Education in Arts: Essays

1

TAL 324 Final Paper

Valerie Ferrante

May 4, 2020

Analyzing a Piece of Art: Within the Context of Education

            Arts are a hugely important aspect of education. They add so much to what students are learning, and truly open their mind to different ideas and ways of thinking. Incorporating the arts into lessons can not only help students gain a deeper appreciation for the arts, but it can help students to gain a deeper understanding of other subjects and be more excited about learning those subjects. Art can help bring different cultures and new perspectives into the learning environment. 

            Earlier in the semester, I visited the Pérez Art Museum Miami. While there I was struck by one of the works of art, which was a sculpture of two extremely large outlines of hands that lit up. I truly enjoyed this piece, as I felt it really highlighted how important the hands are both in life and in creating art. So much can come from and can be done with just your hands, and it was a beautiful reminder of that. When thinking in the context of dance, what a person does with their hands is so incredibly important, you can tell a whole story with just your hands, which people once used to do in the form of shadow puppets. Sign language is entirely spoken with just one’s hands. The hands are such a powerful tool, and this piece of art really emphasized this message.

            When thinking about my experience at the museum, it makes me think of how valuable a field trip to a museum could be for children. Getting to see works of all different generations and genres could have such a positive impact on how they view the arts. It could also help inspire them to make their own creations both inside and outside of the classroom. If I was to make a lesson around this specific piece of artwork I would tell students to do a project inspired by their hands, give them a few examples whether that may be making something in the shape of a hand, or using their hands in direct contact with a medium like sculpting with clay or finger painting. Students would have the freedom to express this concept however they choose, which I believe would bring a lot of varied and exciting projects into the class. 

            I have enjoyed this class immensely, and I think the skills we have all learned in this class can truly apply to any field we decide to go into. In our study of education and the arts, we learned a lot about how to manage a team which many jobs will encounter. It also caused us to work in groups with lots of members of our class, some we may not have known before the class started and be able to work cohesively and then present our work and ideas to the class in an eloquent manner. Learning how to express your ideas verbally to a large group can be challenging, however, the environment of our classroom made it very easy and comfortable to do so in. Learning how to teach is also very important because at some point in everyone’s life they will have to teach someone how to do something, whether it is teaching your children how to walk or use a spoon and later how to know right from wrong, or if it is training someone below you in a job how to do a certain task, it is a skill we should all value immensely. 

            The piece of art I saw this semester really spoke to me, and while that piece may not speak to everyone, I believe there is a piece of art out there for everyone. The hands in that display served as a metaphor in my mind for all the beauty and creation that can come from just one’s hands. This class has shown me how important the arts can be in education, and the long-term value for students who are exposed to it. The arts bring a new perspective to every subject and can help students learn in a different way that might be better suited for the kind of learner they are. We learned how to teach the arts this semester by participating in art lessons ourselves which was much more informative than if we had simply read those lessons out of a textbook. I believe this class taught us all how to look at education in the arts in a new and beautiful light, and I do feel the artwork I chose to analyze for this paper truly emphasized that ideology. 

2

 Katie Kean

Professor Morejón

TAL 324

1 May 2020

                                        The Infinite Ocean: An Educational Experience

San Francisco Ballet, The Infinite Ocean Recorded February 15, 2020

            The San Francisco Ballet is a world class ballet and leader in American ballet productions since its founding in 1933. Located in the heart of San Francisco, the Ballet is known for being the first to produce a full-length production of Coppélia, Swan Lake and Nutcracker. In the following reflection I will be discussing the recording of the San Francisco Ballet’s performance of The Infinite Ocean recorded on February 15th, 2020. The Infinite Ocean was choreographed by Edwaard Liang in his third word for the San Francisco Ballet. The performance captures the audience’s attention through a thought-provoking dramatic work “hover[ing] in the space between life and death” (Ossola). It is through the integration of sound, movement and emotion that the San Francisco Ballet engages the viewer to create an educational experience. 

            Right from the start of the performance you are captivated by the dramatic lighting and gradual appearance of ballet dancers who slowly begin to move with the sound of music. The music begins soft and gradually progresses almost to carry the dancers along throughout the performance. The Composer of the music, Oliver Davis, in conjunction with Conductor, Martin West and Violin, Cordula Merks create a guide for the audience to think about throughout the performance. All three together paint a picture that piques the viewers auditory senses. The music challenges the audience to hear the sounds and think about how it relates to the other elements of the performance such as dancer’s movement and lighting/scenery. 

            Next, aside from the auditory experience the physical movement of the dancers plays an important role in the performance. The dark lighting contrasted with the burnt orange backdrop and orange spotlight draws the eye to the stage as a whole picture as opposed to just one individual dancer. It is from there the slowly progressing dance moves closer to the center of the stage and creates the illusion of one flowing unit. As each member of the group moves their body and limbs it tells a piece of the storyline and makes the audience think about how it relates to the other parts of the show. As the lighting brightens and the distinction between one and many becomes more defined the attention shifts to thinking about life and death, two very contrasting elements. Each dancer moves so precisely throughout the performance; however, it feels like a natural expression of the storyline. The effortlessness of each movement makes the audience think about the connection between life and death, so distinct, yet effortless. Elements like the number of dancers and the connection you feel between them also add to how the audience perceives it all. 

            The last component of the performance that is essential to the experience is the emotion. As the movement, sound, and lighting all come together they stimulate the audience’s emotions.  Emotion is an important part of any performance and in this particular one it serves as a catalyst to the deeper meaning of it all. As it progresses the audience feels as if they are a part of this in between life and death hovering. Right until the final moments of the performance the emotional component is engaged in driving how the audience leaves feeling about the subject matter and dance as a whole. 

            In conclusion, it is the combination of sound, movement and emotion the create a distinct experience for the audience. The educational component comes into play in how it challenges the viewer to think about a difficult and abstract subject matter, life and death. Each depends on the other to paint the whole picture but are all open to interpretation by each audience member as to the specific experience they leave with. Thus, The Infinite Ocean is a beautiful display of how important the arts can be in connecting to and learning about an abstract subject matter. 

3

Kathleen Weetman

TAL 324

Professor Morejon

April 19, 2020

The Phantom of the Opera Live Performance Review 

The Phantom of the Opera is the longest running show in Broadway history, and with good reason. This classic musical taking place in the late 1800’s of glamorous Paris reaches every emotion from fear to love to sorrow. Watching, even online, one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s greatest creations was not only mesmerizing because of the story-line and songs, but the incredible and almost unbelievable work of its cast and crew. From engineers, carpenters, and electricians who brainstorm to make a moving set and exploding chandelier to ballerinas whose bodies hypnotize you with their grace and precision, The Phantom of the Opera is a chilling and invigorating performance to behold. Such a performance is not created by only being able to sing and dance, but with extreme discipline and the ability to create from nothing. This capturing musical is a beautiful example of the importance and power of creativity. 

What is specifically interesting about The Phantom of the Opera is that the musical as indicated in the title takes place in an opera house. Audiences have an on-stage preview of all the different minds that go into creating a successful performance. The opening scene is a rehearsal and it is very evident the amount of group work, common sense and problem solving that goes into having the scene run smoothly. Performing arts and math are almost never associated but the ballerinas in this production prove just how much they in fact need to be associated. Ballet is creating perfectly symmetrical angles with the body. One is not a successful ballerina without knowing the exact look of these angles and how many degrees to move to change to a new angle. All this math is going on in their minds as they simultaneously move their bodies in perfect harmony. Of course, an opera performance would not be complete without an opera singer. The singers, though the center of the performance, have to know exactly how to cooperate with the dancers around them. Without group work and problem solving the scene completely falls apart and in this case as the lead female singer is egoistical and refuses to work as a group unit, it is in fact an unsuccessful performance. 

Another point on the ability to problem solve and group cooperate is portrayed within the business aspect of the musical. As the opera house is in fact a business, it ultimately falls apart at the end of the musical not only due to those actions taken by the Phantom but the incompetence of its new owners. The two men owning the opera house do not run it as a group unit but instead make selfish decisions to enhance their own wealth and success. This in fact leads to a complete backfire with the demise of their business. It is very clearly shown that taking a lesson from their performers and crew, the two businessmen could have saved the opera house understanding the importance of being able to function as a unit and use creative paths to problem solve. 

Not only in the opera house within the show but for the actual performance of The Phantom of the Opera, the engineering minds must also function as artistic minds for the creation and execution of the set. In the musical itself the Phantom lives in tunnels underground, therefor there are many scenes on a moving boat in water. The ability to create the illusion of water and a contraption that appears to be moving in water is nothing short of engineering and artistic abilities in combination. Being able to imagine a set takes an immense amount of creative genius as engineering skills contribute to the logistics of making it happen. 

