The history of dance is a fascinating topic because of its foggy beginning. No person can say exactly when dance was invented, in fact, can it even be said dance was “invented?” Scientists and researchers have concluded that it is a natural physicality humans have possessed since ancient times. The natural feeling to want to make a rhythm, beat sticks against a rock, chant in unison, jump in a circle, etc. These are examples of ancient and historical rituals that flourished into what we know as dance today. But how did we get to the point of making dance a viable career? What goes into a successful dance career? As we dive into questions answered by professional dancer and head of Plymouth State Universities Dance Division, Amanda Whitworth, we get a glimpse at that vision. That's not it, because we're going to step outside the business mind and examine the emotional aspect of dancing as well. “Dancing is probably one of the oldest arts. As soon as man was man, he without doubt began to gesticulate with face, body, and limbs. How long it took to develop bodily gesticulation into an art no one can guess--perhaps a millennium” (The Dance, chpt. 1). According to the book Career as a Dancer, the oldest recorded dancing appeared in India around 6000 BC. A multi armed being, balanced on a single leg is known as The Hindu god Shiva, The Lord of the Dance (Institute for Career Research), which is shown in the image below. Traveling back to the games at Olympia from the 8th century in BC, dance is shown as temple virgins inaugurate the sacred occasion by performing in a circle to honor god (historyworld, 1). Fast forward to the 6th century and it’s seen as the centerpiece of Greek theatre (historyworld, 2). Dancing before god is an important part of history, as most cultures practiced this habit worldwide. Even cave paintings have patterns of dancers on the wall, which is fascinating as it integrates two forms of art. Dance has been around forever, even before anyone knew what to call it. In Egypt, women will dance around the coffin and burial site at a funeral to demonstrate their grief (historyworld, 2). This type of emotional connection to dance is what has blossomed the art into a career. While dance has been used as a healing mechanism and spiritual voice in the past, it flourished into a hobby and even a career. It is safe to say that the emotional outpour that is felt while dancing, can heal. This bridges the way for careers such as Dance Movement Therapy and Therapeutic Dance. While these are similar and overlap in skillset, a Dance Therapist is required to have a therapy license and sufficient training, where a skilled dance teacher can teach a form of therapeutic dance in a prison or school. Dance Movement Therapy, as defined in Britain, is as: “the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance through which a person can engage creatively in a process to further their emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration’ (ADMT UK, 1977, Meekums, 22). Circle Dance is a technique taken from ancient times that is used in Dance Movement Therapy today (Meekums, 100). This is based off folk dances from around the world, and is said to hold healing properties. More can be found about this type of therapy in Bonnie Meekums book, Dance Movement Therapy: A Creative Psychotherapeutic Approach. Interview Dance Therapy is gaining popularity in society today, along with dancing professionally. Molly Stone took the time to interview Amanda Whitworth, who is a "teaching artist residing in central New Hampshire with a passion for interdisciplinary collaboration and networking. She continues to work as a performer of dance and physical theatre with choreographers and organizations both nationally and internationally. Ms. Whitworth is committed to diversifying her work and collaborates with partners on large scale projects" (Tributarydance.com). Molly has worked under Amanda for two years, and has trained under her for four. Here, readers will begin to see how someone got involved in dance, and where they went with it next. Molly: Amanda, how did you first get involved in dance? What was your first impression? Amanda: My middle school had an arts program and I decided to try dance. I loved the teacher and I really loved moving. I loved the freedom of the movement and how it could be an individual pursuit or a group experience. I enjoyed the difficulty of the physical task. The teacher encouraged me to try dance “for real” after middle school. M: When did you decide dancing was what you wanted to do with your life? A: My junior year of high school I decided that it was what I most enjoyed. I wanted to learn more tools so I could move forward. I wasn't challenged by school but I was profoundly challenged artistically and physically in dance. It gave me something to reach for! I continued to NYU Tisch School of the Arts. M: Did you ever feel frightened that you wouldn’t be able to make ends meet once you left college? A: I still feel frightened! And yes, my parents came to New York City for my graduation. I remember breaking down with ugly sobs in the hotel room before going to commencement. I was terrified. M: Did others try to steer you away from this career? A: No, my parents have always been super supportive, and I choose to surround myself with people who lift me up. M: What was some of the best, or most memorable advice others gave you? A: "Never stop training." "You don't deserve anything, you must work for everything.” "There is always someone who wants it more that you." "Be kind.” "Don't be a dick." M: Will you chat briefly about how you got your gig on Broadway? A: I had a friend who was in the Broadway show Hairspray, and when I picked her up from one of her rehearsals, she had broken her leg. Long story short, she got me an audition and I got the job! M: Lastly, any