#5 Open Topic

My theater class is actually really fun. I thought I would hate it but its not bad at all. In class we had to bring two items that were meaningful to us. Well I forgot so all I had was my cell phone and some lip gloss. We lined up and put our first item on the table. Then we cycled through again and place our second item on the tbale then cycled trough again and pick up one of our item and another persons item. Then he gave us like 10 mins to come up with a story for each item. It was great. After everyone came up with there stories we got in a big circle and told both our stories one by one. I get kind of nervous when I have to speak in front of people but it wasn’t that bad this time. So for my first item I told the class that first semester last year and few friends and I took a trip down to Georgetown for the first time and I went to the store Sephora and bought the lipgloss. It was great lipgloss because it came in handy for dance performances. The the second story was the summer before coming to mason I was helping my grandparents clean their house and I found this keychain and my grandpa told me it brought goodluck and that I should keep it. About half the class voted for the lip gloss and the other have the keychain. It proved that I was a semi good lier. Other people were very obvious and others were really hard to discover. It was hilarious. Some people over described and other undescribed but it was a good activity.

#5 What did you see on your way to work/school/etc.

Well on my way to class this morning I saw a squirrel rummaging around in the trash can area by my apartment. I only remember this because it scared the shit out of me. Then I walked through the buildings and water fell onto my forehead from above. Then I saw a few people walking. One girl had to books in her hand and I wondered why she wasn’t carrying a backpack. Other people had big back packs some girls just had purses. Almost everyone had on boots. There were several cars parked in front of sub2 because of the construction. There were construction men outside as well. There was the taco stand truck parked and a man got out with a carryout container. Not sure if he was delivering something or what but im not sure who would want taco at 9am in the morning. I walked through the parking garage and saw very few parked car. Two or three passed me as I walked through. When I first walked into the garage I saw two men sitting in there car with the car on. They didn’t leave though. I passed a really gross trash can as I exited the garage. Then a lady came up and was walking behind me. As I opened the door to go into the dance department I saw a girl smoking a cigarette. Then I open the door and held it for the lasy behind me. She said thanks to me and good morning to the girl outside smoking. I walked through the music department. All the music rooms were full. Someone in each one playing different instruments. I can remember a piano player and that’s about it. All the other instrument are a blurr. I walked up the stairs passing the vending machine and made my way into the dance department. I passed lots of people in the hall way filling up water bottles, getting ballet shoes, taking of exess clothing, generally getting ready for class then I did the same thing.

#4 Types of Writing in your Field

In the dance field writing seems rare. It is such a physical field of study it was very difficult to think of when writing is required. Sometimes because it is a physical activity people believe dancers to be dumb or mute. This is truly not the case. Granted I do prefer to communicate non-verbally it doesn’t mean that I am unable to. After doing some research I found that one form of writing that is well known in the dance field is dance critics and reviewers. These occupations are very popular in that almost every dance performance is critiqued or reviewed. It gives the reader a since of the show and common opinions regarding the show. Another form of writing in the dance field is notation. There are various forms of notation that dancers use to keep count, record choreography or measure out music. I personally don’t know specific techniques of notation; however, it is common among dancers. There are also dance historians as there are historians for all other fields of study. These people do tons of research and analysis to relay the important information that readers otherwise wouldn’t know. It is also important to know the history or where something originated. The last form of writing I could think of was writing memoirs and biographies. There are several books around about various dancers and choreographers. My field of study is very physical; however, there are some forms of writing required.

#2 What are your strengths?

I have many strengths to contribute to the dance field. One is my well roundedness. I have studied many forms of dance such as ballet, jazz, tap, Horton, graham, lemon, release techinique, and I have also worked with amazing choreographers from all over in varying styles. I have also spent the past 7 summers doing dance intensive where I was able to gain so much knowledge and experience. Personal strengths in dance class include I am very rhymical. I am usually on the music and counts, I pick up movement and choreography quickly, I am a good jumper and I balance rather well most of the time. I have improved my turn out and flexibility over the years. I also bring my education to my field. A lot of dancer choose not to go to college before embarking upon their dance career but I decided to go. Now I have more technique training and over discipline. I know what is acceptable and what is not. I have good work ethic that I’ve learned here in college that many don’t have. Once im ajunior I will also take a course called dance history. Not only will I be a well rounded dancer physically I will also have a wealth of knowledge about where and when and how and why dance evolved. I also will patience to my field. A lot of dancers give up after not making it immediately but I am passionate enough about dance to no matter what keep trying. It is hard out there being a dancer but it requires patience to really succeed and be happy.

