The response from last week picks up on a very significant topic in contemporary dance discussions: the fusion of forms. While there are certainly still purist groups out there, the lines between dance idioms seem to be getting fuzzier. If you pay close attention you’ll start to see elements of hip hop, jazz, and sometimes even african dance sneaking into the “contemporary” class you are in right now.
Last week's clip goes hand in hand with this week's, although we have an entirely new set of questions to consider. This week we'll see a clip from Mats Ek. He is a Swedish gentleman who choreographs "ballets", but as you'll see again, these ballets deviate quite a bit from any classical vocabulary. In fact, they're downright modern to me. Also like last week's clip, this piece features a duet between a man and a woman... perhaps you know where I'm going with this.
Give this a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdXtP6GBHb8
Corollary Question(s):
Are there prescribed gender roles in dance? Are men expected to dance one way and women another? Do you think that modern dance promotes or distorts the ideals of the Feminist movement? Have you ever considered these questions as you approach movement in your dance classes?
To me, dancing is same as acting. As some acting requires gender roles, dance, too, often requires gender roles to be portrayed. Most people would agree that music, dance, and acting focuses mostly on love, and especially on love between a man and woman. Modern dance, on the other hand, is often used to seduce audience of the opposite gender, hence the differences in movements of men and women. I do not agree that modern dance promotes or distorts the ideals of the Feminist movement. Even though modern dance often plants appropriate ways for different people to dance, it is not always the case and it is only because of what most people are attracted to. I am not too sure what the ideals of the feminist movement is but it seems to me that people consider what men do is the norm. Just like acting, dance sometimes requires gender roles and sometimes does not.
ReplyDeleteIn my African dance class, men and women have different stories to portray. As African dance is inspired by their daily lifestyle, men dance like strong warriors ready to attack, while women dance like fragile and seductive butterflies. Hip hop is strongly influenced by African dance. It often requires women hip hop dancers to be seductive. I have never thought this was sexist in any way. Men and women sometimes do have different roles in acting as dancers.
I think that there are prescribed gender roles in dance, at least traditional dance such as ballet, jazz, ballroom. This is mainly due to the culture and societal views during the period of time that these dances have evolved. Culture is a major component of art. For instance, in ballet, there is a clear divide between male and female roles. In ballet couple dances, the female is often supported by the male in order to create certain positions, emphasizing the expected female dependency upon males during the period of time in which ballet as a dance form was developed.
ReplyDeleteThe expected female dependency was challenged in the feminist movement that emphasized the breaking of a woman’s ties to a man. I think that modern dance seeks to promote the ideals of the feminist movement as seen in this week’s clip. The woman in the clip does not follow the traditional dance gender roles. She is often the one supporting the man. She also displays strength and a persistent nature as she leads the man across the stage, breaking the traditional forms of woman as a voiceless helper.
Personally, I have not considered the question of specific gender roles in dance as I am moving in dance classes. But, with this topic now in my head, I will be taking greater notice at the way I move as well as the way different genders move during dance classes.
I believe there are prescribed gender roles in dance. Especially in classical ballet, the male dancer is physically able to support the female dancer in ways that a female dancer could not with a male dancer. Through the use of just the biological differences in men and women, gender roles are created. However, for contemporary dance and other such forms of dance, gender does not play as big of a role. I think in contemporary dance, roles are determined more on simply what movements you will allow yourself to make and how far you are willing to push it. Therefore, simply because of differences in physicality, women and men will be able to perform differently. I do not believe that modern dance promotes or distorts the ideals of the Feminist movement because modern dance is simply doing movements you will allow yourself to do and in the example of the clip, different genders will play different roles in order to tell a story. I have not really considered these questions before in a dance class , however, I will definitely continue to reflect upon gender roles in society and how they play into any types of dance.
ReplyDelete-Candace
I agree with Sara’s comment. It seems that throughout history different forms of dance have prescribed to gender roles specific to the current cultural norms. For this reason I don’t think that modern dance, in the general sense, can intentionally promote or distort a specific idealistic value. I think that what probably happens is that the movement suggests the ideals of the choreographer, but also the interpretation of these ideals by the dancers and the audience. Cohesively these interpretations represent the ideals of a culture or society of the time. A choreographer can have a specific aim, but that aim will only be realized if it is acknowledged by the audience. We interpret any observation or idea relative to our own understanding, which is often a product of our culture or upbringing. I think this holds true in our observations of everything, not just art or specifically dance.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I think there were clear gender roles in this week’s piece, but I don’t think that they were unique to either dancer. I think it would be interesting to explore the idea that gender roles in dance don’t have to be specific to either sex. If traditional gender roles are altered, aren’t they still gender roles?