The Phantom of the Opera will always remain a classic in the world of the arts and stands as a perfect example of the importance of the arts. We run in a very non-creative success system that downplays and sometimes even shames the ability to be creative. This musical is a perfect representation of the simultaneous harmony in which the arts not only work with but immensely enhance what is deemed as important knowledge. Creativity is not separate to intelligence or genius but in fact completely essential to it. 

4

Runaway- a film piece by Kanye West

              Jake Teplitzky

 TAL 324

 Professor Jorge Morejon 

May 5, 2020                               Runaway: Challenging the Status Quo

For my final report, I watched the short film, Runaway by Kanye West. The reason why I selected this piece was because it incorporated music, dance, art, and creativity. Runaway, is a film, directed by Kanye West that takes you through his album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, in an attempt to explain the meaning behind the music as well as tell his story. The film focuses on various aspects of life including Kanye’s personal beliefs about the world with regards to social identity, personal challenges, and the power of a romantic partner. 

 The main theme of the film is that Kanye falls in love with a Phoenix (bird-like woman). Kanye uses this as his main vehicle to help progress the story and message. This is done by showing the power of a relationship, understanding ones’ personal journey, and more. Kanye tries to explain to the viewer that there are many different factors that contribute to the challenges of one’s life; acceptance from peers, conflicting values, and personal views. He does this very well in terms of conveying these things.

  Personally, I have seen this short film many times however, this was the first time that I really saw what Kanye was trying to do with Runaway. It was much more than just a film to support his music but rather a message to the public. This was Kanye West telling his fans how he feels about the world and society. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is one of Kanye West’s best works however, what truly sets it apart is this film. Runaway is not just about having a platform for people to listen to the full album but rather a medium that allowed Kanye West to create an artistic piece that truly showed the world what the album was truly about. Personally, I believe that Kanye West is an artistic genius. After watching Runaway this time around, I have truly confirmed my beliefs about his level of talent in terms of art. Runaway combined almost every form of art to help deliver a message.

  Runaway is a message to society of how Kanye West views the world. In doing so he may have created one of the best short films of all times. It had passion, love, loss, pain, and so much more. Every detail of the film was chosen purposefully, and it showed. The colors were dynamic, the music choice for each scene was perfect, and the outfits were very appropriate in terms of choice. The entirety of the film was to serve a purpose. It was not to play an album but rather tell Kanye West’s personal truth. His Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

  For me, I have a new-found respect for Kanye. His message was bigger than rap and the film made it possible to show that. Kanye West likes to challenge the status quo by doing things his way. He uses his platform of the arts to help spread his ideas and brand them by saying what he wants to say instead of saying what people want him to say. This idea of changing the status quo shines through in terms of all of his work. If it were not for art, the world would have no Kanye West. He used his talents to make a change in his life by telling his truths through art and music. For me, this only solidified the idea that we need art in society. Art is culture, ideas, beliefs, and so much more. This is why we need art in our lives, to allow for individuals to share and tell their story.

           

5

 

Claudia DeLorenzo       
TAL 324 Final Paper  
April 19, 2020 

The Importance of Art: COVID-19 

 Art has been used as a creative outlet since the beginning of humanity, and many  different forms of art have evolved to benefit both the artists and the viewers. One of these art  forms is the art of dance. The art of dance brings so many people together, as dancers express  their emotions through movement and the audience experiences fulfilling entertainment.  However, the social distancing protocol and stay-at-home orders that are currently being  practiced to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have forced art exhibits and experiences to close.  Therefore, the immense work that performance artists, such as dancers, musicians and live  actors, have been putting into their practice for months cannot be celebrated with live  performances. 

Many artists have utilized the internet and social media as platforms to show  viewers their artistic performances while still practicing social distancing. The ​State Street Ballet  did this by recording an in-studio performance of ​Sleeping Beauty​ after the premiere was  canceled due to COVID-19. The premiere was set for Saturday, March 14, 2020 at the Granada  Theatre in Santa Barbara, California. In response to the cancellation, the State Street Ballet  shared a stream to the live performance on Facebook for donors, board members, friends, and  family to enjoy. he State Street Ballet’s ​Sleeping Beauty​ is the newest story ballet in their Family Series  and was created as a modern take on the classic Sleeping Beauty fairytale. The performance  centered around two main dancers, one man and one woman, who were paired together as a couple. 

The performance began with the two dancers performing together, as background dancers lined the stage. After the couple finished their first dance together, the audience clapped as the couple bowed. This first dance was followed by a solo from the male dancer with upbeat music, and afterwards, a solo from the female dancer to light, cheery music. After each performance, the audience clapped as the dancers bowed. The rest of the performance consisted of many different dancers in unique costumes. 

Unfortunately, the music cut as this began, at around 8:00 minutes in, and it did not resume until 12:30 minutes in. This gap in music made the performance difficult to understand because the music provides the tone and helps the audience feel the emotions of the dancers’ movements. Once the music resumed, the performance was nearly over. The dancers entered the stage in intervals and bowed as the audience clapped for  them. The last dancers pulled the director onto the stage for them to be recognized as well.   Although watching the in-studio performance of ​Sleeping Beauty ​on Facebook is not the  same experience as watching it at the Granada Theatre​, it is the best we can do during this  quarantine. The ​State Street Ballet should be praised for sharing their work online for free during this hard time when their business is suffering financially.

This wave of social distancing has  shown that art will prevail when humanity is suffering, and that art can be used as a medicine to help in tough times. During this quarantine, people who do not typically consider themselves  artists have been looking to express themselves through art more than ever! Our society has been  given an abundance of free time and people have been using it to watch art performances, like  those posted by the State Street Ballet,  and also to create their own art. 

Many people are turning  to art as a method to cope with the fear of COVID-19 and the stress of being forced inside. I hope that more people continue to value art after the stay-at-home orders are overturned, and for everyone to remember art as one of the key things that helped us get through this incredibly difficult time.    

Link to the ​State Street Ballet’s ​Sleeping Beauty​  in-studio performance​: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2781002501969087 

6

John Campbell

TAL

Jorge Morejon

4/15/2020

Lion King: The Musical

The first Disney sketch of a lion whelp accused for his dad's passing has been revamped into a Broadway melodic acclaimed everywhere throughout the world. Seen by more than twenty 5,000,000 individuals in more than 15 thousand exhibitions this unpredictably planned marvel has taken more than 37 thousand hours just to construct the manikins and veils. Julie Taymor the chief and ensemble creator was confronted with an issue of whether to make people or creatures filling the role and she chose to make veils that show the creature face, just as, show the human face giving the character their character. With respect to communicating different creatures that are not part of the fundamental cast or to communicate a specific subject, 2 various types of puppetry were utilized to communicate an African topic.

Veils are considered "practical gems" and play a social reason in Africa. They are utilized in narrating and services and are made to be worn over the head instead of spread the face. This method is likewise utilized in The Lion King with the goal that the human outward appearance isn't lost and to help the bead-work, undergarments and covering used to show the human characteristics of a lion. The outfits then again are made of silk material to shroud the human structure, break the shoulder line and to improve the incredible joints and thighs. The covers are made so that the entertainer can control the outward appearance of the veil through links connected to their sleeves. Ensembles and veils are likewise used to show the improvement of the character as they progress all through the story. Youthful Simba's ensemble isn't as unpredictable as Scar's to show that, Scar has a basic arrangement while Simba is guiltless.

Banraku puppetry, named for Uemura Bunrakuken started in Japan in the sixteenth century is utilized right now let the crowd focus on the story just as on the aptitude of the puppeteers. The ace puppeteer, the just one for the most part observed by the crowd is controlling the manikin with the assistance of others for legs and body while a storyteller recounts to the story. Certain signals and developments help to accomplish a specific objective and get a specific message across to the observers. At a certain point puppetry is utilized to show the grasses of the savanna move as the breeze blows making a supernatural impact.

Shadows which can cause an article to appear to be bigger than it truly is and make an option that could be more startling than it truly is are a significant piece of this melodic. Begun either in Greece or China this now Indonesian type of puppetry is known as the wayang kulit and utilizes level manikins made of wood and creature stow away against a muslin screen. In The Lion King, shadows are utilized to depict numerous creatures or ones that appear to be startling. This magnificent blend of manikins veils and genuine individuals makes this a most brilliant sight. There are sure subjects that are depicted, for example, tune in, recall, and learn as they instruct us to be a piece of "the Circle of Life," recollect what our identity is and where we originated from, and gain from our mix-ups.

All in all, this magnificent depiction of a Disney film tries to train us about our own lives and who we are utilizing great strategies of puppetry and coordination. It is nothing unexpected that they have won numerous honors and approvals everywhere throughout the world as they show us their awesome sets and hues which incorporate creatures going from eighteen feet to 5 inches. Julie Taymor's brilliant way of thinking of double implications truly makes this an extraordinary family melodic.