#1 Researching/Writing Goals and Aspirations

Well my goals for this semester in English 302 I hope to overall become abetter writer. I also hope to gain more knowledge about my career field. Im not use to doing research on a normal bases so in this course I am also becoming more aware of sources and where to find these sources. I am also becoming a lot quicker in determining search terms to find what I am looking for. I never thought that researching would become interesting. I guess I never did research on something that I truly love. As far as writing I hope to improve of course. In grammar with these different exercise that we have to do. I hope to sound more professional and more formal in my writing. Trying not to depend on the computer to fix my mistakes. It has become a routine to click spell check automatically. These free write exercises have really helped with that. In terms of my academic career, wiritng isn’t a big factor unless my careers goal change over the years. As of right now the most writing I want to do is filling out audition applications or once im in a company writing my biography. It is always good to have a good background and skill set in writing to call upon when you need it, but hopefully as a dancer I won’t have to do a terrible amount of writing. For myself personally I don’t want to be a statistic. I want to be an African American that writes well. When someone reads what I have written I don’t want it to be looked down upon. I want my education to be portrayed through my writing. No in my family is particularly good in the subject of English, but I don’t want to skim by barely making it. I want to be comfortable and not have to worry if people look at me differently or negatively after reading something I have written. I find English classes not the most interesting but one of the most beneficial in the long run.

Article Summary #15

It is difficult to explain to some, who want a short answer, why humanities matter? The predictable answer is “we teach critical engagement with the difficult but compulsive questions about what it means to be human.” Humanities is also living life day to day while questioning your everything you do; participating in society and your community as citizen who is able to make responsible decisions. It is a hard topic to compact into a short answer, due to its wide perspective of issues. Its not like a science matter, where it can be summed up in one line.
Therefore to answer such a broad question, and try to narrow it down, Andrew decided to look to alumni for the answer. He would ask them to give evidence of what there humanities courses did for them in college. It has been noted that many college students realize the value of arts and critical thinking only after they are done with college, several years later.
In a short amount of time, humanities disciplines are going to be under a lot of stress because of a limited amount of resources. The problem is mainly due to the public, administrative culture, and a lack of one-liners. Humanities is truly responsible for several things that can’t be summed up easily, but here are a few: scholarship, research, accreditation, difficult skill sets, and innovation.

Article Summary #14

Romping Couples, Brazilian Rhythms and Strobe-Light Suspension

This Saturday Parsons Dance performed at the Joyce Theater at a family friendly matinee. This was a two hour long performance that many children felt was too long. The company performed “Nascimento Novo” which was originally choreographed by David Parsons in 2006. This piece is full of pelvic oscillations and predictable running patterns, all to the rhythms of the Brazilian musician Milton Nascimento. In the dance, there are various sections of improvisation and friendly competition between the dancers. The next piece performed in this concert was the “Hand Dane.” This piece was strikingly different than many other traditional dancers. It included a completely dark stage with special lighting that highlighted the arms and hands of five dancers. The dancers created many abstract configurations through mimed movement. This piece was followed by one of the company’s signature pieces “Caught.” It is a strobe-lite dance that requires energy and vigor and leaves the audience in amazement. The company is very entertaining but David Parson doesn’t create choreography that builds the mood. Instead he uses repetition of movement and music which grow boring after a while. The next piece was “Ebben,” which was performed by one of George Mason’s own alumni Billy Smith. He graduated in 2007 with a BFA from the Dance department. He poured his heart out on stage as he circled another member of the company, Sarah Braverman as she held a series of ballectic positions. Due to Mr. Parson’s choreographic style it is difficult to see beyond the technique of these dancers. They are fascinating to watch, but it leaves the question of rather or not these dancers can be considered artist?
La Rocco, Claudia. "Romping Couples, Brazilian Rhythms and Strobe-Light Suspension." Rev. of Parsons Dance Company. New York TImes 7 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. .