The term gender seems to have evolved a lot over the past few generations, but I don’t think that this is limited to the Feminist movement. I think that modern dance provides a range of interpretations of the ideals that are inevitably specific to the current culture.
Janise Morrison (I'm signed into my google account and yet it still shows up as unknown user. If someone knows why this is happening, please let me know)
ReplyDeleteWhen looking exclusively at dance, there is a history of prescribed gender roles. The assumption is that men lead and women follow, or that women symbolize the graceful technique, while men provide the strong support. But I think when discussing current dance practice, it has become less taboo to defy these stereotypes. The expectations that men and women feel are culturally constructed. It seems that contemporary dance seeks to bend these rules by deconstructing what it means to be feminine or masculine. I have definitely considered these questions when I am dancing in class. I am challenging myself to dance for the sake of dancing, rather than dance because it aligns with an ideal feminine form. Also, I think it's important to note that the class is almost entirely made up of women.
I actually think that in this week's piece the gender roles are unclear. Both man and woman seem to be exchanging forces. If I were to choose sides, I would say that the woman's dancing is more aggressive and leads the man. This ambiguity, which is usually the root of anxiety, is what contemporary dance promotes.
I agree with the comments above that often in more classical types of dance there are prescribed gender roles.
ReplyDeleteIn some cases, men and women are expected to dance differently. However, I also believe that men and women on a physical level are different and this makes the way they move different. Men have larger bodies, often more muscle mass and differently shaped body features than women. In the clip, it was clear that even when they were doing the same choreography the man and women just looked different doing them.
I am not sure what the historical context of modern dance is, but it seems to have less gender defined roles than other types of dance. It is a type of dance where there doesn't seem to be a clear gender differentiation. Have you ever considered these questions as you approach movement in your dance classes?
I haven't really considered these questions as yet, but they will be interesting to think about as the class continues.
In classical, traditional genres of dance there exists prescribed gender roles. For example, in classical ballet, the man is the woman's support system and is seen as the dominant figure as he lifts the woman and rests his hands on her hips to support her leap. This notion of the man as the leader in classical forms of dance arises from social categories and biological differences; this interpretation represents the societal views of the time this dance genre originated. Men were meant to control and women to follow their leader. However, as time progresses and societal views on gender progress towards equality, modern dance such as contemporary allows a woman and man to dance to their own potential individually. Many times, a woman is able to draw more attention than the man and this is because she dances bigger and with more passion, and vice versa for a man. Each individual is able to portray movements in their unique way whether man or woman, and this is the beauty of modern art. Categorization, stereotypes, and expectations of male and female dancers limit their ability to express themselves, but modern dance allows for full expression of one's emotions and passion. Women are able to dance just as big as men and even support men like the woman in the video carried the man in his lifts. Modern art definitely promotes the ideals of the Feminist movement for these very reasons- a woman is allowed and socially accepted to perform on the same level, or even better, than the man in the performance. Therefore, societal views play less of a role in creating expectations for male and female dancers in contemporary dance.
ReplyDeleteIn my dance classes, I have never really had this notion of men performing differently than women and I believe it has a lot to do with the progression of societal values. I do however hope that more males took this class, which is opposite of what was usually considered the norm. Women seem to dominate the dance classes at UCSD, but men should be taking these classes if they wish because in no means are they limited or viewed differently by other students. I applaud the boys in our class for taking this class with a majority of girls.
First off, that video was superbly gorgeous. The two worked so beautifully in tandem together, and it looked like the embodiment of what we went over in class on Thursday about how we should let ourselves move as if we were just seaweed being swept away by the ocean breeze. That is what I will definitely be envisioning as well. There is an effortless grace to the way their limbs manipulate the space around them, and I definitely saw what you meant by moving so your body is soft but your movements are grand and, at times, forceful.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about prescribed gender roles for dance... I do agree that often performances will play into expected gender roles that the audience assumes will occur, such as with ballroom dancing where the male leads and the female is framed as the main point of the dance, but I think it's getting far easier for dance now to break these stereotypes. People are often shocked when those stereotypes are broken, such as when two men dance together or a male takes on traditional female movements in a piece of choreography, but I think that has more to do with society's perception of what should be masculine versus what should be feminine rather than dance itself having a set role for males and females. What is common in this culture could be outrageous in another in terms of gender roles in dance. I haven't taken into consideration the way I fit my own movements with thoughts of feminism or gender roles! But now that it's brought up, I feel like I'll start being more and more conscious about it.
