Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Brief History of the book of Revelation
Alvin ailey essay
Brief History of the book of Revelation
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Revelations is a contemporary style dance that tells the story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom through a suite of dances set to spirituals and blues music.This choreographic work was first performed in New York City on January 31,1960 at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and later recognized to be a signature piece for the theater. Alvin Ailey is the original choreographer of the masterpiece titled “Revelations” and also the founder of the dance theater where the piece Revelations is mainly showcased, Ailey was an African-American born January 5,1931 in Rogers, TX , only 29 when he decided to develop this dance piece. There was a time where opportunities for male dancers like himself was severely limited, so that 's when he decided to establish his work, this dance performance was Ailey 's idea for African Americans to express their talents,cultural history, and experience and was also encouraged by his memories of living in the south and his understanding of human development. …show more content…
This wonderful piece displays the time period in which slavery was taken place , reconstruction, baptism , going to church , and brushes up on the idea of how African American humans developed from the time when they were being devalued and treated like "nothing more than animals." Revelations is a very popular piece, reason being that the choreography is so magnificent at telling it 's story it comes off as an inspiration for the viewers. At the start of this piece it was originally ten sections, but later on sections was constantly removed as the work progressed over time. Revelations are now divided into three sections "Pilgrim of Sorrow," "Take Me to the Water" and "Move,Members,Move" which are all unique in their own
Throughout history, Black Americans have fought to reclaim their bodies and redefine ideas of Blackness. Much of this struggle can be attributed to the fact that Black people have not owned their own bodies for the vast majority of American history. The Black struggle to escape white labels and the fight for self-determination, Black narration, and the presentation of Black beauty are evident in dance and its evolution throughout history. In his article, "Simmering Passivity: The Black Male Body In Concert Dance," Thomas DeFrantz uses the career and choreography of Alvin Ailey to show how Black dancers in America have historically been forced to conform to White stereotypes. Conversely, Jason King and Ananya Chatterjea show in their articles “Which way is down? Improvisations on black mobility” and “Subversive Dancing: The Playful
Every company has what is known as a “signature piece,” that is, a work which expresses something about the artistic direction and the spirit of the company. For the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater that piece is Revelations. Choreographed and set to traditional music, Revelations was first performed at the Ninety-second Street YM-YWHA New York, NY. , January 31, 1960. The lead dancers were Joan Derby, Minnie Marhsall, Merle Derby, Dorene Richardson, Jay Fletcher, Nathaniel Horne, and Herman Howell and the soloists were Nancy Redi and Gene Hobgood.
Dance is an ever evolving form of art; in much the same way that one can categorize and differentiate between eras and styles of architecture one can also do so with dance. These eras at times have sharp delineations separating them from their antecedents, other times the distinction is far more subtle. Traditional forms of dance were challenged by choreographers attempting to expand the breadth and increase the depth of performance; preeminent among such visionaries was Seattle born dancer and choreographer Mark Morris. Mark Morris' began as one of the millions of hopeful individuals attempting to simply make a career in dance; he not only succeeded but managed to have a lasting effect on the entire landscape of dance.
What is presented to the slaves as a religious tenet is merely propaganda used to quell rebellious behavior. They fear a society in which they no longer serve to benefit from slave labor, and so they fear rebellion, they fear objection, they fear events like the Nat Turner Insurrection. The system the slaveholders strive so ardently to protect begins to affect even them, those in power, negatively. They begin to cope with their fear the only way they know how, by projecting it upon the slaves.
The second portion of the title, “certainty”, reinforces the importance of the search for freedom. Certainty is defined as “a fact that is definitely true or an event that is definitely going to take place” . Certainty of freedom, broken down into colloquial terms must mean that enslaved African-Americans believed that the event of definitive freedom would eventually come to fruition. These two words work in concert with one another to paint a picture of the journey African-Americans took to achieve freedom in which they employed sacred music to assist in their goal. Slaves created sacred music to assure themselves of a strong community and to critique slavery, as a means of creating certainty of ultimate freedom for the near future. Levine’s mindset is crucial in regards to analyzing the power of sacred music, and through his words I hope to shine light to a generation of individuals who found certainty in
Although, Wilson uses many symbols to convey his message there is one particular message that he wants the audience to understand. There is an underlying theme that explains that the society African Americans are living in is unjust. Due to this, African Americans feel as though they must be delivered into a new realm; whether it be death or a new start.