Article Summary #13

Students surprised with new instruments ... and a Jamie Foxx sighting

This article discusses the event that occurred at Walt Disney Concert Hall a few weeks ago. Surrounded by 400 Los Angeles area high school students, Jamie Fox helped the opening of the national Fidelity FutureStage Music Program of 2010. This is a programs started to strengthen public school arts programs. This event among other things included an unveiling of $100,000 worth of instruments for the students. Many contributors were excited to be apart of the programs because they know the importance of music education in school. Similar events will occur in Boston, Chicago, and Houston.
These teenagers are very serious about their craft and have been given this wonderful chance to perfect what they love. The high schools that have been selected to participate in the program are Garfield High School, Renaissance Arts Academy, Foshay Learning Center, and Roosevelt High School. Out of these schools one will be chosen to perform at the Hollywood Bowl Opening Night Gala in June.
The students were overly thrilled by the instruments and by the new opportunities that were presented, but they became even my excited by the Jamie Foxx as he graced the stage. He performed a slightly altered version of his Grammy Award-winning song “Blame It.” Jamie expressed how much music has affected his life; therefore he has a passion for these types of events, and was happy to lend a helping hand in the program.

Villarreal, Yvonne. "Students surprised with new instruments ... and a Jamie Foxx sighting." The Los Angeles Times. 9 Feb. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. .

Article Summary #12

Faulkner Link to Plantation Diary Discovered

This article is about William Faulkner and where he got his inspiration for all his books. Faulkner was childhood friends and eventually began adult friends with Edgar Wiggins Francisco Jr., whose great-grandfather, Francis Terry Leak, was a wealthy plantation owner in Mississippi. Francis Terry Leak kept a diary in the mid-1800 about the names, places, prices, and generally all details of his plantation. Edgar Jr.’s son Edgar III, who is now 79 years old, remembers from his childhood Faulkner frequenting his home often in Holly Springs, Mississippi in the 1930’s to read and take notes on the several volumes of the diary. Specialists are fascinated by this special look into the process of Faulkner’s writing. Edgar III recalls times when Faulkner would read Leak’s pro-slavery and pro-confederacy view and grow very angry. Faulkner would become so livid he would curse and drink excessively. Leak owned many slaves and most of their names can be found in Faulkner’s work, “Go Down, Moses” and a few others. According to many scholars, Faulkner gave these slave names to his white characters in order to give them a voice. Other references from the diary have been seen throughout Faulkner’s work as well, such as “the ticking sound of a watch that Quentin Compson is obsessed with in “The Sound and the Fury”; descriptions of building a plantation match Thomas Sutpen’s in “Absalom, Absalom!”
Leak’s diary was donated to the University of North Carolina in 1946; therefore, it is very familiar to scholars. “The original documents have been used by Southern economists and social historians for their insights into Mississippi’s plantation life, but no one has previously been aware that Faulkner, who died in 1962, had any connection to them.”

Cohen, Patricia. "Faulkner Link to Plantation Diary Discovered." The New York Times. 10 Feb. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2010.

Article Summary #11

Study disputes concerns over plasma from female donors

This article is about the safety of transfusing plasma from female donor. This was said to be dangerous and unsafe and recommended by the U.S. blood banking industry to avoid because it could cause a life-threatening antibody reaction. However, now scientist have discovered that plasma from women donors might actually be more beneficial than not for heart surgery patients. Duke University Medical Center stated patients that were treated prior to these warnings against the transfusion were only half as likely to have lung problems and about 45% less likely to die within 10 days after surgery. The short term responses seemed more beneficial, but long term survival rates were the same whether the person received plasma from women or men.
Surgeons are so concerned about the plasma from females because of a rare occurrence known as transfusion-related acute lung injury, TRALI. This phenomenon has very similar symptoms to acute respiratory distress syndrome. TRALI kills about 200 people in the U.S. each year and is the cause of half of all transfusion related deaths. It occurs within six hours and is a buildup of fluids in the lungs. TRALI is caused by antibodies reacting with immune cells, and these antibodies are more commonly found in females.
To take precautions places such as the American Red Cross use men plasma for transfusions and women plasma for preparing drugs and other things. Other institutions don’t take women plasma from women who have had more than one child. Then in some cases hospitals just screen all the plasma for antibodies.