7

Sydney Frankel

TAL 324

Final Paper

Bigfoot: Extreme Human Aspect

For my final paper I chose to write about a sculpture I found at Echo Brickell during spring break in March. The sculpture, pictured below, is part of a series of sculptures called “Bigfoot” by Idan Zareski. There are a few of these scattered around Miami, but this one specifically stood out to me because it was a little girl upside down with huge feet. This statue stands about fifteen feet tall and is right outside of Joe & the Juice. Ironically, I saw this art piece the day I found out classes would be cancelled for the rest of the semester so it resonated with me. I take a more personal meaning from this piece because of the circumstances I was presented with afterwards.

When I look at the little girl even though her world may be upside down I see her making the best of it. First, Zareski showed creative expression through his piece. He chose to distort the normal image by first placing her upside down doing a handstand, which by the way, is not perfect. I love that she’s not in “perfect” gymnast form because it gives it an extreme human aspect. The next and most obvious distortion is of her feet. Her feet are larger than almost her whole body yet they are in the air and not weighing her down.

When most people hear the word “Bigfoot” they think of the mythical monster in the fantasy tales. But Zareski defied that preconception by making “Bigfoot” an innocent and carefree little girl. I enjoy that the sculpture itself is a mix of a black and brown color but he places her on real grass. The grass being real gives “life” to the sculpture and makes it seem as though she is playing outside or in a yard. If you can see in the image there are also lights surrounding her. At night, the lights can create an emphasis on certain parts of the piece that the artist wants highlighted. For example, he can shine the light all on the feet so that you cannot see her face or vice versa and only place the lights on her face.

Where the author places the lights has a significant impact on the way someone interprets this image, but I chose to photograph it in daylight because I wanted to interpret the entire piece. The image that I took of the “Bigfoot” sculpture would be considered still life photography. In class we defined still life photography as photographs containing mostly inanimate subject matter, often in small groupings.  Still photography is the practice of making non-moving photographs, as distinct from motion picture photography (cinematography).  One of the elements I used in my photograph was depth of field. I put the focus on the sculpture to isolate it from the background of the image and keep the main focus on “Bigfoot”. I also could have chosen to take the picture at many different angles and each angle could have affected the way someone interprets this image but I chose a neutral position.

Idan Zareski’s “Bigfoot” at first seemed like an immaterial sculpture I would eventually find something to write about for this paper, but it ended up meaning a lot more to me. Overall, my interpretation may be completely different than yours or someone else’s interpretation of “Bigfoot”. But when I look at her, I see myself currently. “Upside down” with what is currently going on in the world but not letting it weigh me down. While these aren’t the best of times I am trying to accept the challenges and while my “stance” may not be perfect similar to “Bigfoot’s” I am only human. And in these times the best thing to do is just put a smile on your face and push through.

8

Taylor Shell

Play Response

4/26/2020

TAL 324-Professor Jorge Morejon

Tas216@miami.edu

  “Little Shops of Horror”

The rock musical “Little Shops of horror” is the live performance I was fortunately able to see in the fall semester. It was one of my favorite musicals I have ever seen so far in my lifetime. The props on stage brought vibrant color and drama and the actors brought so much life and energy to the stage that it was too hard to look away. While watching the “Little Shops of Horror” I was able to connect with one of the actresses and learn some crucial life lessons. Not only was this musical a great performance to watch but when you left the theatre you thought twice about the couple decisions you have made in the past or ones you plan to make in the future. 

 The musical was more than just watching and enjoying the show you had to think a little to understand the message the actors of the stage were trying to portray. The drama of theatre and visual arts is an aspect that many students on the stage were passionate about and you could tell have great outlooks for their future in that field of work. Not only do the actors enjoy what they are dong but as an audience we enjoy watching performances and hopefully that will be integrated earlier into education systems to see if students share the same passion the actors in “Little Shops of Horror” showed to see if they want to pursue theatre in college or as future career.

 The rock musical “Little Shops of Horror” is about a florist shop worker named Seymour who buys this unusual plant that feeds on human blood. It takes place in Miami, Florida on Skid Road. He names the plant the “Audrey II” after his co-worker Audrey who he admires greatly. The plant attracts a lot of business for the struggling flower shop. Seymour can’t keep up with feeding the Audrey II. He doesn’t have enough blood supply to keep up with the plant’s needs. 

A tragic accident resulted in the death of Audrey’s boyfriend Orin. Seymour sees Orin’s death as an opportunity to feed the Audrey II. Feeding the Audrey II Orin only made it grow larger and needing larger amounts of blood. During a late-night Mr. Mushnik and Audrey stopped by the flower shop on two separate occasions to water the plant because that’s what they thought the plant relied on to keep growing. Both were instantly sucked into the venus fly trap and would later die. Seymour took it upon himself to stop the fatal deaths from happening. He sacrificed himself to try to stop the Audrey II but would pay the price.

 Audrey and I shared similar qualities. Sometimes trying to be the person everyone else wants her to be. Not being the person who they are because they feel uncomfortable being one who stands. Knowing it’s okay to standout out and be different. That I’m capable of being more than just great. I can express my emotions and feelings through my own talents and don’t have to receive validation from anyone from the experience I learned through this class. Being vulnerable in a different way.

 The moral I learned from “Little Shops of Horrors” is to be careful what you wish for. Is all the glory and the fame worth it to lose the ones you care about. Getting caught up in all the lights and cameras comes with a hefty price. The focus isn’t on your worth but what made you stand out. Hence, paying the ultimate sacrifice. A desire for fame and success shouldn’t be the priority. Sometimes being successful makes us lose sight of what is important. Is it right to follow your dreams or do what’s right. Even in the limelight and all the attention is on you.

 Don’t make a deal with the devil. This musical relates to “Spinning Into Butter.” Patrick telling Sarah he would change his title from Nuyorican to Puerto Rican instead of sticking to what he stood for. Appealing to the board that he is under a different title to potentially claim a 12,000-dollar scholarship that he would later end up claiming. When it came to remarks Sarah made about him having minority friends, he referred back to when she asked him to identify under a different ethnicity. Shying away from what is right and not appealing to what everyone else wants you to be. Patrick changing who he was wasn’t a decision he fully understood. It was a plea to make sure he fell under a certain category to make it more appealing to the board. 

 What I did ultimately enjoy about the musical is that every person that came on stage brought a different life to the play and I even picked up a life lesson that anyone can take into account into their own personal life’s. I was heavily engaged every minute. The story line was very clear that it wasn’t difficult as an audience member to follow along. For that I pay credit to the actors for making it a fun and interacting musical to watch. You could see the connections the actors were making through their emotions and expressions. Watching the musical actually made me want to go see the movie. Also, I have more of a desire to take a theatre and visual arts class in the future during my time at the University of Miami. As a person who isn’t fanatic about theatre, I would go see another musical in the future.

9

Gregory Rousseau 

TAL 324 

May 1st, 2020   

Final Essay

Art of Diversity in Football

When you think of the NFL and quarterbacks you automatically think of people like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Steve Young, John Elway, but in reality, times have changed a lot in the recent years of the NFL. “Nowadays the reigning MVP is a black quarterback (Lamar Jackson from the Baltimore Ravens); the highest-paid player in the league's history is a black QB; the No. 1 overall draft pick is a black signal-caller; multiple franchises have black men as their face who are also in line for new deals in excess of $100 million. After decades of being blocked, I also must mention that Former Louisiana State University quarterback Jamarcus Russell signed the biggest rookie deal in NFL history in the year of 2008. Black folks have changed the NFL under center, and the league will never be the same.” I think that the surge of black quarterbacks in the NFL all started with Michael Vick being drafted the number one overall pick to be Atlanta Falcons in the year 2001. 

Vick was accompanied in NFL by other successful black quarterbacks like Daunte Culpeper from the Minnesota Vikings and Donovan McNabb from the Philadelphia Eagles. In the early 2000s the National Football League started to show a trend of heading towards having black quarterbacks as the face of many different franchises. Once Michael Vick got in trouble for a dog abuse charges in 2007 everyone who could talk bad about black quarterbacks used this incident as an example of why white quarterbacks should be the face of the League. By saying these things, there was implied that black quarterbacks are irresponsible and immature. Some will go as far as calling them thugs and gang members. 

In the more recent years of the NFL the black quarterbacks started to resurface with names like Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa. Hopefully, this new generation's behavior will stop these past thoughts that black quarterbacks were bad people or did not work as hard as the white quarterbacks. Diversity in every position of the sport of football will only make it more interesting in the near future. As a community in sports in general we must embrace the diversity of all sports even including woman being able to coach at the same level of men. Even as a kid, I have also been through some unfair times in sports because of the color of my skin. 

When I used to play optimist football a lot of times the head coache's son would always be the quarterback.  Any other kid who wanted to try out to play quarterback for the team would have no chance at all to get the starting job because; what coach would bench his own son? I also had to play positions that i did not have fun at playing like offensive line, while all the white kids played skill positions like corner, wide receiver, safety and running back. This showed me, at a young age, that if you were a black kid you would definitely experience politics in sports.  As a black athlete, you would have to make yourself so much better than the competition, so that the coach would have no choice at all but to play you. 

