Glendale Community College Community vs Individuality in Middle Eastern Dance Essay Community vs. Individuality in Middle Eastern Dance
This is an essay about the concepts of Community and Individuality in Middle Eastern dance. First, discuss the attitudes towards community and individuality that generally exist in the Middle East and how these relate to attitudes towards dance (You will find this discussed in a video in module 7).
Then, apply these ideas to one specific dance we learned this semester. Again, you are to choose one dance that we have discussed in class, describe the dance, and assess how general views regarding individuality and community in the Middle East impact society’s views of that dance. Your choices are:
Tahtib & Nizzawi,
Ahidous of the Ait Khabbash,
Dabkeh of the Palestinians in the Jordan Valley,
Sema of the Mevlevi Sufis,
Gnawa Lila
OR Khaleeji
Please be aware that this topic DOES NOT INCLUDE SEXUALITY. The topic of sexuality is addressed in the same page of module 6, but it is not a part of this essay. Please narrow your writing to community and individuality.
This is not a research paper. I do not want you doing outside research. I want your own analysis of one of the dances listed above based on the information you have learned in this course.
Below are more detailed instructions
Section A: Introduction:
Tell us what you are going to write about. Name the dance and encapsulate your ideas in sections B, C, and D, in this opening paragraph.
Section B: Discuss the concept of Community/Individuality
Explain to your reader why dance is important to culture generally. Explain the concepts of : community and individuality as it generally exists in the Middle East and explain how these concepts relate to how dance is viewed.
You are not going to relate these concepts to your specific chosen dance form yet, that comes in the following sections. Here, I want you to explain these concepts to your reader so that they will understand them later when you apply them to your chosen dance.
Section C: Describe the dance
Include the name of the dance, and the region from which it comes. Who does this dance? Where, when and why do they dance it? Are you discussing a current time period or a past one? What does the dance look like?
Here I want you to introduce your chosen dance to your reader in such a way that they can visualize it in their mind and understand its context and setting. Be sure to include in this section, anything that will be important later in the essay.
Section D: How does this dance embody ideas of community?
Give and explain at least 2 examples of how this dance represents the idea of community. What I mean by community are concepts such as togetherness, unity, a common bond etc. How are these concepts revealed through the dance you have chosen?
Your dance might express the importance of community through the movement, the way it uses space, the way the dancers interact, the context in which it is performed etc. Please BE SPECIFIC and EXPLAIN your ideas thoroughly. Be detailed in your analysis. Be sure to give me clear, strong examples of exactly how this dance exemplifies the concept of community.
Section E: How does this dance embody ideas of individuality?
Give and explain at least 2 examples of how this dance represents the idea of individuality. What I mean by individuality are concepts such as personal expression, what makes a single individual unique etc. How are these concepts revealed through the dance you have chosen?
Your dance might express the importance of individuality through the movement, the way it uses space, the way the dancers interact or not, the context in which it is performed etc. Please BE SPECIFIC and EXPLAIN your ideas thoroughly. Be detailed in your analysis. Be sure to give me clear, strong examples of exactly how this dance exemplifies the concept of individuality.
Section F: Attitude towards the Dance
How is this dance viewed AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO PERFORM IT? How do the concepts you have discussed relate to how the people of the area feel about their dance?
Section G: Conclusion
Sum up the important points of the essay and give your reader a sense of closure!
Possible wrap up question: What does the dance do for the people of the society from which it comes?
General Guidelines:
Assume that I know nothing about the dance form you are writing about. Remember YOU ARE THE TEACHER! You should be able to hand this paper to someone with no knowledge of dance, and they should understand exactly what you are talking about.
Write a minimum of 7 paragraphs ( one per section, you may write more). The total length of the essay should be 3 – 3.5 typed pages (double-spaced, 1 inch margins and 12 point font)
If you include quotes from your readings lectures or canvas pages, you must have a “Works Cited” page (in addition to the 2 page minimum). Please use MLA style references. For an MLA style guide please go to: http://www.acc.commnet.edu/academicskills/index.ht… in the table on the lower right there is a link called “MLA Documentation.” Click on that to download a pdf file describing the MLA style.
Be sure to proof read your paper. Grammar, sentence structure, and spelling are part of your grade.
Plagiary is unacceptable and will be reported to school authorities and subjected to school discipline.
No late work.
This assignment is worth 10% of your grade. (I will mark it out of 15 points)