Having come from a performing arts high school, I have seen many a dance performance in my day. When watching a ballet, I always assumed that the male dancer's role was to support and glorify the female ballerina. He would move in accordance with her, always hovering within a few feet, ready to lift or spin or carry her on a moment's notice. (Just like the two exercises from last class, where we had to stay within 10 feet as well as retain eye contact with a partner, the man had to be highly aware of his partner.) I would come away from the performance struck by her beauty, remembering her tutu and pointe shoes and elaborate up-do, while his looks and movements dissolved from my memory. This highly dependent male-female partner dynamic stemmed from social constructs that sexistly deemed women as superior dancers, and men/boys who danced to be feminine. Pure biological factors also played a role in the formation of this conception, women tend to have smaller statures and thus are more easily handled.
ReplyDeleteWith the uprise of contemporary dance forms such as modern and hip hop. Men gained a more independent and equal role and women gained independence as well! In this Youtube clip there are moments where he drags her across the floor, but there are also moments where she picks him up as he leaps. The gender roles are less divided, both dancers are able to have solos and showcase their individual talents without physically relying on one another.
I had never truly considered the significance of these specified gender roles... thank you for posing these questions!
In general, there are gender roles in dance. Just like everyone said above the man seems to be more for support and the women is usually the main focus and uses the man for her leaps and turns. Modern dance both promotes and distorts feminism. Some dances may accentuate a woman's femininity, while others may mask it. In this week's piece, the woman seems masculine at times but then she is wearing a skirt. I have considered these questioned before in ballet folklorico. The men do very masculine moves, while the women have long skirts and beautiful hairpieces. The women also do the same footsteps as the men, but not as dramatic or "tough" as the men because of their skirts.
ReplyDeleteAs a Critical Gender Studies major, I think frequently on how notions of normative gender inform our everyday lives. Dance is no exception. I feel as though many genres of dance I have seen, though I am no expert, reaffirm the gender binary. Woman as primary focus, object, and man as the more active, aggressor. This relates to both solo and group performances, the ways in which women's bodies are manipulated, like in last week's clip; the way women are spun, lifted, twirled, etc, all speak to this objectivity. Of course, much of this action is rooted in biological difference, women typically being smaller and lighter in frame. I would be interested in seeing performance which gets away from the notion of an active male and a passive female, and I keep this in mind in my own movement and performance, for my own identity speaks very much to a project of critiquing and destabilizing the gender binary, not out of hostility, but because I am fully aware of the construction that it is. As far as the deeper question of how modern dance interacts with feminist movements, I am at this point unsure, because I have not seen enough of it. Perhaps after more class sessions, as well as seeing the required performances, I will have more insight into this complex question.
ReplyDelete---Charlie
There is no doubt that in dance, there are prescribed gender roles. The males will usually support the females in order to execute dance stunts and together, they will tell a tale. In this clip however, the female dancer takes on that challenge and supports the male dancer in various ways. I do not believe that contemporary promotes nor distorts the ideals of the Feminist Movement. Instead, it is the array of choreographers that influence the definition of contemporary dance. The choreographers and dancers often instill their beliefs and attitudes toward society into the dance. I have never really considered these questions but will surely keep them in mind.
ReplyDeleteI do think there are specific gender roles in dance. I agree with the others in that men usually glorify the women in a dance performance. In general, women are the center of attention while the men are sort of in the background. However, this is not always the case. Yes, the specific gender roles are apparent in some dance forms and specific pieces, but I feel like this doesn't always happen. I feel like in hip hop, women and men usually dance to the same choreography. In modern dance, I feel like there are dance pieces where men and women dance in the same kind of way, but in other pieces, it's clear that men have the supporting role and women are the center of attention. I'd never really thought about this during dance class because the choreography is set up so that males and females dance the same way. I feel like if males had different dance movements than females in our dance pieces, I would've thought more about gender roles in dance.