If I was a coach or a quarterback trying to lead a team, the leadership strategy I would use would be to make sure everyone knows that every thing we do is part of a team effort.  There's no “I” in team and we should all be striving for the greatest success possible. While doing this we should forget about race, gender and, especially, the color of our skin. It should always be about the success of the team. In conclusion, I am excited to wash the art of more diversity make its way into the NFL in the up and coming years.       

 

References 

 JReidESPN. (2020, January 3). Entering NFL playoffs, black quarterbacks have already won. Retrieved from https://theundefeated.com/features/entering-nfl-playoffs-black-quarterbacks-have-already-won/

 JReidESPN. (2019, September 3). Welcome to the Year of the Black Quarterback. Retrieved from https://theundefeated.com/features/welcome-to-the-year-of-the-black-quarterbac

10

Susena Gupta

Sonny Qadir

Professor Morejon

TAL 324

May 1, 2020

“Dhanak After the Storm” presented by Sunena Gupta

 

Due to the devastating circumstance caused by COVID-19, The New York Kathak Festival, a non profit organization that holds a 3-day event to connect the Kathak community to learn and share through its unique dances was unfortunately canceled due to the spread of COVID-19. As a result, a common phrase “the show must go on, “ was practically implicated in its place. The New York Kathak festival brought together 12 artists from the US, Canada, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom for an online livestream. Although I was not present during the live performance of these artists, there is a recording of their brilliant works online. After watching multiple different performers, there was one in particular that stood out to me, Sunena Gupta.

Trained under Guru Mula of Cercanin Singapore, Sunena Gupta presented “Dhanak After the Storm'' as a means to express contemporary social messages through the traditional lens of Khanak. Sunena shows the importance of the art as a means to spread joyful messages to those that need it the most during harsh times. In her dance, she uses rain as a symbol to represent rejuvenation after storms. She uses this metaphor of rain to express the livelihood and perseverance that will occur after our Pandemic is over. Be using a beautifully constructed dress, she showcases her choreography with her vivid hand and dance motions, and upbeat music. After watching her songs, the first thing that pops out to me was her dress. Light gold base with rain bow of colors towards the bottom.

This exemplifies her entire message that the harsh rain that beats down on to our Earth, is followed by the bright and beautiful rainbows that flood our environment.  Each color is side by side in a manner similar to those holding hands. This rainbow represents our current situation in which the Pandemic is the harsh rain, but together as a society we are linking arms to hold through these tough times. Each color represents the diversity of humans from different cultures and backgrounds and this will allow us to become that rainbow when it is all over as we are all in this together. As Sunena begins her first song, she shows initial rain, but it is completed by listening to love and flowing movement.

Her dance expresses the joy that follows the rain as she spins and embraces the volume around her. As she glances upwards multiple times throughout her dances she is glancing at the light at the end of the tunnel, the light that comes after harsh rain. As Sunena spins multiple times throughout her dance, I interpreted this as a way to represent that things will always come around. For example, if situations seem currently bad, they will turn around and become bright. This gave me a sense of hope and truly shows the joy Sunena wishes to incorporate to her audience.

From the beginning of her first dance, she uses extremely upbeat music. The few seconds prior to her first movement, the music is building the suspense of the bright shining of the rainbow she wishes to represent in her dance. Throughout both of her songs, Sunena shows rapid movement characterized by her bright and joyful choice of music. Although I am not aware of the exact meaning of the words that are being sung in this language, the singers soft voice and the beat used along with it creates a sensation of pure happiness. The mixing of all different types of instruments create a harmonic balance which is only further expressed through Sunena’s dance.

Not only did Sunena’s work show the importance of art and its ability to spread messages to such a wide spread of individuals, the NYKF has also shown me the importance of teaching. In my analogy NYKF can be seen as the professor, and the performers as its students. NYKF could have just canceled the 3-day dance event and left its students as is. But they did not, and they set up this online performance event though they may have encountered many obstacles while doing so. It is moving that the NYKF has made possible for this online platform to allow performers to express their works.

These individuals have been working on their dances for so long, and put so much effort into their passion. I thought it was a very moving idea for NYK’s founders to produce this show. Their hard work and working alongside them to bring joy to the performers themselves and the audience. They appreciated this unique craft as a way to cope with our society's current situation. This shows as a teacher, allowing students to express their ideas will not only allow them to share their passion, but it will also bring classmates together. In addition, Sunena uses her dress, dance, and music to spread her message to all of her audience in a manner that is visually appealing to the eye. For example, if Sunena was just standing trying to re-explain that things will get better, keep your head up, in all honesty I would not have listened to her. But after watching her dance piece, the choreography, music, and colors, I am completely agreeing with her. This was used to send a message and to think of how the arts could spread knowledge from all different types of subjects or curricula to its target audiences.

11

TAL 324

Emily Gossett

May 1^st 2020

NYCB Apollo: 

For my live performance I chose to observe the New York City Ballet performance of APOLLO. It was absolutely breathtaking even digitally and so I am sure it would be even more so in person. I learned that ballet is about expression; it can mimic moods and feelings, and is itself a story being told through dance. I loved being able to interpret the different motions being made by the dancers.

I think one of the interesting things about ballet is how much it is about expression of emotions and feelings. There are some moves that are delicate and gentle that seem like an expression of happy and joyful. The way the dances gracefully move their arms up and around their heads and reach back and fourth for one another seems to be an expression of positivity. With a pick up the tempo and a more aggressive sharpness of the moves it seems to be more about letting out some tenseness of the dancers. Their emotion and expression are now a release and seem more angry. It is incredible that just through the song and the motions of the dances I can see emotion and that they are able to communicate with their bodies almost through their own language which I find really beautiful.

 I think the other thing that stuck out the most about the ballet was the story being told through dance. It allows for both interpretation from the audience yet is easy to follow. It seemed to be a story about one ballerina going from one group of ballerinas to the next. Each time was a different song and a different routine. There was a few specific things that were interesting to me in telling the story. When the main ballerina was with the three female ballerinas, they had a very energetic dance ending with the three women putting their hands together for him to rest his head symbolizing letting him sleep after the long journey of that routine. I thought that was specifically beautiful and symbolic to his long journey to meet them and getting to know them to then be provided rest by them. I think a lot of that I also interpreted in my experience watching them making it so unique and almost like reading a book.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching the ballet. I had always wanted to see the ballet but was worried I wouldn’t like it and would lose interest and find it boring because of the snippets I had seen in the past. I think in reality, starting it at the very beginning and really seeing the entire performance has completely altered my perspective. I think dance is so important to our cognitive development because it shows us how to express ourselves with our bodies and learn to creatively interpret things. I always say the thing I learned at UM was critical thinking. Not just taking something for face value but really analyzing and questioning it. I think that being able to creatively think is another similar skill that you get through education in the arts and is vital to how we participate in both society and as individuals.

12

Kyle Riegler

Professor Morejón

TAL 324

4/29/2020

The Book of Mormon

            The first, and only, show I have seen on Broadway was The Book of Mormon. This musical follows two young Mormon missionaries and their quest to spread their Mormon message in hopes to convert others. Written by the creators of South Park, The Book of Mormon uses humor and satire to address very relevant issues in our society. To me, this musical exhibits how important and successful the arts can be to teach us about a plethora of topics. While captivating the audience for over two hours, the story addresses issues of misplaced priorities, blind nationalism, and ignorance.

            The two missionaries are stationed to a small village in Uganda that is plagued with AIDS. While the missionaries have knowledge of health practices and ability to help the village, instead they are focused on their sole mission to spread the word of the Mormon church. Through the use of humorous songs, the audience witnesses interactions between the missionaries and villagers and how their priorities are so different. The writers of the musical point a finger at the missionaries for not looking past their mission of spreading religion to help the villagers with their much more pressing issues.

            When the missionaries begin to understand the issues of the villagers they look towards their roots in the United States as a solution. They speak so highly of Salt Lake City and how the issues that the villagers face do not exist in Salt Lake City. Their blind nationalism again keeps them from directly addressing the issues in the village. As we have discussed in class, the arts can provide a frame to address issues in society. By using engaging songs and dances the writers directly address issues for the audience to contemplate. Many of the largest issues in society are skimmed over because they are not pleasant to discuss. However, through the use of arts a discussion can be started much easier.

            The final point I absorbed from this musical was ignorance. It is so easy for us today to not look past the boundaries of our own lives to issues that are affecting others. Ignorance, and not understanding what others are going through, causes us to not reach our potential. The missionaries are ignorant to the issues of others and it takes them the entirety of the musical to change this. However, through their experiences the missionaries are able to learn about other issues and view the world through different frames.

