Matching Items (95)
Description
This thesis project explores the intricacies of dance technique through the study of one’s dance lineage, creative methodologies, and movement tendencies. This research reveals the layers that technique encompasses through the focused embodiment and analytical view of the choreographer's approach. The cast of six dancers offer their unique perspectives on technique through the embodiment process of this work. The cast has strong cultural and diverse dance backgrounds including Afro-Latin, ballet, Bharatanatyam, contemporary modern dance, hip-hop, and Irish dance. “Under The Blacklight” was the culmination of both a dance film and explorative event in which the audience had the opportunity to directly engage within various types of technique. This work stemmed from the desire to understand the notion behind dance technique development. The purpose of this investigation is to understand how to formulate a structure that serves as a basis of dance technique design. Therefore, this research is primarily focused on the process of cultivating a technique. With this intention, the work is concentrated on elucidating the foundation on a contemporary modern dance technique. While this research is centered on this specific genre of dance, it is essential to note that many similar elements are present in the techniques of other dance disciplines.
ContributorsQuiros Contreras, Nathalie (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis advisor) / Thompson, Keith (Committee member) / Ray, Donna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Aging is a universal process that every being encounters on their journey of life. The effect of dance as a form of improvement of physical and well-being on the aging body brings upon the question of the impact of somatic-based movement, specifically gestural movement on the perceptions of aging within older and younger adults through a bi-cultural lens of the United States and India. This was investigated using a series of creative partnership workshops that included listening, drawing, and culminating movement activities, followed by a group discussion about the creative process. There were four different participant groups: a group of college students taking an Aging in American Culture collegiate class, a Somatic Practices collegiate dance class, a group of older adults at the Tempe Multigenerational Center, and a group of older adults in Bangalore, India. Inter-generational and cross-cultural observations were discussed, and it was seen that the workshops were able to foster feelings of community and camaraderie among participants depending on the group’s relationship to dance-making. From the research, a dance performance was developed and performed specifically with women of color in ASU’s Dance program with the choreographic process discussed in detail, along with key takeaways about facilitating a multi-dimensional experience for the dancers and choreographer. Future directions for the work include working with intergenerational populations and researching community effects on gendered aging experiences across cultures in the dance world.
ContributorsDabeer, Shreya (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis director) / Standley, Eileen (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
How does the idea of the visible and invisible, tangible and intangible, interact with the garments on the body? Perception, to become aware through the sense, involves the way in which the eye sees space, both visible and invisible. The way in which we see objects are significant in our everyday life and how we evaluate it. The main pattern the garments encompass are the accordion pleating and the variety in which the pattern can be utilized; the accordion pleating can be scaled, attached together, and twisted around the body. Effervescence is a 6-look collection that entails the idea of perception. The results of the project include 3 completed looks, 3 3D print on fabric, and 8 3D print accessories. In this paper, I will explain the process of creating the collection, the experimentation, and the results.
ContributorsNguyen, Juliana (Author) / Mihaleva, Galina (Thesis director) / Stephenson, Kathy (Committee member) / Tevzadze, Irina (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2022-05
ContributorsSmith, J. B., 1957- (Director) / Mancuso, Simone (Director) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Director) / Contemporary Percussion Ensemble (Performer) / ASU Dance (Performer)
Created2015-12-02
Description
What are the embodied educational experiences among students who were forced to migrate from war areas in Ukraine and study at Ukrainian displaced universities? Building on somatic literature and process philosophy, I developed embodied method of data collection and body-echo analysis to explore the complexities, entanglements and relationality of education and embodied experiences in the context of forced migration in Ukraine. The goal of this dissertation was to learn about students’ experiences of forced migration through an essentially embodied learning processes that integrate mental and physical capacities. I believe that students learn through sensing their way through forced migration, accumulating layers of kinesthetic information hidden in their bodies. More specifically, the students in this study moved either with Displaced Universities from the war areas in Ukraine or independently in several waves or enrolled at the Displaced Universities to receive their education in mainland Ukraine at relocated Displaced Universities. The key insights include 1) uniqueness of embodied experience(s) of forced migration for each student; 2) invisible or virtual university spaces created by forced migration in Ukraine; 3) displaced universities created a virtual relational space in Ukraine where university is people not building; 4) somatic practice allowed an entry point into the safe space of talking about forced migration; 5) unique reactions of students to the somatic movement; 6) sense of belonging to space and people; 7) students’ insights very often remain unfinished thoughts and students at times lack the language to talk about their experiences; 8) students educational trajectories should be viewed as unique experiences even when factors are the same or similar; 9) war is a continuous background of the experience even if students move to a safe place in a different country; 10) humor and care have a visible supportive and healing effects in the context of uncertainty. For this reason, I bring embodied experiences of students from Ukrainian Displaced Universities into education, and I expand the limits of cognitive thinking, and focus more into embodied learning through sensing and relating to one-self and others in the context of forced migration.
