The Yangko Dance

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The Yangko Dance

In the process of taking the style and studio class, I decided to enroll for a dance class with the objective of understanding a foreign dance form as well as the cultural background behind it. Initially, the class seemed exciting and simple. However, I discovered that it was really deep and useful. Dance has been in existence for many centuries. It role in the society is extensive and varies from physical exercise, commemoration of rituals, entertainment and other social functions (Sklar 23). After I finished the Yangko dance class, I gained a better comprehension of the way in which Chinese farmers and peasants appreciated the abundance of the farmlands and the way human beings interacted with the spiritual world.

Before taking the class, I carried out research on the specific culture and dance from. For this particular undertaking, I selected the Yangko dance, a Chinese folk dance that incorporates singing as well as dancing. The selected dance form contained smooth movements and limited rhythm. The Chinese people favor this style because of its cheerful atmosphere, abundant expression, and high-spirited gestures. This dance form is quite similar to its culture of the Chinese in that it promotes appreciation to a greater entity and it incorporates agriculture that is an economic activity.

Embracing a different Dance form particularly one from the Orientals was an eye-opening experience. Most dance forms in the Western world focus on mere entrainment. However, the Yangko dance embodied economic activities as well as daily life in China. One of the key moves of Yangko dance is the waist and hip alternation. This move is typically associated with happiness as it generally translated into twirling. The next dance move is half a step backward followed by a full step forward. This dance move allows the audience to see the full rhythmic motion of the dancer’s body. The last move is the outstretched hands. This move signifies releasing and submission to the gods of prosperity and weather (Liu 49).

Works Cited

Top of Form

Sklar, Diedre. “Reprise: On Dance Ethnography.” Dance Research Journal. 32.1 (2000): 70-77. Print.

Top of Form

Liu, Sydney C. “The Dance of the Chinese Harvest Song (yang-Ko).” Orient. (1952): 49-50. Print.

Bottom of Form

Bottom of Form