            I believe The Book of Mormon is a great example of how the arts can be used to address issues in society. Throughout the semester we discussed how integrating the arts into different subjects can spur creativity and problem solving. I learned about how experiencing the arts can aid in teaching students with different methods of learning. It is unfortunate that our class could not continue with in person sessions as I greatly enjoyed hearing and learning from my peers. I look forward to using what I learned this semester to continue learning about the arts. I hope to be able to use the arts to expand my knowledge and help others. The arts can captivate audiences and with this attention artists can address major issues. Experiencing this musical gave me an appreciation of Broadway that I did not have before. I look forward to the ability to visit Broadway again and see more incredible plays. 

13

Colissa Alford

Professor Morejón

TAL 324

5/02/2020

The Music of Duke Ellington

The Frost School of music here at the University of Miami performed in February “The Music of Duke Ellington”. The piece was performed by the jazz band. They presented classic compositions by Duke Ellington, including Black, Brown, and Beige, which the composer introduced its premiere at Carnegie Hall as “a parallel to the history of the Negro in America” and the symphonic jazz piece a tone parallel to Harlem. Some of the instruments used during the performance was saxophones, trumpets, a piano, drums, clarinet, and more.

The performance was well put together. The way the different music pieces flowed together really made the performance sound well. The instrument that mostly called my attention, was the saxophone. The melody and rhythm of it were perfect.  It made me want to follow the rhythm during the whole concert. The swing and syncopation, improvisation, and modes helped to keep a great rhythm during the whole performance.

Watching this performance online was my first jazz concert, and I had no idea of the fusion of jazz music, and the energy associated with the live performance. Even though the concerts only lasted an hour, it was one of my best moments, and would be more than willing to watch other concerts. On the other hand, the drummer displayed various techniques in playing the drums. Just listening to the band, it was obvious that the band had been performing together for a while. The best part of the concert was when the saxophonist hit high notes, and the drummer, guitarist, and the pianist would act on the instruments as they approached the climax.

During the concert the pianist, drummer and saxophonist did a great job, making the rhythm unforgettable. One of the songs that was performed was "Wrapped around your fingers," which contained a romantic melody. While the piano and saxophone then alternated the rhythm, as the passion of the song was motivating everyone to fall into the rhythm of it. The melody which was steady seemed to get faster like a heartbeat by the climax of the song. The sounds were increasingly getting louder until all instruments met at the top with a bang.

Compared to class this performance brought back memories from when each class member had different instruments and we made a rhythmic sound. Doing this activity in class really explored our knowledge on music, especially knowing what instrument was needed to make the basic sound to hold the melody. This was the same during the performance, the drums, bass, and clarinet was used to hold the simple melody.

14

Noah Singer

Jorge Morejón

5/2/20

TAl 324

Batsheva Dance Company: Echad Mi Yodea

For this project I wanted to write about a piece that had a deep connection to me, and based on this I chose “Echad Mi Yodea” by Ohad Naharin performed by the Batsheva Dance Company. The main reason I picked this specific piece is its connection to my mini-lesson about the Jewish holiday of Passover and the overall connection I felt upon watching it. The piece itself expressed a different tone of the song that I had not thought of previously, and it allowed me to think deeper about the song after the fact.

The song “Echad Mi Yodea” is a song in Hebrew that counts up from one to thirteen, and with each passing number, a different relation to Jewish history is made. For example, for one there is only One G-d, for two there were Two tablets where the ten commandments were written; there are Three forefathers, Four matriarchs, Five books of the Torah and it keeps counting up from there. Normally, when this song is sung during Passover it is at the end of the Seder and everyone is in a good mood and the song is fun to sing. Here the Batsheva Dance Company danced to a more serious version that I had never heard before. With this serious version, it allowed people like me, who have been singing this song their entire lives, to think differently about it. 

I thought about how this dance shows how deep the history of the Jewish people is and how rough it has been. In the description of the dance, it was stated that the throwing of the clothes represented the Holocaust and how the Jewish people were stripped of everything they owned. It also talked about how the sitting and standing drew connections from a Jewish temple service where there is a lot of alternating between the two. This dance was executed very well and allowed me to make connections to a topic that I thought I had known everything about. 

This dance also reaffirmed my positive experiences and feelings about dance. While I am not an artistic person, especially when it comes to dancing and acting, I always enjoy watching them. This dance showed a great amount of creativity as it took a topic that I had always thought about in one way and showed it in a manner that I had never thought about. It also showed how self-expressive dance can be. When I was in high school our dance company put on a show, and in that show, one of the dances featured students from different countries around the world wearing their countries’ flag. They danced in their own ways and demonstrated the differences in their cultures. To this day this dance has stuck out to me as one of my favorites. This dance did the same for me. It took a topic and showed it in a completely different creative light incredibly. 

This dance also backed up many of the lessons we learned in class. One of the biggest connections was the way art allowed you to express your creativity in unique ways. As I have stated this dance took a song that I always viewed in one way and allowed me to see it in a completely different way. This shows that everyone expresses their creativity different, and how art enhances this. This dance also allowed for self-expression of your own beliefs/culture. This song is very enriched in Jewish culture and the performance of it was done in a way that was meaningful and educational. Overall, I think this dance enhanced how important art is in education, and the meaning behind keeping it in schools.

This piece is one that I will remember and think about for a long time. Whenever I heard or sing this song next, I will think back to this dance and the connections I was able to draw from in. It showed Jewish heritage in a meaningful way as well as being very creative and outside of the box. In conclusion, I think it is a great example of how important art is, and how it allows for the expression of creativity and the expression of culture. 

15

DJ Ivey

TAL 324

Professor Morejón

2 May 2020

The Wiz: Black Homes and Shared Spaces

            The Wiz is an African American rendition of the movie the Wizard of Oz. It is a film packed with musical adventure that is expressed in song and dance. With music by Quincy Jones and stars like Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Lena Horne, the musical was bound to be a forerunner during its time. However, the 1978 film did not even break even in the box office. It did not do the best, but it still remains to be a favorite in Black homes and shared spaces. 

            The story is about a Harlem schoolteacher named Dorothy, who gets swept away by a tornado while trying to find her dog outside. When she is swept away, she ends up in Oz where it is very different from Harlem. Thereafter, she goes on a series of adventures. Dorothy meets the scarecrow, the tinman, the lion, and many witches on her journey. They build friendships and teach several lessons to children and adults who may enjoy the film. The best part is that most of their feelings, emotions, and conversations were portrayed through song and dance. 

            As the story progressed and Dorothy picked up more people on her way, it was easy to feel how Dorothy going through changes in her life and to understand the lessons she was supposed to be learning. She sang happy songs and danced to convey her sadness, amongst other things. You could feel the fear and many other emotions that she felt. For instance, when Dorothy ended up in Oz after killing the witch you could feel her fear. She was stranded in a new place, without her friends or family and had to fend for herself, in addition to being around a group of joyful blue children (the munchkins) singing and dancing around her. This feeling juxtaposed how she was feeling in the previous scene where she was surrounded by family. The scene provided a feeling of comfort and love around her. 

            Furthermore, throughout the film, Dorothy sang and danced down the yellow brick road with each friend she met. When she stumbles upon it with the scarecrow, they sang loudly and happily while holding hands. They ran and danced in circles and you were able to feel the happiness outside of even listening to the words of the song they were singing. They even clicked their heels together in the air. They repeated “don’t you carry nothin’ that might be a load,” which outwardly expresses letting go of all the fear and baggage and just experiencing life the way one should be able to. They easily expressed comfort and ease that you could feel through the song and dance. 

            The story centers around Dorothy, but her friends have these greatly expressive experiences as well. When she first meets the scarecrow, he is surrounded by crows calling him dumb and talking down to him. He is afraid and feels inferior because he does not have a brain. The crows even call him a “straw paper dummy,” and make him sing songs of his own defeat while stock on a pole. With the way the song and dance are portrayed you can feel the embarrassment and fear he is faced with. 

            In addition to the songs, dance, and choreography, their costumes were very important. They played an integral part in who the character was. And also, how they used this to show that they can overcome personal traumas and fears. The film never allowed its characters to fail or be defeated about who they were. Dorothy’s friend the lion did not have courage. He was the most mean and ferocious looking lion, but he was afraid of everything. It is bizarre for there to be a lion with no courage. The costume and the lion’s relationship to Dorothy helped him find courage and strength. There was also a tinman who did not have a heart or feelings of any sort. Because he was made of metal, he presumably had no heart. The only thing he needed to move around was some oil. The costume was important because it laid emphasis on what we were learning in the film. It was able to add a layer of depth that we may not have been able to perceive. 

            There were many expressions of art throughout the film. They ranged from song and dance, to the costume and some stage designs. They added so much to the story and aided in our understanding of what was happening throughout the film. 