One of the first concerts ever produced by his company was titled Blues Suite, which was a well-received depiction of poverty in the deep south set to a soundtrack of blues music. This concert was an integral part in defining Alvin Ailey’s choreography technique, which is loosely based on the technique associated in ballet with strong legs and feet, while still maintaining a more evocative, modern-style torso. However, the most critical element that determined the specific style of each piece was solely dependent on the story he wanted to tell. Revelations was a magnificent showcase of storytelling that quickly became Alvin’s signature dance concert. He drew inspiration for this piece from his memories as a child growing up in the south. According to the Dance Heritage Coalition, the concert, which has been viewed by twenty-three million people worldwide, featured the sounds of negro spirituals and gospel music with depictions of common worship rituals including baptism in Wade in the Water, the sacred act of taking communion in I Wanna Be Ready, and prayer in I’ve Been Buked (1). Additionally, Alvin also focused a great deal of his energy into creating a dramatic atmosphere for his dancers to perform in. He had a very strong creative influence in
In Ailey’s own account, he moved to California a shy, lonely child and found comfort in the alter-realities of the theater, dance and movies. It was during this time that he came to identity as a homosexual. Horton, an openly gay white man, pioneered a school and company of gay, lesbian and straight dancers from ethnic backgrounds who executed innovated choreography at concerts. Through Horton’s mentoring and his accepting Dance Company, Ailey reacted to this sexual and racial liberation in a manner that helped develop his creative talent into a weighted and sensual style that worked with his athletic body (43). Though Ailey remained closeted through life, he preformed numerous interviews throughout his career and, but remained private about his personal affairs. He often described himself as a bachelor and a loner in interviews and maintained that he did feel the needed to sustain a long-term relationship (44). Ailey’s struggle with accepting his own sexuality could be seen as a limitation to his creative expression; however, his resilience to this obstacle created by society can be easily seen in his work. His technique is known for physically and emotionally moving both the dancer and the audience. It is clear that though he may have kept his personal life to himself, his passion and intensity exploded on the stage through his
DeFrantz, Thomas. "Composite Bodies of Dance: The Repertory of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater." Project MUSE - Composite Bodies of Dance: The Repertory of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. .
“An Ante-bellum Sermon” by Paul Laurence Dunbar is an intriguing poem that I had the opportunity to analyze with my group, the Midday Missionaries. The mission of this sermon poem was to remind the slaves that they must stay strong to endure the hardships that they were going through because just like the Israelites, they would one day be freed. With antiquated diction that creates the tone of the piece, and two Black Arts patterns, the mission of this poem is easily identified. As part of the group, I was charged with locating these essentials parts of the poem and the “fresh truth,” in order to help the Midday Missionaries with the analysis of this piece.
Jones employs the dynamics of change to his speaker throughout the poem. From an aimless vagrant to a passionate revolutionary, Jones plots his speaker's course using specific words and structural techniques. Through these elements, we witness the evolution of a new black man--one who is not content with the passivity of his earlier spiritual leaders. We are left with a threat--a steel fist in a velvet glove of poetry--and it becomes a poem that we "have to" understand, whether we want to or not.
The Ghost Dance; Ethnohistory and Revitalization. Chicago: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc, 1989. Lawrence, Elizabeth Atwood. “Sun Dance.”
Despite all of these injustices, Chapter 12 also creates a feeling of support and sympathy for the black community. For example, even though they’re oppressed, the black community still has a sense of pride. Their church is called First Purchase because it was paid for with the first earnings of freed slaves. This shows the black’s great devotion to their religion.
Examination into the true heart of experience and meaning, Charles Johnson’s Middle Passage looks at the structures of identity and the total transformation of the self. The novel talks about the hidden assumptions of human and literary identity and brings to view the real problems of these assumptions through different ideas of allusion and appropriation. As the novel tells Rutherford Calhoun’s transformation of un-awareness allows him to cross “the sea of suffering” (209) making him forget who he really is. The novel brings forth the roots of human “being” and the true complications and troubles of African American experiences. Stuck between posed questions of identity, the abstract body is able to provide important insight into the methods and meanings in Middle Passage.
Music nurtured the African American tradition and their struggle towards equality in the same century.... ... middle of paper ... ... Greensboro, N.C.: Morgan Reynolds Pub. Carter, D. (2009).