Matching Items (50)
Description
Embodied Continuity documents the methodology of Entangled/Embraced, a dance performance piece presented December, 2011 and created as an artistic translation of research conducted January-May, 2011 in the states of Karnataka and Kerala, South India. Focused on the sciences of Ayurveda, Kalaripayattu and yoga, this research stems from an interest in body-mind connectivity, body-mind-environment continuity, embodied epistemology and the implications of ethnography within artistic practice. The document begins with a theoretical grounding covering established research on theories of embodiment; ethnographic methodologies framing research conducted in South India including sensory ethnography, performance ethnography and autoethnography; and an explanation of the sciences of Ayurveda, Kalaripayattu and yoga with a descriptive slant that emphasizes concepts of embodiment and body-mind-environment continuity uniquely inherent to these sciences. Following the theoretical grounding, the document provides an account of methods used in translating theoretical concepts and experiences emerging from research in India into the creation of the Entangled/Embraced dance work. Using dancer and audience member participation to inspire emergent meanings and maintain ethnographic consciousness, Embodied Continuity demonstrates how concepts inspiring research interests, along with ideas emerging from within research experiences, in addition to philosophical standpoints embedded in the ethnographic methodologies chosen to conduct research, weave into the entire project of Entangled/Embraced to unite the phases of research and performance, ethnography and artistry.
ContributorsRamsey, Ashlee (Author) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Thesis advisor) / Standley, Eileen (Committee member) / Dove, Simon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Accessing the centre: complementary conditioning & somatic wellness for competitive Irish step dance
Description
This thesis examines the integration of somatic principles into Irish Step Dancing. The researcher conducted a twelve week case study that explored how utilizing the Centre-line Support System in training competitive Irish Step Dancers, through integrating Alexander Technique and Bartenieff Fundamentals of Total Body Connectivity can generate increased height and efficiency in jumping and an improvement in upper-body carriage, while longitudinally reducing the occurrence of over-use injuries. Research occurred between January and March 2012 in Tucson, Arizona and Dublin, Ireland. Additional research and reflection occurred in Belfast, Glasgow, and London, United Kingdom; Limerick, Cork, and Galway, Ireland; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Chicago, Illinois; Phoenix, Arizona; and Los Angeles, California.
ContributorsBuck, Helen (Author) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Thesis advisor) / Hoffner, Kristin (Committee member) / Jackson, Naomi (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The globalization of dance offers a unique situation to encourage peace. The kinesthetic experience associated with dance builds communities and unites people without needing to share the same language or be in the same location on the planet. Dance is a vehicle to understand other cultures but how can people be given the keys? As the 2014 Circumnavigator Travel Study Grant recipient for Arizona State University (ASU), I traveled to six countries in three continents over seventy-two days conducting ethnochoreology (dance ethnography) research. Upon returning I had a passion to share my experience through dance. Therefore I organized a charity dance concert. To share my kinesthetic education from my trip I taught six high schools each a dance from the countries I visited. An additional high school, elementary school and ASU students joined the concert. The performers and audience members gained new understanding, curiosity and appreciation. The proceeds of the concert have started a new scholarship for ASU students pursuing dance or studying abroad. This journey has come full circle just like the Circumnavigator trip which began this project. Knowledge of other dances from around the world invites participants to see into the heart of the culture, creating empathy. Therefore dance can ignite peace.
ContributorsCoury, Melia Ann (Author) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Thesis director) / Ostrom, Amy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Students not only deserve to be actively involved and engaged in learning content knowledge, but it can in fact help them learn better. Arguably too few classrooms actually utilize teaching methods that support this kind of environment. There is perhaps fear that methods like integrated curriculum may detract from student knowledge. The purpose of this intervention study was to determine how the integration of dance and social studies with an anthropological framework effects student learning of content knowledge in social studies, as well as student attitude toward the topic. Research questions that were addressed in this study are the following: (a) How does the integration of dance and social studies with an anthropological framework affect students' chapter test scores when compared to typical instruction?; (b) How does the integration of dance and social studies with an anthropological framework affect students' attitude toward social studies when compared to typical instruction?. Participants were two 6th grade classes at the same elementary school. As a supplement to a unit on Ancient Egypt, the experimental group received four intervention lessons, taught by the investigator, incorporating creative dance to encourage student exploration and increased understanding of content. An anthropological framework was also implemented to foster respectful investigation of culture. Results show that at posttest the intervention group had significantly higher content knowledge, as measured by a chapter test, compared to the control group. This suggests that this program did in fact help students to reach a better understanding of content. Though surveys showed no difference in attitude between groups or over the course of the study, qualitative student responses from the experimental group suggest extremely positive feelings towards concepts covered in the intervention lessons.
ContributorsSmith, Karli Elizabeth (Author) / Kulinna, Pamela (Thesis director) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The objective of this community mural was aimed at cultural inclusion. I worked with the Borden community to paint a mural of dances from different parts of the world. I wanted to do this as my creative project because as an artist, the community I lived in (the Borden Community) allowed me to explore my artistic self. The Borden community is a mile away from ASU and it is where I lived for the past two years--the time I was truly able to start creating the dancer within me. The mural was painted on una and lemon street, right behind the fire station located on Apache Blvd. Through the project I have grown more as an artist and as a community member. I see relationships built through the project and I now feel like I have been able to give back to the community that helped create a part of my college experience.
