CULTURAL ANALYSIS ESSAY

You should allow the same amount of time you would usually use for attending class PLUS homework time, which includes extensive writing this week.

It is highly suggested that you take notes on all content for the week. Examples/evidence from the reading and documentary will be required for your homework assignment. Click on each tab in your Week 10 Module in order.

10.3 – Reading: “African American Dance – Philosophy, Aesthetics, and “Beauty” by Thomas F. DeFrantz (available in your Canvas online supplement.)

10.4 – Documentary Viewing: “A Ballerina’s Tale.” Read through introduction and see instructions for accessing video.

10.5A – CULTURAL ANALYSIS ESSAY: Read assignment instructions and rubric carefully.

CULTURAL ANALYSIS ESSAY

As you progress through the reading and view the film, consider your answers to these questions/prompts and take notes. You will write your response to the following, using the DeFrantz reading and documentary film as evidence:

● Connect our course content (vocabulary, people, history) for ballet to five examples that you see in the film. Describe the connection and give a timestamp from the video for each example. You can do this section as a list.

● Should “black”–as a descriptor or contextual marker–be retired? What are two strong arguments for and two strong arguments against the use of this label as a continued descriptor? Use evidence from the reading and the film to support your conclusions. (Write 100-200 words per argument/conclusion)

● Describe two definitions/perspectives of “beauty” advanced by DeFrantz. How could each of these perspectives adjust how people might view, interpret, judge African American dance? (Write 100 words for each definition/perspective.)

CULTURAL ANALYSIS ESSAY

Critical Connections 40 points
Responses to prompts include evidence from this week’s lecture, readings and videos AND vocabulary, specific ideas and concepts from previous weeks to support conclusions.
Critical connections between dance and its reciprocal relationship with ideas and issues of society, culture, value, politics and/or tradition are specifically identified and discussed in depth.
Responses to prompts demonstrate student’s critical analysis of the course content and ability to use content to support and expand on original ideas.

Criteria Fulfilled 10 points
Ideas are presented in an organized manner that makes them easy for the reader to understand.
Response paragraphs fulfill minimum word count for each prompt

● How do your conclusions above relate to today’s issues of race? Connect your ideas to specific events/issues and tell why your ideas are important to consider in today’s racial climate. (500 words)

CULTURAL ANALYSIS ESSAY

References for Materials This Week

DeFrantz, Thomas. “African American Dance – Philosophy, Aesthetics, and ‘Beauty.’” Topoi, vol. 24, no. 1, Jan. 2005, pp. 93–102.

George, Nelson, director. A Ballerina’s Tale: The Incredible Rise of Misty Copeland. 2015.

Gregg Delman Photography. “American Ballet Theatre Soloist Misty Copeland in a Shot from Her 2013 Calendar.” Dancer Misty Copeland Has Broken Barriers to Bring Ballet Center Stage, NY Post, 2 June 2013, nypost.com/2013/06/02/dancer-misty-copeland-has-broken-barriers-to-bring-ballet-center-stage/.

“The Official Website of Misty Copeland.” Misty Copeland, mistycopeland.com/.

Rampersad, Arnold, editor. The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. Vol. 893, Paw Prints, 2008.

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