Describe: Describe Michael Jacksons MoonWalk Dance in the video Billy Jean , including observations you noted in each of the four categories on your Four Guidelines for Dance Analysis worksheet. Be sure to address:
Situation and Surroundings (Where was it? What was it? When was it?)
Historical and Societal Context (Who was performing and what is their history? )
Narrative and Intention (What is the purpose of this piece?)
Movement (What did you see the dancers doing?)
2. Analyze:
Draw 2-3 connections between the “4 Guidelines” quadrants. For example, how does the intention of the work relate to the context of the performance? How does the movement relate to the historical context?
Next, choose 1-2 of the observations you’ve just made and discuss them more fully. What do you think about what you’ve observed? What is interesting about what you have noticed? For example, what values (ethical, religious, political, social) does the dancing reinforce? Relate your observations to the ideas we’ve discussed in class or to the readings.
Descriiption at its best is not simply about surface. It hints at what lurks within a work. It links images through imaginative wordplay. The patterns of language can echo the rhythms and the impetus of dancing, as well as the responses of the spectators” (9).