advice YOU have? A: Dance encompasses so much more than just performing and training. The process and practice of dance technique aligns beautifully with advocacy, education, and entrepreneurship. When you recognize that dance is less about you and more about the energy you have learned to give, your world opens up. Amanda Whitworth is a bright star in the world of dance, as she chooses to make good out of everything. She’s a humble person and won’t speak about her accomplishments often, but has flourished in the dance world. She has been a part of multiple professional dance companies, trained alongside Broadway choreographer Jesse Robb at NYU, and even got her gig on Broadway at a tender age. Amanda pushes for others to go for what they want, even if it doesn’t seem so realistic. While others may tear down the idea of making dance a career, she will help you see how you can make it work. Society needs more encouraging people like Amanda, in fact, the arts need more people like Amanda. Thinking less about ancient dance and more about modern dance, let’s dive into this career. Today, there are dozens of dance styles. These range from jazz, tap, ballet, modern, contemporary, afro-fusion, hip-hop, aerial, musical theatre, ballroom, etc. Most modern dancers have been training since before they could read. They have been taking classes from a young age and starting auditions by late teenage years. There are numerous colleges that offer bachelor and master degrees in Dance, and pre-professional dancers will eventually audition for companies which will ultimately hire them. Today, the options are almost limitless. However, professional dancers don’t have very long careers. Most will retire by their late thirties, as their bodies can no longer keep up with the gruesome training regime and strain. "Our ancestors painted their cave walls with pictures of dancers. Even babies instinctively Jig in time to music. Dancing feels good – and while some societies ban it, there is no culture on earth that doesn’t possess an urge to dance." -Rachel Halliwell Dance can be so much more than just a profession, it's not just a way to make money. It has a strong network of emotions that come along with it, too. Dancing releases the largest amount of endorphins compared to other forms of exercise (Halliwell, The Telegraph). It allows you to feel emotions ranging from happiness to sadness. For some, they cry when moving in such an expressive way because of pent up emotions. One particular experiment has been particularly interesting to me: University researchers from York and Sheffield have taken a group of people into a lab to listen to music for five minutes. Each person then had to 3 options: to sit quietly and listen, to run on an exercise bike, or to stand up and dance. After the five minutes was up, they were given tasks to complete. Dr. Peter Lovatt explained that “...all those who chose to dance displayed improved problem-solving skills afterwards. This same study also found that the mood levels of the dancers went up. It shows that dancing along to music even for five minutes can boost happiness and improve creative-thinking patterns” (Halliwell, The Telegraph). Bottom line? Dance is amazing. Dance can open so many doors. When I dance, whether it's on stage, in the dance studio or in my living room after moving all the furniture, I feel the most strong and free. There is nothing like getting to wake up and go to an 8:00am advanced modern class at school. Getting the opportunity to wake up and start my day by feeling the air around me as I dance in a space with creative and caring people. I can't imagine a world without dance, and so I wish to pursue it. With my Interdisciplinary contract, I was able to further discover my passion. My major has me looking at the business and logistics side of the dance industry, but I also have a strong emotional connection that allows me to dive deeper into my training. Work Cited Career as a Dancer. Institute for Career Research, 2006. What goes into a professional dancers career. Retrieved on April 01 from Lamson Library Courtney, Ben. “THE DANCE.” The Dance: Historic Illustrations of Dancing from 3300 B.C. to 1911 A.D., The beginning of dance history. Retrieved on April 02 from www.bencourtney.com/ebooks/dance/. Halliwell, Rachel. “Why Dancing Feels so Good.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 29 Apr. 2016, The emotional aspect of dance. www.telegraph.co.uk/good-news/seven-seas/why-dancing-feels-good/.www.telegraph.co.uk/good-news/seven-seas/why-dancing-feels-good/ “History of Dance.” HISTORY OF DANCE, The history of dance from ancient times. Retrieved on April 01 from www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab82. Meekums, Bonnie. Dance Movement Therapy: A Creative Psychotherapeutic Approach. SAGE, 2005. Dance Movement Therapy and Therapeutic Dance. Retrieved from Lamson Library
19 Comments
5/1/2018 07:39:34 am
Hi, Molly, You're dancing toward a good first draft. Think about how you'll expand on your ideas and also how you'll support your thinking with media and hotlinks. Create your bibliography as hyperlinks for quicker access. How has this research served to change you as a dancer and a person and why does that matter to the growing concentric rings around you? Reach into the larger community and further, enter a global perspective considering dance not only as a profession, but as having many roles. It makes me wonder what life would be without dance, why some cultures banned it, why some cultures are based on it, and what it means to various groups today? I wonder why young children will naturally move to rhythms and music and song?
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Congrats, Molly! Wishing you the best with your dance career and all your endeavors!
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