Maugh II, Thomas. "Study disputes concerns over plasma from female donors." Los Angeles Times. 11 Feb. 2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2010. .

Observation and Description Exercise: One Hour of Uninterrupted Listening

I chose to sit outside near Starbucks around 10 o’clock pm. There were several people coming in and out and walking around to different places. There were also several individuals settling near where I chose to sit to smoke. Conversations between people varied from if we would have school the next day to what they ate for dinner, to how addicted to starbucks people have become since it opened on campus. I also noticed the sounds of footsteps in the slosh of snow, and the difference between that sound and the sound of people stepping on hard ice. The ice would crackle and crunch under their feet. A few times a couple cars drove past slowly and cautiously. The rumble of an engine against such a quiet night was dominate. Normally when there are several cars driving down the street the unsteadiness of the engine isn’t noticeable, but it is when there is only one or two passing along. I also heard laughter and some screams as people threw snow at one another. The sound of the impact combined with the yell really caught my attention. Then the building seemed to be making noises as well. I guess starbucks has some type of radiator or something to produce heat on the inside and that was a constant industrial factory type of sound. It was like a machine pumping something never ceasing. I didn’t notice this right away but once I did it was hard to ignore it. The door into starbucks was squeaky like most time. The amount of squeak depended upon how fast or slow the person opened the door. I observed the sound of ringtones. Some were songs I was familiar with others I didn’t know, and some were not songs at all. They were just the traditional sounds that are automatic with the phone. Then once the person was done talking or texting or whatever they had to do on their phone, I became aware of if the phone snapped close or slide close. Those were to different sounds. Some people clothing made noises as well. Especially those wearing the plastic pants that swish when you move or big coats that swish. Jeans made a slightly more subtle sound.

#7 Open Topic

I am very happy to be having a snow weekend; however it sucks that it had to occur over the weekend. I would have much rather it snowed during the week so we could get out of classes and work. I would have been nice to sleep in and do nothing. But it instead it snowed on the weekend and now my weekend is ruined. I had so many plans but not anymore. First on Friday night I planned on having rehearsal with Joe Bowdie from the Mark Morris dance company to perfect the piece Grand Duo choreographed by Mark Morris himself. Then that night I was going to go the Center for the Arts and see the company perform at 8. Then My friend Kam from back home in St. Louis was suppose to arrive and stay the night at my apartment because the next day he would have had an audition to be apart of the dance department here at mason. I was going to help set up the audition and talk to perspective students that had any questions or concerns from 11-12:30. Then I was going to get some lunch. Then around 2 go take a class for warm up before my rehearsal with Mark Morris. This was going to be a scary experience but one I would never forget and one that I was extremely excited about. Its not often a dancer my age and where I am in my dance career gets the opportunity to dance in front some one like Mark Morris. He was going to rehearse his piece and give us corrections and advice so that we are ready to really perform it in March in our Gala performance. Then on Sunday I had an audition for Doug Verone’s piece but that got cancelled as well of course because of the snow. They have rescheduled the audition for Monday at 12:30 but that sucks because if I get into the piece I don’t have much time to find a sub to work for me this coming week while I have rehearsals from 4:30-9:30 every day. I also don’t have much time to inform my theater teacher that I won’t be in class. He seems to be strict about attendance. However although my weekend was ruined the highlight of my week was being able to see The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday night. It was a marvelous performance!!!!!!! I can’t wait to see them again.

#5 Learning Styles

Well according to the survey I am 50% a logical mathematical learner which I think it pretty accurate. I defineitely use symbols and designs to figure out situations. I also love the subject of math and problem solving way more than language. The survey also said that I am visual and spatial learner which is completely accurate. I am a dancer and using a spatial and visual awareness is so necessary. Without it you can’t pick up combinations and you wont know where you are in space. I’ve had years of practice to perfect this technique of learning and I have found it hard to learn any other way. I can also read maps and puzzles very well. My sense of direction is very good. I am definitely not a nature person. I can’t stand to go outside or to deal with the out doors in any way. I get very distracted by bugs and grass and trees and other things so I can’t focus on what I should be focusing on. I much rather be inside. Bodily kinesthetics is also a strong point for me. Being a natural mover I have grown accustomed to physiclizing things. It helps me to process information when I can do it hands on. Last but not least Im a intrapersonal learner as well. I prefer to work alone and independently however I can work in a group If I have to. And I do have very strong opinions.

