5.) Making the Familiar Strange and the Strange Familiar

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Introduction:

Last session the class shared one-minute dance or movement studies, noted differences and preferences, and began a discussion of form and meaning in dance. The class also discussed the socio-cultural understandings that gave the studies meaning. Today, the class discusses the Miner article, then views dance video clips that challenge newfound dance sensibilities.  The theme of today’s session is: Making the Familiar Strange and the Strange Familiar.  It is organized to make the following points:  First, to recognize that one's own cultural practices might seem strange to someone else and that someone else's practices, while strange to you, might make sense to them. In other words, meaning and evaluation depend on context.  Second, to practice objective viewing of intrinsic features. Finally, we will extrapolate from the dances viewed intrinsic features (form) to cultural context (meaning).

 

Classroom activities:

• As a whole group review the Minor article, “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema.”  Guiding questions might include: Who is this about?  and What details stood out for you?

• In small groups, share the two questions developed for homework to initiate discussions of the Minor article, “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema.”
• Class members should engage in a five minute free write using the following prompt: Consider the Madonna or Rennie Harris video clips in relation to the “Nacirema” article.  If you were going to describe one of their dances in the same rhetorical mode that Miner uses (making the familiar strange), what would you write?
• Observe the Pueblo Parrot Dance. During the viewing, ask students to record features that stand out for them, reminding them to look for intrinsic features that can be developed into a lexicon.
• Facilitate a discussion about the Pueblo Parrot Dance. Record responses for all to see, making a new lexicon that it organized according to elements of dance (see above). In leading the discussion, some further mention might be made of intrinsic and extrinsic features. Ask:
  
  • What did you see?
  • What features stood out for you?
  • What features of this dance resemble the Rennie Harris and/or Madonna videos? What features differ? Compare the three video clips to help students to discern specific features.
• Continue the discussion to invite further discussion. Ask:
  • What effect does this dancing have on you?
  • What clues might that effect give you about how one is supposed to witness this dance? About what the people who do it find beautiful?
  • What is the effect of repetition and unison?
  • Why might people do this?
  • Where does repetition and unison occur in your life?
• Read aloud the Richard Schechner paragraph on accumulation vs. climax. 
• Facilitate discussion by asking these guiding questions:
  • How do you make sense of what you see?
  • How might intrinsic elements give you clues to the meaning of this dance? Note that contextual information that will help students think about the meaning of this dance will come from readings for next class. Record initial thoughts in writing.

 

Closing:

To close, emphasize that the goal for this session was to recognize that meaning and evaluation of dance or movement depends on context.

 

Homework:

• Read articles on Pueblo Indian worldview. Coles, Robert. “Eskimos, Chicanos, Indians”in Volume IV of Children of Crisis, Beck and Walters, Dance as Prayer andSklar and Boardman, “Universals of Culture.” 

 

• Start
• Primary Sources
• 1.) Personal Views of Beauty in Dance and Movement
• 2.) Differences and Preferences About Beauty in Dance and Movement
• 3.) Making a Lexicon - Observation of Intrinsic Elements
• 4.) Form and Meaning
• 5.) Making the Familiar Strange and the Strange Familiar
• 6.) Comparing Ballet as a Form of Ethnic (Classical) Dance with Bharata Natyam
• 7-8.) Group Project Progress Reporting
• 9.) Creating Ideals of Beauty through Dance and Movement


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