16

Faith Markey   

Professor Morejón   

TAL 324  

1 May 2020 

  

The Wild Party: Action and Theme Review 

 For my live performance review, I watched a rendition of The Wild Party, based on the  1928 poem written by Joseph Moncure March. Throughout the play The Wild Party, two of the  main characters Queenie and Burrs feud and try various techniques to make each other jealous. It  all arises from Queenie’s bitterness towards Burrs regarding how he treats her in their relationship. Queenie’s main action is to make Burrs feel jealous of her by flirting with Black,  the man Kate brings as her plus 1 to the ‘wild party.’ 

Queenie threw this party with the overall intention of exposing Burr’s erratic behavior towards her in a public setting. After initially flirting with Black to fulfil this objective, it becomes clear that Queenie starts to develop genuine feelings for Black, and must overcome an internal struggle regarding who she should be with-  the person who doesn’t treat her well but has been with her for years, or the person whom she just met but is quickly falling in love with. In response to Queenie’s actions, Burrs is overcome with jealousy. This feeling causes him to act irrationally, fight other characters, and ultimately get himself killed. 

 Queenie’s actions relate to the play’s overall themes of love and jealousy. Queenie threw the wild party with the intention of uncovering Burr’s true destructive personality. Queenie initially flirted with Black to make Burr jealous, but after a while, she began to fall in love with  him. It wasn’t until the two finally hit it off that Burr really became overcome with jealousy, and  after they went to bed together jealousy and envy enraged Burr to the point where he contemplated both suicide and homicide. Burr’s action of threatening Queenie and Black at gunpoint show how powerful both love and hatred are and how they can lead a person to do completely irrational actions. These actions overall depict how love and jealousy guide one’s life and are strong enough to influence one’s actions and path of life.   

17

Julie Kim   

TAL 324   

May 3, 2020 

Rent:   Connection with Education in Arts

Rent is a rock musical that was first performed in 1994. It has been a book, Broadway  show, and a movie. I have been a huge fan of the movie for as long as I can remember, and I was  fortunate enough to watch the live Broadway show 3 years ago. Frankly, this is my number  one favorite movie and show. Rent tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists who are struggling to survive and create a life in the Lower Manhattan’s East Village in the thriving days of bohemian Alphabet city, under the shadow of HIV and AIDS. I believe this story connects with our class in many ways. Some examples are multiple intelligences, creating a safe  space, and environmental education.   

 Rent is related to multiple intelligences because each and every character all have different creative learning processes. There are 8 main characters and their creative process  ranges from musicians to videographer to dancer to lawyer to public speaking to professors and  to singers. We go through each character’s way of life. Everyone processes their life and works  on different situations in their own way; however, they always try to work it out and solve it  together. There is a part in the show that they all split up, but they realize that their lives haven’t  improved as much as they would hope. So, they end up back together as a family by the end of  the show. This just emphasizes the different intelligences each person has. Not everyone learns  the same way, and this shows in many ways.   

 Rent also shows many scenes with the importance of creating a safe space. This show is  back when HIV/AIDS was still new and frowned upon in the LGBTQ community. Because of  this, a couple of the main characters, whether they have it or not, participates in a support group. The videographer also ends up filming some scenes of this for a documentary he is making to show awareness of the lower east side. In class, we emphasized that having a support group is really important when trying to live through life in general. Rent illustrates this well because they have the AIDS support group as well as each other as a family. 

  As I mentioned before, one of the characters is a videographer. As a videographer,  throughout the whole movie he is filming for his documentary. Through this he gets shots of  people living their lives in the streets, any and all events happening, and just anything he can find  when he is out and about. He doesn’t explain that he has a storyline or an approach to this  documentary, but he tries to get as much film content as he can just by going outside. I believe  this connects to our class with our environmental education lesson. We went outside to find  random items outside and to make something out of it. The videographer started off doing  exactly this. He just went outside and started filming. By the end of the movie, he figures out his storyline and starts editing. He ends up making such a beautiful film that they do show in the  show/movie.   

In conclusion, Rent is a book, Broadway show, and movie. It connects many art  education aspects. I found that Rent illustrates multiple intelligence, the importance of creating a  safe space, and environmental education with each and every character in their own different  ways. 

18

Ambur Clark

TAL324

May 5, 2020

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Revelations

Alvin Ailey American Dance is a dance company that performs all over the world. They provide diversity and culture in dance and religion. The dancers try to portray the last book in the bible named “Revelations”. The dance is split into three parts. The first part begins still with the dancers in nude costumes. The dancers mimic a nature effect when they branch out their arms as if they were birds getting ready to fly. The lighting would go from a light blue and yellow center light to a brown and yellow center light with the illusion of clouds on a dark night in the backdrop. This dance is very complex and can be seen in different ways. Each part symbolizes different themes.

The first part portrays multiple scenes; death, war, marriage, and fertility. Death, because they ended the dance the way they started, celebration of nature because of the shades of nude, the lighting and the bird effect. This could also tie in into celestial worship because of the color schemes of the lighting and the constant movement of their arms up to the sky as if they could be praising God. When it would have a light blue and yellow center light, they tend to look up as if they were praising God and when the lighting would turn to a brown orange effect, the lyrics would say “there is trouble all over the world,” they would break apart from one another. This can symbolize war all over the world. The “Fix me Jesus” scene is a duo with a man and women wearing nude costumes. I would believe the theme would be courtship and marriage because he was always one step behind her, aiding with her routine, giving her strength and embracing her. It could also be fertility because at the end of the scene he’s holding her body up while her hands are up at the sky holding or wanting a child. As a couple they want to be fixed so God could bless them with a child.  The scene had blue and a yellow center light with clouds in the back portraying a romantic feeling.

In the second part of the dance the themes are unity, celebration of nature, and death. It begins with the song “Wade in the Water” begins, there are blue ribbons across the floor symbolizing water. They began doing a ritual dance the way their arms were swinging, and they were in union. This expresses unity. The last scene opens with a man dressed in white with the main center light being white and blue surrounding.  The lyrics states “I want to be ready” expressing the notion the man wants to be ready when his life is taken. He seems emotional from his face to his body movements. There was a time his arms were up in the air and the lyrics goes “If my lord calls on me, I wouldn’t be ready to die, I want to be ready.” The lyric expresses if God was to take him right now, he wouldn’t be ready nor prepared to leave. The theme presented would be death because he’s preparing himself for death and by wearing all white, gives us the impression he’s working on himself to prepare for death. Then suddenly he ends on the ground as if he dies, and the lighting is pitch black.  

In the third part of the dance the themes are the ending of the world, war, and celebration. It begins with a man running out in black bottoms with red cloudy background. More men run out and they all look confused, lost and potentially scared. They would all ironically run when the lyrics stated “run run run to the rock. Won’t you hide me, oh on that day.” It seems as if the Lord is coming and they are trying to hide because there are instances where the song would mention “Lord” and the men would be frantically running. Its saying “save him” and hide the men from something that is to come. This symbolizes the end of the world. The theme could also be war too since this scene is composed of men only. The men are running scared as if they don’t know what to do and want to hide and be saved from what’s coming after them. War could be what’s coming after them since the backdrop was a red cloud. The last scene displays an ensemble of men and women. The women are wearing yellow robes and the men are in a tux and it seems like a celebration they are having. 

The complexity of the dance “Revelations” expresses the complexity of the world and shows many themes in each part of the dance. The dance explains the whole book and themes in the book of “Revelations”, which is the last chapter in the bible. In the chapter it talks about the world ending. A common theme for the whole dance peace is death. Death symbolizes the ending of the world. This piece relates to class because it is a form of art and expression. It is important that students see people like them, which is why Alvin Ailey’s even came together with culture and diversity. They wanted students to have a way to express their religion through dance.

19

Jonathan Cola 

TAL-324-01 

Professor Jorge Morejon

  Hamlet: Broadening My Horizons

I was granted the opportunity to watch an online production of Hamlet by The Wooster  Group. I have never seen a play before and I was excited to see the production of Hamlet.  Throughout this semester, we have discussed the importance of the arts in education. The current  education system in the United States deems art inferior when compared to other STEM  subjects. The current system undercuts the value of creativity when the arts are downplayed. In  viewing Hamlet, I have seen an amazing production that has broadened my horizons. 

 As the most famous play in the world, Hamlet presents many daunting challenges for any company attempting to stage it. The play’s notoriety means that any audience is going to have  exceedingly high expectations walking into the theater. Also, so many of the play’s most  powerful lines and moving speeches have become so ingrained in our culture and vocabulary that  it can be difficult for an audience to disassociate these lines from their modern usage to keep  them within the context of the play. When such lines as “To be or not to be…”, “The lady doth  protest too much”, and “Alas, poor Yorick”, have been parodied, repurposed, and misquoted so  many times it can be hard for the actors to convey their true power and import. Thankfully, The  Wooster Group has several phenomenal actors who, through their passion and physicality, breath  new life into Shakespeare’s great words. 

