Context:
Dance is a medium for religious experience, communication, expression and connection to realms with which many people long to interact. Our class will endeavor into research regarding western philosophical traditions and a wide range of cultural dance practices in order to theorize the potentiality that dancing as a paradigm has to offer studies of culture and religion.
Dance is present in the religion of many cultures around the world. Dance has been an important part of ceremony, rituals, celebration, and religion since the earliest of human civilizations. This research project will allow us to trace the history of a chosen religious dance; identifying its connection to a deity (or many deities), its impact on culture and communities, past and present, and the value of dance among its members.
Goal:
Students must generate and communicate ideas that they have formulated concerning a specific religious dance. Students will need to gather and assess information pertaining to the dance and then combine, change, or reapply existing information in the form of a visual presentation. Students must demonstrate intercultural competence and knowledge of civic responsibilities, social engagement, and the ability to evaluate choices, actions and consequences, as related to ethical decision-making by answering the provided research questions.
Assignment Details:
Before you begin this assignment, you must read Chapter 12 “Dance Descriptors”- specifically information on pages 139-144 over Macro and Micro Features of Dance. Check out Figure 12-3 on p. 139 with examples of Macro features- there are 6 of them; you’ll then find 3 Micro features on pages 140-144. ) Then choose one of the following dances from world religions:
- BharatanatyamYou will research the caste system associated with this religions dance, its history, deities connected with it, the culture it effects currently and in the past, training, current trends and the impact it has on its religious believers/followers.
- MossiThe Mossi are located in Burkina Faso, in sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike other groups in Africa whose traditional religions have been supplanted by Islam and Christianity, seventy percent of the Mossi people follow their traditional religion. “Wende’” is their creator. Different styles of dress, make-up, masks and dance connect them to their god and to their deceased. You will research the culture, how they connect with their deities, dances associated with religion and history.
- The Zar RitualDance can function as a healing power through worship. The Zar is a ritual to rid women of troublesome jinn. Practiced in North American Muslim and non-Muslim communities in the Nile region, the zar is a healing rite in which maladies, caused by possession by “zar” spirits are cured through music, dancing and sacrificial feasts. You will focus your research on women in this culture as compared to your own, discuss how this effects your own ideas of dance and religion and the impact this has on its believers within the same region and other regions.
- Native American Dances Related to WorshipMany religious and spiritual dances are associated with Native American cultures and impact our own culture’s past and present. You will choose 2-3 Native American dances and then research the connection of the original Native American cultures (your dances can be from separate tribes), their religion, spiritual connection to the earth and their ancestors, and the impact colonists had on their way of life that changed our own country today.
For your project, you will create your own visual chart that includes all information listed above for your chosen world religious dance AND the Research Questions to be Answered in your Presentation that are listed below. Get creative with your chart! It can be a powerpoint slide show, a presentation, or any other unique method to demonstrate your understanding of the material- but it must be made professionally and the information must be presented formally. A hand-written chart with no effort will result in a zero. Act as if you are the teacher and you are using this visual presentation to teach your students. Please make sure the submission is clear and easy to read. It should be well-labeled with captions and/or paragraphs of text that describe each feature (this should not need an additional video or paper explanation).
You MUST also include a Works Cited that includes any sources you used to find information and any videos you watched of the dance. The Works Cited must be in MLA, APA or Chicago style (and should NOT be a list of blue hyperlinks).
Research Questions to be answered in your presentation:
- What are the MACRO Features (Who, What, When, Where, Why & How) of the religious dance? This will include details of the reason behind the dance, what they wear, what instruments are used in the music, where it is performed (both originally and in present day).
- What are the MICRO Features (Space, Time & Energy) of the religious dance?
- How does this form of dance impact the followers of the religion? Do you find it to be an inclusive or exclusive practice within the religious community? Give examples that demonstrate this feeling of inclusion or exclusion.
- Describe the different capacities in which this dance is currently performed-in both religious and secular contexts. Research to find how these juxtaposed performances are valued (devalued) by members of the community. Consider this, would you participate in this dance if you were a member of this community? Why or why not? If you visited the area, would you attend one of the performances as a tourist? Why or why not?
- Does this particular dance have a greater impact on this culture, including non-believers or followers of other religions within the same region? Do you believe the practice of this dance either creates tension or builds bridges between this religious culture and others? Why or why not?
- Do a comparison of this dance AND a different world religious dance form. How does this dance and its accompanying music compare to that of another religion? Are there similarities in ceremony, practice or tradition? What is the greatest contrast between these two dances? Do you believe one is more beneficial for its community that the other? Why or why not?
- How do you think this dance would be received on our campus at TJC? What reaction do you think viewers would have and how might it impact them? If you learned the choreography, would you participate in the dance?
Additional Requirements
Your presentation should be submitted in PDF format or with a hyperlink if you are using an online presentation tool like Prezi (make sure your file opens or your link works!!). Your presentation can and should include pictures that help communicate answers to your research questions.
Assessment:
This final project constitutes 10% of the student’s overall academic grade. The project will be evaluated through rubrics based on General Education Core objectives with focus on:
- Critical thinking skills-Generate and communicate ideas by combining, changing or reapplying existing information.
- Communication (Writing) Skills- Develop, interpret and express ideas through written communication (including organization, clarity purpose, details, grammar, and spelling.)
- Social Responsibility-Demonstrate intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility and engagement in the campus, regional, national, or global communities.
- Personal Responsibility- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate choices, actions, and consequences as related to ethical decision making.
Please reference the rubric for more details on grading for this assignment. Additional points will be deducted for grammatical errors. Students should thoroughly proof all submissions.