ReplyDeleteTypically speaking, when watching a dance performance with both male and female roles, one expects that the male is the lead; the female is more of a follower. The male is the female’s support and the female is the more graceful dancer as the male complements the female. This is the expectation: that men and women are supposed to dance differently. However, I believe that this is a historically constructed social belief that does not necessarily have as strong roots now as it did in the past. I believe that modern dance opens and breaks up the traditional and old male and female dancer stereotypes by allowing each gender to play the role of the other and have overlapping characteristics that are not usually common. I honestly have never considered the topic of prescribed gender roles as I approach movement in this dance class. I have always thought that women and men should be allowed to dance freely to their own will and although the typical stereotype of male and female dancers are in my head, I do not find it odd if those stereotypes are broken up in any form of dance.
ReplyDelete- Nicole Wong
I believe there are expectations of gender roles in dance, in which societal norms portray men being a support for women's movements in choreography. Historically and culturally this idea is portrayed that way but because of the different body types men and women portray, I believe it does have an effect in how men and women dance. However, this effect does not mean that men and women are not capable of expressing a movement better than the other. For example, I've been break-dancing for about 8 years now and I've ran into the gender gap a few times. Having others put me down because I'm doing a quote on quote 'male-dominated' dance. I truly believe gender does not take into effect of the act of expression, but however it depends on the individual on how much they want to learn the dance. On the other hand, I do not think modern dance promotes or distorts the ideals of the Feminist movement because everyone is having the freedom to express freely. I've not came across these question in dance class because I never viewed genders having a gap in difference to fully express themselves passionately.
ReplyDeleteIn my perspective, there are prescribed gender roles in dance. There is no doubt that the movement for male and female is quite different. Their dance, of course, shows different feelings to express the aesthetics of dance to the audience Just like the last video we saw in the assignment week 4, it is the male that helps the girl accomplish several specific movement. Without his support, the technique will be a little bit harder for the girl to reach that height of the dance to show the beauty of the combination of ballet and contemporary dance. However, it is not always true to keep that idea which the females are always the main part of all types of dance in mind. In this clip "Grand pas de deux", I think the main focus is not just on the female's movement, the posture and movement of that male are so important in this whole performance. It is hard to answer the question "Does modern dance promote or distort the ideals of the Feminist movement?" I believe that dance is not the field just for female. Although some types of dance need females better than males to act more beautifully to attract audience and persuade them. In my class, I do notice that dance is different between gentlemen and ladies. Actually, it's that difference of dance could help me know the gender role in dance. And both movements of genders show the charm of themselves.
ReplyDeleteAlthough less so in today's society, I do believe that prescribed gender roles in dance still exist. Men are expected to be strong, forceful, and larger in their movements. Women, on the other hand, are expected to be softer, daintier, and smaller in their movements. When in a duet with a woman, the man often plays more of a "shadowy" role and is expected to highlight the woman as the forefront. Although these may be the expectations of society, I definitely do not believe that these are necessarily correct or mandatory. I strongly agree that modern dance promotes the ideals of the Feminist movement, as it allows women to take on more masculine roles & men to take on more feminine roles in dance. Modern dance removes the societal expectations/beliefs that serve as boundaries between men & women. To be honest, I have never really thought about these gender questions when I approached movement in dance class. However, I do believe that doing so now will allow me to explore & experiment with movements outside of my comfort zone. And just to note, I'd have to admit that this video/choreography left me in awe and has become one of my favorite pieces; I lost count of how many times I replayed it.