As Shakespeare’s longest play, Hamlet also presents serious challenges for its director,who must invariably chooses which parts of the play to cut and which are essential. This is no doubt an intimidating task—who wouldn't feel presumptuous editing Shakespeare? But director  Peter Sellers rises to the occasion and makes excellent choices with this production in order for it  not to feel rushed and also not drag. At a run time of approximately three hours, Sellers was able  to fully harness the text’s power without turning what is already an emotionally exhausting play into a physically demanding one for the audience (not to mention the actors). The performances  of the actors really drove home the emotion of the play. The emotions of the actors were  conveyed through the computer screen. 

 Given its phenomenal acting, great direction, and intimate theater setting The Wooster Group production of Hamlet makes for an unforgettable night at the theater. Although the production would be much different if I were to experience the play in person, the experience was still memorable and I am grateful that the company was so flexible in allowing a global audience to view their work for free.  

 I believe that all students in schools should have an opportunity to see different types of plays. It is an experience that will increase their knowledge and gain culture. Those who have never seen such a performance can be inspired. Art allows for students to express themselves and relax as well. The monotony of traditional classes can weigh heavily on students. Creative expression is an outlet for students to truly be themselves. When compared to the experience I had in TAL 324, I can say this is true. The environment was relaxing and much different from  my STEM oriented classes.

20

Waynmon Steed

TAL 324

Final paper

                                                 Music: Hip Hop and R&B’s Creative Flow

  The art of music is one of the most underrated art form in today’s world. Music gives me joy and is personally my favorite choice of art. The style of music I like to listen is Hip Hop, also called rap music.  It is a genre of popular music, a culture and an art movement that was created by African Americans. Hip Hop gives me chills as I listen to different people talk about their life situations and different types of flows on a well created beat.

   I grew up listening to hip hop as a child. By that time hip hop was just getting to a level of fame. Famous rappers such as Tupac, Biggie smalls, etc. They all were very talented and took hip hop to a higher level. I listen to music all the time and always find myself writing my own. That keeps me learning new words and practice my exam at the same time. When I hear good music, it makes the bumps on my skin pop out because I get so excited.

Before every ball game all my teammates and I go and get a big speaker, so we can get the team to get more excited and get ready to play. Its crazy what music would do for a lot of people. To me music is not just art, it saves people’s lives and helps them get out of situations they are in. I’ve been listening to music when I was feeling down or going through personal situations. It brings me up and makes me look at the brighter side of life.

Hip Hop is a good choice of music, but R&B also interests me. R&B is a music genre that combines elements of rhythm and blues, pop, soul, funk, hip hop and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, pitch corrected vocals, and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. R & B gives you a different type of vibe and not just hardcore all the time. You can listen to different types of artists like Drake which is my favorite. Drake is my favorite artist because he can make a song with a hip-hop flow and make one with R&B.

Thus, music to me is another form of fashion because you can create your own flow and have other people on it; that to me is what make it so creative. The experience from class also showed me that art can be any form of music. For example, in class we used different musical instruments, and everybody went after each other to make their own significant beat. At the end the music was good, and it didn’t matter what type of instruments we were using. It was the fact that we all came together as one and started being creative.

In conclusion, those are the reasons why music to me is my favorite type of art. It doesn’t matter what mood or where are you in life. Just being creative and having fun will make something real special come out of you that you couldn’t even imagine.

 21

Luke Didriksen

TAL 324

5/7/2020

At The Drive-In Concert Review

            I had the privilege of witnessing an At The Drive-In concert in New Orleans. They played in a small venue, the Civic Theatre. Due to New Orleans’ minimal market for Rock and Roll music, luckily enough I was able to purchase a ticket the day of the concert; although the majority of their world tour is sold out. At The Drive-In was founded in 1993 by lead guitarist Jim Ward and the lead vocalist, Cedric Bixler.

New Orleans is an interesting city for mid-tier popular bands, for the city lacks any semblance of a medium sized venue. As a band, the choice is as such: play in a smaller, more intimate venue generating less revenue, or play in the Smoothie King Center, which seats about 18,000 spectators. Most bands and artists are unable to come close to selling out a venue of such size, so performing in New Orleans forces the utilization of a more intimate venue such as the Civic Theatre. I could not contain my excitement in the hours before the concert. The opportunity to witness such an influential band post break-up, on a world tour, as a new album is unveiled exists as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I arrived early, for my tickets were general admission, which allows the earliest risers to secure a front row view. I found myself lining up outside the Civic approximately two hours early. After getting my ticket scanned, the reality hit me: I was about to see one of the more influential bands of the nineties merely feet away from where I stood. No matter where I turned, I witnessed a child-like excitement in conversations, actions, and even awe-filled gazes. Finally, after what felt like days of anticipation, At The Drive-In took the stage.

The crowd’s noise was deafening; the cheers for the band and its members before they had even preformed one song were incredible to me. Not having attended many concerts in my lifetime, I had never experienced anything similar to the unconditional support the people around me seemed to lend. Suddenly, after every member had taken the stage, the lights dimmed. The few seconds of darkness held much anticipation; we were waiting for their next move. In the darkness, Omar Rodriguez, the lead guitarist, played a single chord.

The crowd began to scream in excitement. Suddenly, seconds later, in a burst of blue and purple light, the first note to their most popular song, One Armed Scissor rang clear throughout the room. In that moment, I realized I had made the right decision in purchasing tickets. The people around me began to jump as the song began. The moment Cedric Bixler sang the first words of One Armed Scissor, the crowd went wild; the screams of support couldn’t be suppressed. Being in the front row against the fence, I could literally feel each strum of the bass and kick of the bass drum in my chest.

I was shocked as Bixler sounded exactly as he did in the recorded track. Never in my life had I heard a live performance so similar to its studio recording. Cedrick Bixler stood feet in front of me; I felt as if I could hear his voice as each word left his mouth into the microphone. To my left, Omar Rodriguez shredded each chord one by one. If I turned to my right, Paul Hinojos jumped around the stage as he strummed the bass guitar. The energy that every member put into each note animated each and every person in that theatre.

I found myself jumping around and banging my head just as everyone else around me did. The energy was contagious; there was no escaping the vigor that each member instilled upon us with the strum of each chord, or the finish of each drum fill. My gaze turned to Tony Hajjar, the drummer, and his extraordinarily quick hands. I couldn’t blink without missing out on witnessing an incredible fill or the hit of several different drums.

Every couple of songs, the band would choose a song from their upcoming album, to debut to the crowd. The first song that they played off their upcoming album in•ter a•li•a, was “Incurably Innocent”. The style was noticeably different, as the band has a whole new look than they did a decade ago. The style seems to lend itself further towards hard rock (playing loud guitars) rather than punk rock (more of an attitude usually backed by loud guitars). My thoughts were confirmed as they played “Hostage Stamps”, another song off in•ter a•li•a. The vocals utilized a talking style combined with some screaming. The lead guitar played a very tough riff every other measure that I was very impressed with. 

That night, At The Drive-In absolutely rocked the Civic Theatre. Not a single person ended the night dissatisfied. They undeniably brought the house down. Throughout the entire concert, the crowd continually struggled to move to the front, pushing me up against the iron gate the entire performance. On multiple occasions, mosh pits formed around me. For a couple minutes I was a part of this wild circle. I honestly don’t think anyone in the Civic stopped fist pumping or banging their head for a single one minute of the performance. When going to bed that night, I couldn’t help but think that At The Drive-In put on the best live performance that I have ever seen.

 22

Michael Barnett 

Professor Morejon 

TAL 324 

5/6/2020 

Bojack Horseman Review 

Bojack Horseman is my favorite TV show hands down. It did something that very few shows do well. It started good, had a good middle, and finished good. It’s a show that I can go back to and re-watch and get all the same enjoyment that I got out of my first watch, and I just find that incredible. The show Bojack Horseman is a cartoon that takes place in a world with a mix of personified animals living among humans (think Zootopia) and follows the main character for who the show is named.

Bojack is a self destructive individual. He drinks too much, does drugs, and lives a hedonistic lifestyle. He has little regard for those around him and it shows. Based on that description Bojack would seem like an antagonist, but he’s not. The focus of the show is to dive into the struggles that anyone can have with mental health. Despite having a perfect life from the outside, Bojack is suffering and the show explores this suffering.  

What I enjoy most about this show is the ability of the show writers to make you as the viewer so invested in a character so unlikable. Despite countless bad deeds and uncovered scandals you truly think that Bojack can improve and wants to improve. My favorite season of the show is season 4. Season 4 acts as a dive into Bojack’s past. Large portions of episodes go into the depths of his mothers unhappy childhood. It shows the unhappy family life that she endured and how she then created a similar environment for Bojack. At times, it is uncomfortable to see such poor family dynamics. It makes you feel like Bojack never stood a chance. That it would be unfair to ask anyone to grow up like that and be okay. 