ContributorsVitrukh, Mariia (Author) / Koro, Mirka (Thesis advisor) / Dinn-You Liou, Daniel (Committee member) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Committee member) / Sereda, Viktoria (Committee member) / Blue Swadener, Beth (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The study of broad therapeutic advantages of dance is a growing field of interdisciplinary study. Yet, direct health benefits of dance from a molecular standpoint are still largely unknown. Literature review of dance performance displays in birds as well as other creatures and use of creative tools to analyze the diverse, lifelong experiences of dancers helped shed some light on the subject. Although dance experience exposes harms tied to the social constraints of how the form is experiences buried under joyful takeaways of dance, research supports overall health benefits from moderate amounts of dance maintained in perfect equilibrium.
ContributorsWilliams, Caroline (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis director) / Moore, Marianne (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
First, this study is intended to comprehend what is perceived to be “good” dancing from two perspectives: the dancers and the dance choreographer/teacher. Second, the goal of this research is to achieve their perceived idea of “good” dancing using the categories of dance aesthetics, movement efficiency, and performance quality as a direction. A phenomenological research approach was applied to understand the terminologies: movement aesthetics, movement efficiency, and performance quality and whether they are essential and contribute to defining what is considered to be “good” dancing. The research was conducted over the course of ten weeks, which included workshops/rehearsals, discussions, and journals and concluded with the showcase of the choreographies in the dance concert performance. This study revealed that there were many similarities in the participants and the researcher’s perception of what “good” dancing is. Through the application of the various somatic methodologies and frameworks, they learned how to perform in their own best way in the different movement styles so that it is beautiful to look at, easy on their bodies, and safe for their bodies. All of the participants were able to achieve a better understanding of their own bodies. Besides gaining individual heightened awareness and understanding of their bodies, they also gained a better understanding on how to work as a collective to achieve the aesthetics of the group from the perspective of the entire dance piece.
ContributorsChoong, Jemima (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis advisor) / Conder, Carley (Committee member) / Bowditch, Rachel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Don't Hold Your Breath is an evening-length performance created and performed by Sarah "Saza" Kent and EPIK Dance Company that consisted of street and concert dance combined with hip hop theatre, spoken text and live singing. What began as a one-woman show about the choreographer's life, turned in to an ensemble piece that included the stories of many people, including ten community members who were interviewed on their views of life and death after being affected by a diagnosis. The show follows Kat, a young woman tiptoeing the line between her party girl past and the thought of finally growing up and settling down. Typically confident and self-assured, she is now grappling with the idea of life and death. Kat finds herself in an MRI machine that could ultimately determine her fate. As the machine examines her body, she begins to examine her life, causing her to confront some of life's most existential questions. Has she spent her time wisely? Would she do anything differently if given a second chance? When it comes down to it, and all distractions are stripped away, what is truly important? Her thoughts take her to memories of her past and visions for her future as she faces the reality that life is finite and tomorrow is not promised. This document is an account of the show's process and serves as a place of explanation, analysis, and reflection, while also questioning its significance on a personal level all the way to its place in the field.
ContributorsKent, Sarah Kay (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis advisor) / Hinds, Rickerby (Committee member) / Britt, Melissa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Personal histories are deeply rooted into my way of existence, far before my brain became ready to challenge such notions. While Americans have been witnesses to the splintering effects of colonialism and patriarchy on socialization, I ask two questions: (1) Where to stand within a society that promotes the marginalization of both women and brown bodies? And (2) how to combat these harsh realities and protect those most affected?
Being both Black and woman, I decided to embark upon a quest of self-actualization in this document. “Ain’t She Sweet: A Critical Choreographic Study of Identity & Intersectionality,” tracks the creative process and concept design behind my applied project for the Master of Fine Arts in Dance. Developed in extensive rehearsals, community engagement, journaling processes, and lived experiences, the physical product, “Ain’t She Sweet,” explored concepts such as identity, socialization, oppression, decolonization, sexuality, and civil rights. The chapters within this document illustrate the depth of the research conducted to form the evening-length production and an analysis of the completed work.
Being both Black and woman, I decided to embark upon a quest of self-actualization in this document. “Ain’t She Sweet: A Critical Choreographic Study of Identity & Intersectionality,” tracks the creative process and concept design behind my applied project for the Master of Fine Arts in Dance. Developed in extensive rehearsals, community engagement, journaling processes, and lived experiences, the physical product, “Ain’t She Sweet,” explored concepts such as identity, socialization, oppression, decolonization, sexuality, and civil rights. The chapters within this document illustrate the depth of the research conducted to form the evening-length production and an analysis of the completed work.
ContributorsCarney, Laina Reese (Author) / Schupp, Karen (Thesis advisor) / Weitz, Rose (Committee member) / White, Marcus (Committee member) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Places That Shape You documents the development and experience of composing and presenting Places That Shape You, an evening-length dance performance examining the relationship between culture and urban spaces, inspired by the physical parameters that cities provide for our lives. In the performance, a blend of postmodern contemporary movement vocabulary, text, projection, a mattress, 12 phonebooks and an overhead projector were used to a tell a story through the contrast of objects both obsolete and current. Musical collaborator, Austen Mack, created an original score that worked in partnership with the movement, advancing the unfolding of concepts about public and private spaces, community, memory, expectation and abstraction. In collaboration with six dancers, the choreographer conducted movement and archival research investigating personal stories, urban theory, somatic experience, place-making, and memories left in the spaces people inhabit, culminating in an evening length performance.
ContributorsWillcox, Halley (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis advisor) / Lerman, Liz (Committee member) / Rajko, Jessica (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019