Like a cloud, history changes depending on who is looking at it.
History does not follow a lineal sequence, but a bundle of events happening simultaneously, during different historic periods, like a spider's web.
Example: In 1492 the Europeans (in the Middle Ages) arrived to the Americas. Their dances ranged from slow, stately "processional" dances (bassadance, pavane, alamain) to fast, lively dances (galliard, coranto, canario).
The former, in which the dancers' feet were not raised high off the
floor were styled the dance basse while energetic dances with leaps and
lifts were called the haute dance.
They found the Caribbean indigenous people, who were in the Neolithic and who danced the Areítos, a ceremonial act that was believed to narrate and honor the heroic deeds of Taíno ancestors, chiefs, gods, and cemis.Performed in open spaces within villages, Areítos involved lyrics and choreography and were often accompanied by
varied instrumentation. They were attended by the local community members as well as
members of neighboring communities. Areítos were banned in 1512.
The slave trade began in 1526 bringing sub-Saharan Africans who were in the Iron Age, since they knew the smelting of iron. One of the ethnic groups that left a definite mark in the dances that survived that period were the Yoruba from today's Nigeria.These are dances that are reserved for the Orisha. When people dance in
honor of the Orisha, there are differentiated moves to distinguish
between how people dance in praise and how the Orisha themselves dance. The Orisha Oggun, god of the metals, has, like every other orisha, its own dance, its own music and chants.
History
is about the study of humans and their actions. As posed by Carter
(2004), the study of history as an academic field or as part of a larger
field such as cultural studies, should be engaged with in practice in
studio, at the desk and in the field (p.2). Methodological
approaches should be so diverse that we stop seeing its boundaries.
Dance in particular has a history that changes in accordance to the
historian's world view.
II
Learning Objectives
Understand the importance of studying history
Gain an awareness of the different ways we can study history
Explain the relationship between history, archeology and anthropology
Discuss the connection between history and world-view
Experience embodied history by sharing a dance that has affected your world-view
III
Main Lesson
1
BRAINSTORMING
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History
allows us to study the past to understand the present. Historical
sources influence our understanding of historic events. History relies
on collaboration with other fields such as archeology and anthropology.
The study of history allows us to develop critical thinking, learn from
our past mistakes and find inspiration in constant change and the
possibility of improving ourselves and the society we live in. However,
this may depend on our worldview and how we make sense of history, our
own history.
V
Case Study
A Sacred Design
Jorge L. Morejon
I began to dance salsa (casino)
when I was a child. My two cousins, who were 10 years older than me,
taught me how to dance the main steps. They took me to their teenage
parties where I got a lot of attention for being able to dance casino
at such a young age. Thus, I associated dance with music, having fun,
getting positive attention and being around family and friends.
As I have approached different stages of my life, salsa
has always been a way for me to meet knew people and enjoy life. It has
also being a way for me to understand that life is about relationships
and that this relationships are sealed through what Hialeah's
choreographer Rosy Herrera has described as a sacred design. When one
dances with another person, one is in the making of such sacred design.
This
sacred design involves making eye contact and being aware of your own
personal moves as you mirror your partner's moves. It requires a special
connection with another human being as you attune yourself to their
movements, follow the rhythm of the music and get in sync with each
other. As one holds one's partner's hand and keeps the frame by placing
the other hand on her back, the connection is such that one feels the
two bodies become one.
I
met Tahi Delgado more than 30 years ago. We have danced with each other
since then. Although our lives have taken different paths at times, we
always come back to our dance relationship. At one point, Tahi decided
not to dance any more because she felt people invited us to their
parties to see us dance, as a show, but for free. She felt we were being
used. I painfully agreed. However, during her pregnancy, we danced
again for the first time since we stopped dancing together. We realized
that we should never stop dancing again no matter what.
I am 60 years old and Tahi is 55. We are both in great shape; we both have fulfilled lives and we both still enjoy dancing salsa.
The last time we danced together was at the 2022 Christmas party hosted
by La Rosa Realty, the company she works for as a realtor. I believe
that our friendship has survived the test of time because we always find
in dance a very special space. In that space, our bodies reconnect as
our minds and souls find in the sacred design we create, a sense of
eternity hard to find elsewhere.
VI
ACTIVITY 1
Think of a dance you associate with your upbringing (via family, culture, education or media). Share it with your group members
Explain how dance (or the lack thereof) has influenced your own world view.
Timeline First Hominins Period: The earliest, dating 7-6 million years ago. Early Hominins Period: From 2.7 - 1.5 million years ago. Paleolithic Period: Roughly from 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 B.C. Neolithic Period: From around 4300 BC down to 2000 BC Indigenous Caribbean 1492 AD (Spider web idea) Syncretic Caribbean 2022 AD (Spider web idea) Copper or Chalcolithic Age: 3500 to 2300 BCE. Bronze Age : 3300 BC to 1200 BC, Iron Age: 1200 B.C. and 600 B.C. The Portuguese, in the 16th century , were the first to buy slaves from West African slavers and transport them across the Atlantic. In 1526, they completed the first transatlantic slave voyage to Brazil, and other Europeans soon followed. Syncretic Caribbean: 2022 AD (Spider Web idea) Ancient Egypt: First Dynasty: 3150 - 2890 B.C. / Apis Bull Ritual or The Running of Apis Old Kingdom / 2,700-2,200 B.C. / King Radjedef : Radjedef...
I Introduction The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts of the world. Among the main developments achieved by humans during the Neolithic were the creation of sedentary settlements along with the domestication of animals and plants. II Learning Objectives Understand the two core processes that allowed the survival of Neolithic societies Explain the main characteristics of dance since the beginning of agriculture. Discuss the importance of the Natufian culture within the context of the Neolithic period. Experience the dynamics of the areyto dance as a retention from the Neolithic period in the Caribbean III Main Lesson 1 Question 1 What two core processes do we need to address in order to understand how early Neo...
Timeline First Hominins Period: The earliest, dating 7-6 million years ago. Early Hominins Period: From 2.7 - 1.5 million years ago. Paleolithic Period: Roughly from 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 B.C. Neolithic Period: From around 4300 BC down to 2000 BC Indigenous Caribbean 1492 AD (Spider web idea) Syncretic Caribbean 2022 AD (Spider web idea) Copper or Chalcolithic Age: 3500 to 2300 BCE. I Unit: Theme: Ritual Practices Introduction The analysis of ritual behavior and symbolism may be used as a key to understanding social structure and processes . Concepts such as rite of passage and liminality elements of the ritual process. II Learning Objectives Understand the importance of recovering ritual practices in modern times Explain the function of rituals Gather an awareness of terms such as rite of passage and liminality Experience the structuring of a ritual by adding the rite of passage and the ...
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