Bojack Horseman’s sixth and final season was released at the end of January. The show ended in a sort of flux. Depending on your interpretation as an audience member Bojack is either dead or alive. The show set this up through the brilliant second to last episode called “The View From Halfway Down” in which Bojack interacts with other characters who had died in other seasons. They discuss the meaning of life before each character puts on a show. The highlight for me was the reading of a poem by Secretariat that reads (see below paper). This poem reflects on what you see when you look at your life from another perspective, the perspective of not having it anymore. It is a powerful message to those who may not realize that the life they have is irreplaceable and valuable beyond comprehension.  

I think this show is one of the best open to close shows ever written. While some may dismiss it as a waste of time cartoon, those who choose to look past the veneer will see a masterfully crafted show that explores topics such as mental health and philosophy that most shows wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. 

The weak breeze whispers nothing 

The water screams sublime 

His feet shift, teeter-totter 

Deep breath, stand back, it’s time 

Toes untouch the overpass 

Soon he’s water bound 

Eyes locked shut but peek to see 

The view from halfway down 

A little wind, a summer sun 

A river rich and regal 

A flood of fond endorphins 

Brings a calm that knows no equal 

You’re flying now 

You see things much more clear than from the ground 

It’s all okay, it would be 

Were you not now halfway down 

Thrash to break from gravity 

What now could slow the drop 

All I’d give for toes to touch 

The safety back at top 

But this is it, the deed is done 

Silence drowns the sound 

Before I leaped I should’ve seen 

The view from halfway down 

I really should’ve thought about 

The view from halfway down 

I wish I could’ve known about 

The view from halfway down

23

Delone Scaife

TAL 324

The Art of Teaching: A Plan for Everyday

A semester in TAL 324: Education in Arts brings education into a new perspective. It teaches you not only how to teach but also how children learn. I think that this is an important aspect when involving arts in education because you have to know how K- 12 students learn in order to effectively teach them. Taking this class really opened up my eyes about teaching and understanding kids. Throughout the semester I learned a lot.

The lectures were interesting and engaging every day so there was never a boring moment. Instead of just regular, long lectures with too much information, I was able to understand the material and pay attention through  arts related projects. You can tell the professor really took his time to plan out the class. He really understands how to teach. He also understands how to teach about teaching by modeling the use of teaching strategies.

Ever since I first started school, I never put much thought into how my teachers decided to teach. Now, I can actually look back on all of my teachers and know what they were thinking when they were planning  their lessons. You can really tell which teachers care about their students by the amount of planning they put into their lessons. I now know that I’ve had good teachers and bad teachers. The good ones knew how to deal which every type of student due to a detailed Action Plan that helped them modify behaviors.

Bad teachers just wanted to teach based off of their plan. I learned in class that every student is different.  There is a way one has to go about it in order to teach them. If your way of teaching is too harsh or strict on the student, it can ruin their self esteem. Teachers are the main educators who shape their students for the rest of their lives.

The Lesson Plan assignment gave us a look into what teachers go through. I think it was useful for us to do that assignment because it showed how there has to be creativity when designing a lesson for a class. Teachers have to make sure they have a plan for everyday and every concept or subject that they teach. This opened my eyes to how much work teachers put in. Overall, I think this was a great class with a lot to learn about the art of teaching and the role of the arts in education.

24

Francis Marty

TAL 324 Final paper

5/1/2020

Utah Shakes’ Romeo and Juliet

            For this final assignment I decided to watch this free online Shakespeare tour put on by the University of Utah. I came across this specific production by a friend of mine Rachel (plays the nurse) who attends the university. The University of Utah does an annual tour of Shakespeare and I was excited to see what they had come up with for Romeo and Juliet. This particular play has a dear place in my heart because it was the first Shakespeare play I had ever read in high school and at the time like many people today believe I thought the play was all about love. As I have studied Shakespeare, his language and life I have grown with this play and learned to analyze it in a new way; as a matter of fact this very semester I took a Shakespeare English course (ENG 319) in which we read this play and again analyzed and wrote about it. What I find most fascinating about Shakespeare is that it has no limits on what you can do with it.

            This production of Romeo and Juliet was especially interesting with the many choices that were made by the director. First the setting was in an English class room, I was captivated immediately because I could relate. The setting allowed the student actors to begin to read the play out-loud and then begin to act, moving the classroom furniture around this was a very interesting choice. As I stated before Shakespeare has no limits and that is because his plays have no copyright issues, you can cut, insert, translate and in this case make the setting of place where ever. Although main plots were still in its place such as the balcony scene which was done by stacking a student desk on the teachers’ desk, it was sort of a play within a play.

            This production also had a small cast which required the students to act as many different characters although the costuming threw me off and the slight changes between characters weren’t significant enough for a first-time viewer; it was still very interesting. The collaborative team made a choice to make the setting a modern-day classroom where jerseys and jeans are allowed. Having the costume changes be minimal like a scarf or adding a layer of clothing like a shirt or robe kept the actors on stage and saved time with costume changes; and small adaptive methods like using a gym bag as a pillow made the experience playful and entertaining to watch. After all there’s something very rebellious about changing character in front of the audience.

            This production reminded me of the Ted Talk with elementary school teacher Melanie Skankey. The reason why is because Ms. Skankey believed in Art integration in the sense that art  can be used to reinforce learning in other subjects like math (through song) or water pipe system (through dance) as she discussed. This production of Romeo and Juliet being a play inside of a play which was taking place in a school where physicalizing the words may serve the memory for exam time (as expressed on a white board). The students learned the material they needed to in English class by bringing life to the text through acing (action). I believe in a real-life application— such as one that Ms. Skankey practices on a daily basis—the students learned the story of Romeo and Juliet in a better setting rather than sitting down and being read to. Now because the play was so successful in most areas I will not get nit-picky about technical aspects like the lighting and such just because that is my area of expertise. 

            In conclusion, I really enjoyed seeing a new approach to this romance; which was fun, entertaining and clever. Shakespeare didn’t copyright his work for a reason, and it was so it can be enjoyed as literature and we can continue to create with it without anything to hold us back. If as a teacher I am successful at getting the message across of not selling yourself short than I would consider my career a success. This production allowed you to see not only the changes of characters while in the Romeo and Juliet scenes but also at the end you see the personal growth the main actors had as a consequence of working on something together. I have really enjoyed this course, learning from the professor and my peers has really been a joy, I hope to soon apply my new gain knowledge from this course to my future classroom. Also apply the boundless knowledge there is to gain from analyzing and growing together with plays like Romeo and Juliet with my future students.

Newpaper Article Link:

https://suunews.net/2020/01/31/utah-shakespeare-festival-presents-the-romeo-and-juliet-education-tour/

Video Link: https://youtu.be/oV2hyg9RzeY

25

Corey Gaynor

4/30/20

Tal 324

                                                            Greatest Jazz Music: Miles and Armstrong

 

The day I was first enrolled into TAL 324 I really did not know how I would end up feeling about it. I come from a one parent household where showing and talking about anything other than sports and “guy things” is frowned upon.  So as you can guess, I came in with a closed mind. But because of this class I let my guard down and was open to learning and listening to what the class was about. There is where the art of music piqued my interest.

 When I talk about finding a new passion for music it is not in a classical way where I am listening to Mozart and other types of classical music all the time. It is about  opening my ears and giving other genres a chance to be heard and not shut them down because it’s not the cool or popular thing to do. In doing that, I have found the beauty in jazz music. Jazz is unlike any other types of music I have heard before. It has its own heartbeat and soul with its unique sound and aesthetic value. I listen to it before bed and it really helps me sleep. Not every night but the nights when my mind is running, and I just need something to get lost in.

 With this newfound hobby or passion, you can say I have listened to multiple artists and developed a liking to two of them mainly. Those gentlemen would be Miles Davis (1926 – 1991) and Louis Armstrong (1901 – 1971). Miles Davis was a jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Him playing music on his trumpet flugelhorn is like an angel getting its wings. Louis Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was a trumpeter, composer, vocalist, and actor. They both were among the most influential figures in American jazz.

 I think the part that also interests me the most is how talented these two gentlemen were.  This was way before the technology and music breakthroughs we have in 2020. They were playing on pure talent and nothing but talent. These days with all the fancy instruments tuned to perfection it doesn’t mean the same.  Jazz does not sound now as it did then.

 Lastly, when talking about aesthetics of the time period, if you watch the old videos of those two men playing back in the 50’s and 60’s you will appreciate how life is today. Every video is black and white.  Every musician is in a traditional tuxedo sweating because there was no air conditioning in the building. Most importantly, in a time where being African American was frowned upon by mainstream American showbiz, they showed that they were here to stay. Miles Davis became popular when he recorded songs like Kind of Blue, Autumn Leaves, Bye Bye Blackbird, and Nature Boy. Louis Armstrong was known for What a Wonderful World, Hello, Dolly, Star Dust and La Vie En Rose.

  In conclusion TAL 324 helped me not to be so closed minded and to truly give the arts a fair shot. If not, I would have never found a new passion for the greatest American jazz music, particularly those immortal songs composed by Davis and Armstrong.