#4 Refine Your Research Topic/Question/Problem

Society today is theoretically supposed to be color-blind. No longer is it acceptable to force unequal measures upon a group of people based on the color of their skin. Race is expected to be an element in life that ceases to cause discrimination and inequalities anymore but in reality that still exist. Because of years of oppression and unfair treatment, separation inferiority, minorities still suffer from an imbalanced slate. They are not given the same opportunities, which would in theory call for a balancing method. This imbalance can be fixed with affirmative action policies and programs. This nation is still not color-blind as suspected. There are still inequalities among races, and policies such as affirmative action will always be needed so long as this issue endures.

#3 Survey if Current Topic in my Field

Funding for the Arts:
There are a wide variety of arts opportunity ranging from dance, to theater, to museums, and nightclubs. In the last 20 years the arts industry has developed to extraordinary levels producing record high sales. To obtain such revenue these places must rely on independent funding sources. There are three basic types of support: direct public assistance from National Endowment for the Art and by state and local agencies, other federal agencies other than NEA, and private donations. With financial issue arts organizations must face the challenges of expenditures for artists and such, while also dealing with the increasing cost to support their business or program. Due to the economic situation of the nation funding for the arts is decreasing every year. Proposals for an increase have been denied and or pushed to the side. There are steady cut backs in the arts funding and it is putting a major pressure on arts organization to maintain and grow.

Dance injury prevention:
One of the common causes of injury among dancers is overuse. We are constantly pushed to do this and that and to keep going and to push ourselves to the limit that our bodies just give up. Repetition of movement for longs period of time causes stress on various parts of the body. For ballet dancers they commonly suffer from peroneal tendonitis while modern dancers commonly suffer from patellar tendonitis. The major difference between ballet and modern is the use of different muscles. To counterbalance the use of certain muscles it is a good idea to complement dance with other work out exercises that use, strengthen and stretch muscle not readily used during dance.

Eating disorders:
Dancers always feel the pressure of body image. We are constantly looked at and are stress to look a certain way. In many dancer studios and companies it is expected for a dancer to be thin. Gaining weight is a big fear and could cause someone their job in the real world. The desirable look mainly for a ballet dancer is a pencil thin dancer. Some dancers are blessed with genes that naturally make them fit this ideal appearance while other struggle to get rid of their natural curve. In the desire to rid oneself of curves it leads many to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. These diseases are considered silent but very dangerous. It is a shame such a beautiful art form is overshadowed by such an fixation on food.

#2 What are you passionate about?

I am very passionate about dance. It is life. I can’t imagine not dancing at any point. I get very tired of it at times but it still rules my life. I am always at class or rehearsal. In highschool I never really had the opportunity to do things that other kids my age were doing because I was dance. But I didn’t seem to mind. Dance is an activity truly have to love in order to continue to do it. It is not easy by any means. Many time I come home with bruises and aches and pulled muscles and sprangs, but because of my passion to do it it doesn’t phase me. I love dance so much because I am able to express myself. I don’t like to speak in public so it is an easy way for me to communicate. Its not always aggression like some sports its not always pretty like ice skating. It varies based upon the techinique the style the mood the piece the choreographer the music. All these elements come into play. I also love it because it is a fun and exciting way to exercise. I can’t stand going to the gym. It is boring and I lose focus and interest quickly. I am passionate about dance because it is something everyone can do. You might be a great dancer but it is accessible to everyone. In my future hope I can bring dance to places that wouldn’t ordinarily be exposed such as inner city communities that don’t have the funds a nd means. In highschool I worked at an inner city school and it was a positive activity for the children to do. It was an outletfor them the same way it is an outlet for me. In dance class I am able to leave everything at the door and focus on myself my body just me and no one else. I can let loose and be me I can be someone I am not. It doesn’t matter in dance. The body doesn’t lie. It tells everything. I can’t think of another activity that allows a person to move so freely and without care. I feel privileged to be able to such an art form.

