The BIG Apple

Dancers follow the beat of the music and use "quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow, slow, slow". The dancers rhythm must also flow together for the dance to look good!
The Big Apple is a very interesting looking building. It was originally called the House of Peace Synagogue. The worshipers soon outgrew this building and it was turned into and African American juke joint. Here, the "big apple dance" was made and soon traveled to NYC in the form of white USC students. After it was closed other commercial groups took over until Historic Houses of Columbia bought it and now you can rent it for special occasions. Its architectural features consist of a stained glass dome, a balcony, wood floors and a pediment above the front door.

The shag has thick roots in the south, especially South Carolina. It came about in the 1930's in clubs in Myrtle Beach. It is a mix of dances like the jitterbug and lindy hop swing. The shag is danced to songs like "Carolina Girls," and "I love beach music." It is danced from the waist down, unlike many other dances. In this dance the men always lead and the women always follow. It has become a favorite past time of many southerners. I had a shag lesson and really loved it!

Who Shot Rock and Roll?

At the exhibit- Who Shot Rock and Roll, I found one photograph to be especially captivating.
This photograph was of Janis Joplin singing at a concert. I took a picture of it, I'm not sure if I was supposed to, but here is that photograph-

Description

The picture was taken in 1968 by David Gahr. He and The Staley-Wise Gallery in New York are the owners. It's is in black and white and approximately 6 x 8 inches. It was done in a gelatin silver print. According to Wikipedia the process is "the photographic process used with currently available black-and-white films and printing papers. A suspension of silver salts in gelatin is coated onto a support such as glass, flexible plastic or film, baryta paper, or resin-coated paper. These light-sensitive materials are stable under normal keeping conditions and are able to be exposed and processed even many years after their manufacture."

A lot of the photographs in the museum were done in the type of printing, which seams to be related to their time period they were shot.

Analyzing

I feel that this photograph expresses the overwhelming power of music. In the photograph Janis Joplin is singing. Her hand is outstretched as if she is feeling that note all the way to the ends of her fingertips.  I assume she is on a stage because there is a bright light to the left of her left hand. She is wearing some kind of bustiere, which also leads me to believe she is in concert. She is also wearing a lot of bracelets and rings. I think this photograph reveals that Janis Joplin was overwhelmed by her gift of music. She is so passionate in the picture and yet her hair looks kind of greasy, like she didn't care much about her looks. There wasn't a lot of information on the plaque next to the photograph, so the interpretation was left to the viewer.

Relate
This photograph shows Janis Joplin being consumed by her music. Two years later, in 1970 Janis Joplin overdosed on heroin in her hotel room. The photograph lets us see up close and personal just how much Joplin's music influenced her actions, and overtook her body, in the same way that heroin did two years later.

Assignment # 6

I danced for 15 years before I came to college. I would ask myself the question "why do I dance" in the nerve racking seconds before I entered the stage. And most times when I was exiting the stage I got my answer. The feeling of expressing yourself purely with motion is pretty exhilarating. It's fun, it's can be emotional, it is expression!

The Baroque period of dance, in Europe, is tied to music and theatre in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is typically danced to baroque music. Very elaborate clothes are worn and head dresses. It looks as if the dancer is stepping across the floor with various hand movements. To me, it looks like the king may have had baroque dancers come and entertain him in his home.

Bollywood is an interesting form of dance that has recently intrigued Americans. It is an Indian dance marked by interesting moves to Indian music. Intricate hand motions mainly with the thumb pressed to the palm. Also, sexy hip movements are involved. It looks somewhat tribal and ritualistic.

The video is an interpretation of Bollywood.