Download Rubric for Dance 133 Final: Essay comparing and contrasting the

Rubric for Dance 133 Final: Essay comparing and contrasting the Africanist and Europeanist Aesthetics
Elements of Africanist dance VS Europeanist dance traditions
Europeanist___________________________________Africanist_______________________________
A.
Built on fixed steps arranged
in a limited number of
repeatable patterns
A.
Individual improvisation against a
background of basic movement motif
B.
Back erect and torso lifted
up towards the heavens
pointework (ballet)
B.
Bent forward at waist, connecting
with the earth, flat-footed, shuffling
steps
C.
Male-female couple
featured
C.
Focus on the group, with soloists
featured then returning to the group
TWO MAJOR SHARED ELEMENTS:
1. Proper behavior and rank are associated with both European and African traditions of court
dance.
2. The concept of “cool” contains similarities to the royal courts of Africa and Europe.
Five major categories of Africanist Aesthetic:
 Contrariety-- Difference, discord, and irregularity are encompassed
o Also includes derision toward opponent in battle, usually through mimicking and facial
expression of extreme distaste and menace
 Derision can be employed to exhibit rejection or to intimidate
 Polycentrism/Polyrhythm--Movement emanating from more than one area of the body
simultaneously
o Different parts of body moving rhythmically, in contrast to one another
o Can be different rhythms in each body center
 High-Affect Juxtaposition--Different, seemingly unrelated moods co-exist at the same time
o Comedy, innuendo, double entendre, often in regards to opponent in battle
o Surprise, irony
o Light and humorous tone may overlap a focused, intense mood (Earl Snake Hip Tucker
great example of this)
o Contrast used beyond what is known in Europeanist tradition
o Use of derision
 Ephebism—youthful vitality, stamina and vivaciousness regardless of age, intensity
o Moving with sharpness, speed, force
o Energy is more important than form
 Aesthetic of cool, embracing all other categories and resulting in clarity, luminosity, control and
seeming disinterest
o Mask of cool through facial composure
o Detached quality as if to deny the effort and intensity of movement
o Self-mocking
o Soul force
 Within each of these elements, improvisation is key—improv is NOT FOUND IN EUROPEANIST
TRADITIONS BEFORE THE FUSION CREATED IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE AMERICAS AT
LARGE
o Improvisation utilized in African dance traditions and the Africanist dance aesthetic
o At the heart of challenge, battle, solo dance, propulsive rhythms, call and response
Excellent Essay will be well organized and well written. It may use examples to substantiate points
made.
Student must include all three major comparisons listed in A,B & C
Student must include all five major categories of Africanist Asethetic
Student must demonstrate understanding of differences between the two traditions
Student must demonstrate understanding of the two elements shared by both traditions
Student must demonstrate knowledge of improvisation as being key to the Africanist tradition in dance,
and that it was not found in European dances brought to the New World
Average/Adequate Essay will exhibit some organization of thoughts and be adequately written.
Examples may be used to substantiate points made.
Students must include all three major comparisons listed in A,B & C
Students must include four of five major categories of Africanist Aesthetic
Students must demonstrate understanding of differences between the two traditions
Students must include improvisation as key to difference between two traditions
Students will include three of the five major categories of the Africanist Aesthetic
Inadequate Essay will not be as organized, or complete. It may not be written in paragraph form, but
rather, list elements. It may or may not include examples.
Student will not include all of most basic comparisons and contrasts (A,B & C, 1 & 2)
Students will mention only one or two of the five major categories, or will mention an aspect of one or
two such as polyrhythm and improvisation, or the aesthetic of cool and youthful vitality.