Unit 6: Pacific Islands – Paper
Pacific Islands Unit Paper (2 pages).
● Prompt: “Dance is a very personal form of expression. The hula and haka can be performed solo or with a group. Baris gede, legong, calonarang, bedhaya, kraton, and tinikling are only performed in a group. The sanghyang dedari and gisalo are always solo dances. How does it feel to observe a solo versus a group performance? Do you personally feel more comfortable dancing by yourself or in a group? (If you have never taken a group dance class, imagine doing one of the video Dance Labs with classmates.)”
Each Unit Paper should be approximately two (2) pages in length, type-written, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, and uploaded to Blackboard) by 11:59pm on the Sunday evening after the unit is completed. You may submit your paper early. Your paper may be up to three (3) pages in length.
Your Unit Papers will be a written collection of your expectations for a given dance form or culture, observations about your personal experience with the dance form in lab, and reflections about your experience and how it was impacted by your expectations. A prompt will be given for each paper to help guide your thoughts.
● Module Pacific Islands Overview
● Module Pacific Islands Overview
● In this module, we will explore the diverse dance cultures of the Pacific Islands. We will begin in Bali and look at the baris gede, sanghyang dedari, legong, and calonarang. Then, we will visit Java and look at two different styles of the courtly bedhaya. Next, we will visit the hula of Hawai’i and discuss both the sacred hula and the ‘tourist’ hula. In New Zealand, we will see how the Maori people shared the haka with the colonists, transitioning the impact of the dance from fear to a profound sense of community. Then, we will look at how a community in Papua New Guinea dances as a part of the gisalo, to display support and friendship when a community member is lost. Finally, we will visit the Philippines and enjoy a tinikling movement experience during our cultural lab.
● Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
● Discuss elements of Baris Gede, Sanghyang Dedari, Legong, and Calonarang
● Discuss elements of Bedhaya
● Identify, analyze, and support which of the two versions you find most expressive
● Discuss elements of Hula
● Analyze the differences between traditional hula and ‘tourist’ hula
● Discuss elements of the Haka
● Analyze how the Maori were able to maintain and expand their cultural customs
● Discuss elements of Gisalo (including the ceremonial order)
● Compare and contrast this funeral rite with others we have looked at
● Discuss elements of Tinikling, Itik Itik, and Maglalatik
● Identify the differences in dance movement styles from Bali, Java, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Papua New
Guinea
● Match the cultural movement with the musical accompaniment
● Organize the changes to the aesthetic traditions brought about by cultural migration
● Analyze, evaluate, and discuss the expressive strengths and weaknesses of your selected solo dance form
● Analyze, evaluate, and discuss the expressive strengths and weaknesses of your selected group dance form
