Masculinity in Modern Dance
Masculinity in Modern Dance:
Model Redefined
Assignment No. 2B
by
Sufyan Bin Rosman (S9127872C)
Group No. 24
Academic Writing
WRIT001/Term 1 – 2012/2013
I declare that this Assignment is my original work and all information obtained from other sources has been cited accordingly.
Turnitin
_______________________ Similarity
Signature and Date Assignment Word Count: Index 1966
Course Instructor: Prof. Shirley Alexander %
Masculinity in Modern Dance: Model Redefined. “Dance is a manly sport…” (Jowitt, 2010, p.231), said Ted Shawn, a distinguished forerunner of modern dance. Male modern dancers have been fighting for their masculinity in dance for ages. They have arduously exerted to characterize dance as a worthy profession for men through press reports and hype enthused (Jowitt, 2010). However, there has been a shift in the way masculinities have been portrayed within modern dance.
History of Modern Dance
Modern dance, born from the rebellion of the rigidities of classical ballet, brought about refutation of the male gaze on women. Martha Graham, a prominent figure in modern dance, “built her famous technique and early repertory techniques on the female body”(Bannerman, 2010, p.32). As females are more lithe in the pelvis than men such that men have claimed to have “vagina envy”, thus showing the men’s aspirations to have the same litheness as women (Bannerman, 2010).
Hegemonic Masculinity
In society, masculinity is defined as having the inherent qualities that a man should possess. These qualities include gender domination, having authority as well as holding roles appropriate for men within a patriarchal society. Masculinity has traditionally been classified in dancing as the authority enacted through men’s control over women in which he partnered (Jowitt, 2010; Jordan, 1996). Having power in dancers’ movements validates mannish audacity (Jowitt, 2010; as cited in
Model Redefined
Assignment No. 2B
by
Sufyan Bin Rosman (S9127872C)
Group No. 24
Academic Writing
WRIT001/Term 1 – 2012/2013
I declare that this Assignment is my original work and all information obtained from other sources has been cited accordingly.
Turnitin
_______________________ Similarity
Signature and Date Assignment Word Count: Index 1966
Course Instructor: Prof. Shirley Alexander %
Masculinity in Modern Dance: Model Redefined. “Dance is a manly sport…” (Jowitt, 2010, p.231), said Ted Shawn, a distinguished forerunner of modern dance. Male modern dancers have been fighting for their masculinity in dance for ages. They have arduously exerted to characterize dance as a worthy profession for men through press reports and hype enthused (Jowitt, 2010). However, there has been a shift in the way masculinities have been portrayed within modern dance.
History of Modern Dance
Modern dance, born from the rebellion of the rigidities of classical ballet, brought about refutation of the male gaze on women. Martha Graham, a prominent figure in modern dance, “built her famous technique and early repertory techniques on the female body”(Bannerman, 2010, p.32). As females are more lithe in the pelvis than men such that men have claimed to have “vagina envy”, thus showing the men’s aspirations to have the same litheness as women (Bannerman, 2010).
Hegemonic Masculinity
In society, masculinity is defined as having the inherent qualities that a man should possess. These qualities include gender domination, having authority as well as holding roles appropriate for men within a patriarchal society. Masculinity has traditionally been classified in dancing as the authority enacted through men’s control over women in which he partnered (Jowitt, 2010; Jordan, 1996). Having power in dancers’ movements validates mannish audacity (Jowitt, 2010; as cited in
References: Anderson, E. & Peterson, G T. (2012). The Performance of Softer Masculinities on the University Dance Floor. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 20(1) pp. 3-15. Bannerman, H. (2010). Martha Graham’s House of the Pelvic Truth: The Figuration of Sexual Identities and Female Empowerment. Dance Research Journal, 42(1), 30-44 Fasick, L. (2007) Using Music and Dance to Explore Gender Norms. International Journal of the Humanities, 5(2), 47-51 Jordan C. (1996). Gender and class mobility in Saturday night fever and flash dance. Journal of Popular Film & Television, 24(3), 116-122 Jowitt, D. (2010). Dancing Masculinity: Defining the Male Image Onstage in Twentieth- Century America and Beyond, Southwest Review, 95(1/2), 227-242. Kelly, M T. (2011). Contemporary Dance and Evolving Femininities. Journal of Integral Theory and Practice, 6(2), pp. 50-66. LaBoskey, S. Getting Off: Portrayals of masculinity in hip hop dance in film. Dance Research Journal, 33(2), ProQuest Research Library, pg.112.