is known as the choreographer.