ReplyDelete-Katherine Huynh
I think that while many forms of dance have prescribed gender roles, it does not hold true for all forms of dance. For example, in ballroom dance, the male is usually the one that leads or does the lifts; and just the physicality of the dancers makes the woman seem more feminine and the man seem more masculine. However, in forms such as modern dance, the differentiation between genders is often blurred, and the dancers are more focused on portraying emotion than following certain gender roles. Because of this, I think that modern dance promotes the ideals of the Feminist movement. Rather than focusing on maintaining certain gender roles within the dance, modern dance is more about expressiveness and movement. Although the piece by Mats Ek is considered a ballet, I also think that they can be construed as modern dance. And as is evidenced by the piece, there need not be gender roles. Both the man and woman were carrying out similar movements, and neither of them seemed more masculine nor feminine.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the diversity of technique and choreography that makes up "dance," I find it impossible to characterize all dance as either portraying or not portraying prescribed gender roles. If this piece is somehow representative of modern dance, it may be possible to say that yes there are prescribed gender roles. There are two dancers assumed to have specific biological and chemical traits based on their physical appearances, and these differences are additionally highlighted by distinct costumes that are traditionally associated with specific genders (the transparent flowy skirt for her and the pants for him). At the same time, she has short hair and wears a button up collared long sleeve shirt while he wears a see through tank top. This creates a more androgynous appearance for her. Their movements are often synchronized, though at times he supports her in lifts, and at other times she appears to manipulate his bodily movements with her hand.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are prescribed gender roles in dance, but this depends on the specific type of dance, time period, choreography, culture, and so on. This clip, as a representation of modern dance, seems to play with prescribed gender roles- examples being when the two dancers move in unison, when the female dancer shapes the movement of her partner with her hands, her more androgynous appearance, their reciprocal sexual simulations (he puts his foot on her crotch and then she puts her head in his). Though, at the same time she seems to be clinging to him and following him, at one point she curls her entire body on his chest, and he carries her out at the end.
The ideals of feminisms and feminist movements are probably as varying as the types of choreography that exist in contemporary dance. If blurring the western binary masculine/feminine is considered a feminist project, then this piece may distort and also uphold certain feminist ideals. Asking this question all depends on how one characterizes modern dance, and which feminist movement's ideals are being considered. That being said, there is potential for deep analysis of gender roles in many types of dance, modern being one.
As a Critical Gender Studies student, I regularly consider these questions as I participate in dance classes.
-Katrina Hoffman
Gender roles in dance are constantly shifting contemporaneously alongside the consistent reinvention of culture. Gender roles for conceptual reasons are perhaps prescribed, but generally with intention and reflecting what is the lived experience within a social world, part of a specific society and history. In this piece the movement, costumes, and props are basically an abstract way to have a discussion about gender meanings and symbols. Both the man and the woman for example, perform lifts throughout the piece, which toys with the idea of traditional roles being transgressed. The oven as a prop symbolizing domestication and gendered roles in a space as well. Costumes are not necessarily what an audience would assume to be representative of feminine or masculine. Expectations of men and women in regard to movement varies depending on the culture, concept, and intent behind the piece, but I feel historically dance seems to be moving away from imposed roles. During this piece in particular the audience is confronted with the ambiguity of the movement at certain points of the dance, breaking up social categories that may be attached to movements performed. I do think about these gender questions in classes, and I do feel when I approach dance I more or less feel I don't regard my personal movement as being gendered. I tend to focus my attention on being a body in the world moving through space, and with that foundation, personality comes through in the movement.
DeleteMaddy Hudson
Prescribed gender roles exist in dance because of cultural influence. Men have always been viewed as the stable, leading figure in dance - and women the opposite; which, is reflective in all formal styles of dance (ballroom, jazz, salsa, etc). Today, though, we have different styles of dance that do not necessarily reflect this view because culture changes with time.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the Feminist Movement aims to give equal opportunity to women, when culturally, that wasn't the case. Modern dance allows women to express themselves in a way that is not necessarily a culturally-accepted, female-esque dance style.
I don't think about gender role while dancing because I just want to have fun. Mucking up the purpose of my dancing with unnecessary thoughts about "cultural significance" or "gender role identity" makes me less likely to enjoy the actual moment.
Most of the time I think there are gender roles associated with dance or performance whether it is intentional or not. When I view a performance, I automatically think that there will be gender roles associated if there are different sexes within the piece. I think this happens because I was raised in a culture where there are defined gender roles. I feel that men have the ability to perform "stronger" roles better than women. Men tend to be built for lifting and do seem to be as graceful to watch as a woman. As for women, I believe that they can prove fluid movements better and more refined because of their flexibility. I think modern dance is able to blend the lines between gender roles. They promote equality rather than gender specific movements. Men perform with the women and vis versa. I actually have never considered gender roles in my dance classes. I dont believe that putting on a good performance doesnt mean having a male or female portray a type of role. Males and females should have the freedom to dance in a way that may not be defined in their gender 'role'.
ReplyDelete