Essay on "Japanese and American Dance Cultures"

Essay 3 pages (1062 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Much of the dancing is taking from prior generations and is appropriated to things like "harvesting the rice" or "scooping the mud." The dress commonly found with Bon-Odori tends to vary a lot. However, the choreography is typically centered on what is known as the yukata. This is something that is seen worn while people dance. A yukata is a Japanese garment that is basically a specific form of the kimono. Some festivals related to Bon-Odori are actually open to the public to the extent that the dances can be taught to anyone who wants to learn including Japanese and non-Japanese alike. To state the obvious, the nature and movements of Japanese dance center on things that are going on, things that happen from year to year and struggles or happiness that the Japanese people encounter and experience (Hamamatsu).

As for any correlation between the Japanese and the Americans, there are obviously parallels that can be drawn. While American do not typically dance for rain and better crops and the like, Americans certainly manifest their cultural trends. For example, it is prolific and common in America for people to engage in dance as a way to relax, let loose and otherwise enjoy themselves. It is often informal and not structured in any real way. Japan quite recently started to parallel that in their own culture but only after a very long ban on the practice of dancing after midnight. Indeed, the government of Japan banned that right after the American victory in World War II against Japan and that ban was not lifted until June of this year. This is but one example of how Japan and America seem to be converging rather than diverging as the years move along. Even with that being the case, Japanese and American cultures are quite different. However, they would seem to be merging and becoming more similar over time. In the end, all peoples want the same basic things such as happiness, comfort and pride in their culture and what they stand for (Ripley).

Conclusion

The Japanese culture is rich with tradition, culture and a prominent display of both. American culture has certainly been huge as well but it has in many ways been more of a blend of the culture that have come to America and formed the "melting pot" that is often thought of when speaking of the country. However, there is absolutely a distinct American dance culture just as there is also a distinct Japanese culture. With the increased globalization of the world and the cultures involved, there is concurrently a transmission and display of traditional cultures with some while there is a blending of cultures with others.

Works Cited

Hahn, Tomie. Sensational Knowledge. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 2007. Print.

Hamamatsu,. 'Bon-Odori (Bon Festival Dance) -- Culture -- What To Do -- Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan Guide - IN HAMAMATSU.COM - Travel And Living'. Inhamamatsu.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.

Noland, Carrie, and Sally Ann Ness. Migrations Of Gesture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2008. Print.

Ripley, Will. 'Japan Shakes Off 67-Year Ban On Dancing After Midnight - CNN.Com'. CNN. N.p.,… READ MORE

How to Reference "Japanese and American Dance Cultures" Essay in a Bibliography

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