ContributorsWang, Lin Elizabeth (Author) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Thesis director) / Fleming, Ava (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Today's prison industrial complex in the United States often dehumanizes inmates simply because they are criminals. Members of the free society are generally too far removed from the inside of prisons that most people do not see the harsh and cruel conditions for and treatment of prisoners. As a Dance and Justice Studies major at Arizona State University, I was curious about how to intertwine my interests in dance and justice. This paper chronicles my exploration of adding a human rights issue to my dance practice through choreographing a solo dance performance based on Cleve Foster's unusual experience on death row. Research on theories of prison and punishment in American society combined with physical research in the dance studio enabled me to create a solo performance that shed light on the inhumane conditions for and treatment of prison inmates in today's society. Through the process, I found that some elements of my dance practice stayed the same, while others changed. This informed me of what continuously remains important to me, while allowing me to expand my personal dance practice. I ultimately discovered a bridge between my two passions, dance and justice, and learned a meaningful way to convey a contemporary social justice issue to the general public.
ContributorsKerr, Elena Marie (Author) / Schupp, Karen (Thesis director) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
ABSTRACT The participatory and interactive nature of the "Hearing in Color" project unites people from different walks of life. My interest lies in creating a space for people to explore their creativity, think critically, and hone their own voice in a safe and collaborative environment. I have discovered that all art forms: movement, voice, visual or digital, stimulate possibilities for expression and enable people to move forward in new directions. To this end, my project fused multiple avenues of engagement, innovative dance technology, and alternative or site-specific locations to create a community-based project aimed at promoting dialogue and enhancing ties between several groups in the Phoenix area. In this paper, I argue that a multi-layered approach to community-arts and the use of advanced technology builds bridges for diverse populations to come together to participate and learn from one another. I also maintain that community exists among all communities involved in a process of community arts, not just the participants and facilitator. When community engagement and awareness are prioritized, a multi-layered approach creates the possibilities of growth, honesty, and understanding for all people involved.
ContributorsBritt, Melissa (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis advisor) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Committee member) / Mitchell, John (Committee member) / Woodson, Stephani (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010
Description
ABSTRACT Moving beyond Form: Communicating Identity through Dance chronicles the journey of investigating my personal creative process in dance. This was a search for strategies to empower myself creatively, enabling me to move beyond the limitations of a prescribed form or style of dance and communicate ideas that were relevant to me. But on a deeper level, it was an exploration of my capacity to self-define through movement. The challenge led me to graduate school, international study with world-renowned choreographers and to the development of a holistic creative practice, Movement to Meaning. The aim of this creative practice is to express internal awareness through movement, thereby enabling the mover to dance from an internal reference point. In my research, I utilized Movement to Meaning to re-contextualize Sandia, a traditional-based dance that is indigenous to various Mande subgroups in West Africa. This project culminated in a choreographic presentation, Ten For Every Thousand, which was performed in October 2010 at the Nelson Fine Arts Center at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
ContributorsDavis, Omilade (Author) / Vissicaro, Pegge (Thesis advisor) / Dove, Simon (Committee member) / Sunkett, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010
Description
This MFA project in dance involved a dance concert that fused together different socio-cultural dance forms. Goals of the project included engaging the audience members in ways that are meaningful and express cultural identity, looking at similar and contrasting values or norms between different dance styles, and seeing how that might be expressed in a Western concert theatrical space or be adapted to that space. The research explored the themes of fusion, emotional states, and engagement through collaborative processes of choreography. A series of dance sections were developed based on different cultural movement styles that were ultimately woven together into a live performance.
ContributorsDimitrov, Tanya (Author) / Dyer, Becky (Thesis advisor) / Koch, Carolyn (Thesis advisor) / Landborn, Adair (Committee member) / Fossum, Dave (Committee member) / Rohd, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Though often viewed as a positive aspect of past, modern, and future interpersonal interaction, communities can be viewed under a microscope as a tool used by the human species to preserve oneself. Communities are used as a safety tool to assure the longevity of an individual. As a dancer and dancemaker, taking part in the art of dance challenges one's perception of large groups of bodies taking up space. Following a global pandemic, dancers and people alike were forced to find communities of much smaller sizes to appease the need to interact with other people. This caused the creation of safety pods and the urge to connect with others in ways that were not always favored. How did individuals suffer from a lack of interpersonal connection? Does the need for communities highlight a higher level of codependency amongst individuals who prefer relying on communities? Is this morally wrong? This thesis uses research obtained from ethical theories, travel research, and movement research to determine whether or not this action is morally right or wrong. This thesis uses an ethnographic style of writing to navigate through the creative process of dancemaking for an evening-length dance show, further analyzing the individual need for communities. This reflective writing defends the thesis and includes new revelations on the topic of communities and self-preservation.
ContributorsKing, Takela (Author) / Lerman, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / Koch, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2022-05