#1 Recent Dream

My most recent dream occurred last night. Of course it was strange. I went to some type of party or gathering with lots of people and my boy friend was attending with me. We left and as we were driving I decided to go to my friend Taylor’s house. Usually she is home but for some reason she wasn’t like I expected. I called her on the phone and she was at someone else house. There was lots of noise in the background. She said that she was coming home soon and to just wait. I could go inside if I wanted to, but I told her I was fine outside. Outside her house was a little girl. She didn’t have a face but I knew she was a girl. We seemed to have ha a conversation but I don’t know what about. I guess I was tired of waiting so my boy friend and I left her house and in an instant we were on the highway. All of a sudden I was driving and I couldn’t see anymore. My windshield wiper didn’t work and I was freaking out. I told him to look out his window to see if there were cars in front of me because it was impossible for me to see. He kept telling me to just slow down but I was panicking and screaming. It was nighttime and I didn’t know what to do. He said to slowly pull the car over but I was afraid to do anything but go straight because I didn’t know what was around me. Then I decided I would pull over but I didn’t do it slow enough so the car was spinning and I had no control. It stopped and some how I was on the side of the highway. Then my dream switched to me being at a mall or a school I can’t really remember but there were lots of teenagers everywhere. I didn’t know anyone but I was talking to different people. All of a sudden it seemed like gang members appeared out of knoe where. They were dressed in regular clothes but they had guns. I wasn’t scared though. I was in a very calm state. I also remember a restaurant and sitting down to eat with a guy I liked. He surprised me with food and flowers and candy then he left. I don’t know where he went.

Article Summary #10

Los Angeles spares city arts funding

This article was about the City Council of Los Angeles declining a proposal that would get rid of city funding for the arts. This decision was made after listening to several pleas against it in a public hearing about eliminating government services and jobs. The City Council also dismissed the proposal to eliminate the $4 million arts grants program, suggested by City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana. Santana has also made some other recommendations such as shifting operations that currently have 9 or 10 community center to instead have private nonprofit organizations. The Department of Cultural Affairs executive director, Olga Garay, is also pursuing one of Santana's suggestions by finding at least $500,000 in savings in her budget for arts programs.
The idea of getting rid of funding for the arts has been a big concern for arts advocates. Six council members made repeal for the guaranteed arts funding; however, it never came before the council, and instead they all decided it should be "received and filed." This truly means it was trashed. The repeal was well thought out, but people are desperate for answers. Many advocates have spoken and ridiculed the city for claiming to be the capital city for entertainment and culture, yet they want to eliminate funding for it. While other advocates have talked about how beneficial the arts can be to society economically and educationally.

Boehm, Mike. "Los Angeles spares city arts funding." The Los Angeles Times. 4 Feb. 2010. Web. 4 Feb. 2010. www.latimes.com

Article Summary #9

Opening Doors with New and Old

This article is about a company based in Fort Lee, that will be performing on February 13 and 14 an assortment of repertoire. The company is called Nai Ni-Chen Dance Company, and the director and founder, Nai Ni-Chen believe in the importance of diversity. She believes it is important to embraced traditional styles of dance. Nai Ni-Chen thinks is opens the world of dance to anyone and everyone. Although her company is modern based, she incorporates traditional style pieces into her choreography.In the performance at the art center, the company will do a piece in traditional Chinese costumes then transform into dull earth tone colors for a piece called "Earth." This piece is within a five part series, which includes fire, water, metal, and wood. The music was composed by Gerald Chenoweth and is almost entirely percussion.
In addition to a diverse repertoire the company is also very diverse. There are members from Taiwan, South Korea, upstate New York, and various other places. However the one thing they do have in common is their respect for the art form of dance.

La Gorce, Tammy. "Opening Doors With New and Old." The New York Times. 29 Jan. 2010. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/nyregion/31artsnj.html?emc=eta1>

Aricle Summary #8

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan at the Kennedy Center

This article captures the essence of Tai Chi. This past weekend the Cloud Gate Theatre of Taiwan performed a stunning show at the Kennedy Center. The martial art form of Tai Chi was founded by a man named Lin Hwai-min. In his mid-20's he at the time was a writer studying at the University of Iowa. He took a dance class and quickly became intrigued by physical expression. He found silent movement more powerful than spoken or written words. He created a dance group within a year in his native home of Taipei. The group was actually established in 1972 and calls themselves the oldest contemporary dance company in the Chinese society.
The company performed the piece "Moon Water," and it was so enticing it made many reconsider what they thought of dance. This was an interesting show, due to the fact that the stage was soaked with water and Tai Chi movement was put to music composed by Bach and the stage was lite by moonlight. These contrasting elements made the performance unique and fascinating. The piece starts with a solo done by Tsai Ming-yuan, where he journeys across the stage doing various Tai Chi postures. The dancer displays a great deal of flexibility, energy, and intensity. His movement brought the audience into the world of meditation and "the mysteries underlying the ancient practice of tai chi, where movement and consciousness entwine, and where serenity is a unique form of power." Although the movement, dancers, and set design were captivating the music was not fitting. "Lin chose excerpts from a recording of "Six Suites for Solo Cello" performed by Mischa Maisky, sarabandes, preludes and allemandes." The music was very heavy and dark, and the entire piece was fighting against serious tone of the music.

Kaufman, Sarah. "Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan at the Kennedy Center." Rev. of Cloud Gate Theatre of Taiwan. The Washington Post 1 Feb. 2010. The Washington Company. Web. 2 Feb. 2010. .

Article Summary #7

Alvin Ailey enjoying a swinging renaissance with 'Uptown'

On Tuesday night the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater graced the Opera House stage at the Kennedy Center. The performance was spectacular. This is the first time in a while that the company has sold out the performance ahead of time. The opening night, which was Tuesday, is usually filled with a combination of electrifying dance and money collecting. On opening night there is a benefit gala, so many patrons come bearing money to give away towards the arts. The Ailey Company has such a broad appeal; they are easily able to bring together a multitude of people to support.
According to this review, the best part of the show came after intermission when the company performed the piece "Uptown," choreographed by Matthew Rushing. Matthew is actually a current member of the company performing his 18th season; however, after enduring an injury to his calf, Matthew was forced to a leave of absence for a short period of time heal his injury. Upon his absence Matthew engaged in much research regarding the Harlem Renaissance which took place during the 1920's and 1930's. Through his research he choreographed this piece to reflect the African American culture that thrived during this era. He captured the swing dancing rent parties and also intricate rhythm pattern that the dancer catch while maintaining the boppiness feeling. Other segments of the piece lend themselves to important individuals during the time such as Zora Neale Hurston and Josephine Baker and Ethel Waters. "Uptown" is piece of work that many companies desire to have in today's society. It is a story that "unfurls a story, with vivid characters that tell us about themselves without the help of complicated program notes but solely -- and significantly -- in the way they dance."

Kaufman, Sarah. "Alvin Ailey enjoying a swinging renaissance with 'Uptown'" Rev. of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The Washington Post 4 Feb. 2010. Web. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303216.html

Article Summary #6

Now More than Ever: Why America Needs the Humanities in the 21st Century

In is more important now more than ever to have the advancement of humanities in our society due to the globalization and challenges our country faces. Humanities can be defined as the study of human knowledge, ideas, and inspiration which cover various subjects ranging from religion to languages. Humanities are responsible for guiding human nature. It poses questions that are answered through people’s individual form of expression and wisdom, and interconnects the world’s cultures, economies and values.
The well being of the nation now strongly depends on the workforce, citizenship, heritage, and the idea of understanding the world as a whole. Because these elements are very significant, 40 years ago the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was established in order to promote federal involvement in humanities. The NEH is the major source of federal funding for humanities, so it is necessary for it to emphasize its high-profile status and leadership role and reinforce the three original goals: the advancement of knowledge, improve teaching and learning, and engaging the people of the nation to preserve citizenship. This reinforcing of the original goals is really vital right now because the NEH has suffered from a pattern of failures. As the United States reshapes itself the NEH plays a critical role. It is time for the NEH to step up and take a stronger stance in leading the nation to gaining more from the humanities accessible. However, in order to do this, they require more funding. The NEH is undergoing some policy changes to reassert its leadership. These changes will occur in the fields of research, education, preservation, public programming, state humanities, international and global perspectives, and digital technology.

Now More than Ever: Why America Needs the Humanities in the 21st Century. Issue brief. The National Humanities Alliance. Nov. 2008. Web. 6 Feb. 2010. .