Category Archives: Kinesthetic

Body movements

La Danza a la Santa Cruz

Every year, around late April or early May, my family both those in Mexico and the ones here in the U.S. host a dance celebration. It’s purpose it to commemorate the Holy Cross (as we are Catholic) and do so by dancing. Many members of my family dress up in red skirts and white shirts decorated with sequins and layers of thin, hollow wooden tubes to make sound as they dance. They also wear huaraches and hats adorned with ribbons and paper flowers. The ceremony begins during daytime mass in which dancers march into the church and then we hear mass. Later on we gather at a ranch nearby where the dancing continues, now with food all around and the place decorated with papel picado. The dance is led by the music of a single violin and the metal sonajas that follow the violin’s rhythm. the dancers are formed from tallest to shortest. The dancing lasts all evening until dawn with small breaks in between. During the breaks, “morenos” (people in costumes and masks who also dance) put on silly productions. Also during the breaks, other dances are put on until the main one resumes. Those who aren’t dancing typically sit around the dancers to talk and gossip, eat food, or simply observe the dancers. At the front of the dancing area, there is an make-shift alter. Here, candles are lit and images of saints and holy figures are on display along with the most important aspect: a human-sized cross decorated with flowers. People take turns holding up the cross all night.

This celebration has been a part of my family for over 120 years where it was originally held only in Mexico. Family here in the U.S. often make a visit to Mexico in order to celebrate over there. It’s roots are based in religious devotion and especially in Latin America, devotion is done in a variety of ways and often to different people/things. In this case, it’s the holy cross, a highly revered symbol in Christianity.

These celebrations are more personal to my family than they are a widespread national or even local thing like many other religious celebrations. I’ve only ever heard of another group of people doing something similar to this and they usual wear blue instead of red and come from another town in Mexico near where my family comes from. Having spent every year, especially my childhood years seeing this family tradition, I’ve felt so in touch with my Mexican roots as it means getting to be a part of something so unique and personal although I myself never got the hang of the dancing part. People like my dad and uncles show extreme pride and devotion towards this celebration as I’ve noticed that it not only signifies their pride within national or religious identity, but also within their family itself.

Tinikling

Context: My informant is a direct family member

My informant says that Tinikling is “like a dance in the Philippines, you do with bamboo sticks”. She describes it as a traditional dance where two people are supposed to hold very long bamboo sticks on the opposite ends and there are two dancers coordinating together in the middle. It can be a very difficult dance, and it is a lot like a game. But it is still a performance.

My informant recalls that a lot of Filipinos kids (mostly girls) might learn this in school, or even outside of school because of the game aspect. And she notes that this tradition along with many Filipino traditions may stem from Spanish culture due to colonization.

It can be difficult to do it correctly, and you could easily trip if you and your partner make a mistake. But a lot of Filipinos have fun with this traditional dance.

She does remember this dance from her early years in school where it is thought so that it can be performed in a yearly school performance or presentation. She also interprets this dance as a fun part of Filipino culture. Because it is not strict to just performance but because it can be done by anyone even without it being something that has to be presented in a certain way.

Analysis:

Tinikling is certainly a folk tradition and folk dance. The dance is also performed at festivals.

Tinikling seems to be a part of Filipino culture for a very long time. And although it is a part of the history of colonization that the Philippines has endured, the tradition has seemed to be fully embraced and seen as something endearing and fun. It has been removed from the possible pain that the colonization has caused. Because the dance is flexible in its form, it can be done “formally” and traditionally through performances and yearly performances done at schools but it is also done at the homes in the Philippines or even right by the streets.

As my informant mentions, this dance is taught at many Filipino schools, it is well-known by many. The folk dance seems to be carried by pride, fun and even nostalgia. If this dance was not taught to someone in the Philippines, someone who does know could gladly teach it.

Seattle Autumn Harvest Festival Social

This story is from a Chinese-American friend from Seattle whose mother works for Microsoft. She is a first generation Chinese-American, with both her parents immigrating from China before she was born. The story is about her experience watching her mother dance in the Chinese dance troupe at a big social for the Asian community of Seattle to celebrate the Autumn Harvest Festival.

Text

“Every few times a year, my whole family attends my mother’s dance performance to be her biggest fans. Her dance troupe dances for Chinese festivals, from New Year’s celebration to the Autumn Harvest Festival. When it becomes 8 pm, the light shines on her dance troupe, and she shines the brightest with the prettiest face and prettiest embroidered dress. The performance is an accumulation of all of her love and passion for Chinese dance. She is a busy working mom, who barely has enough time to sleep, but she insists on tirelessly improving dancing because it is her passion.

My family would feel inclined to say that her dance performances are the magnum opus of these events, but my personal and secret favorite part in volunteering in the events. My mother has danced in these festivals for pretty much all my life. I have attended every single one! These festivals would take place in large rented out churches to multiple entire buildings, but they were filled in and out with celebrations of Chinese culture. There were many stages that held skits (I was forced to be part of some before), Chinese puppetry, and many booths that teach Chinese art. When I was younger, I was the one of the children who would run to every corner of the event, collecting every free stuff, getting the sickest face painting, and watch every skit that related to things I enjoyed. My parents weren’t able to keep up with my enthusiasm, so I ran around with my fellow friends.

When I became older, I attended every festival as a volunteer, and brings me lots of happiness to bring the same joy I felt in the past to other children. I am proud to hold the title as the “cool face paint sister who can draw anything.” After being unable to take a break for hours as the lines keep building (i remember eating steamed dumplings covered in paint residue), many of the children and even adults get some sort of mark of my artistry on them. It made me even happier that they loved it after completion. After around like 7 hours of volunteering, I finally get to rest at 8pm though! And watch my beautiful mother dance.”

Context

“This event began to recently be sponsored by Microsoft because all of the performances are usually done by people who work for Microsoft or their kids, and sometimes people who are friends with those Microsoft families cuz in Seattle pretty much all Asian families work for Microsoft or are friends with someone who does. So it’s become a thing where all of the Asian population of Seattle shows up.”

Interpretation

In my friend’s beautiful story, I noticed that there’s a strong family and community element to this event. All ages and occupations, from working mothers to families to little kids, are involved and there seems to be an event for every group (eg. face painting for the kids.) Because it’s a family event, there’s also a strong emphasis on passing down Asian/Chinese culture to the next generation so that the kids who grow up in the United States are still connected with their heritage. Furthermore, I thought it was really interesting that Microsoft itself recognized and supported the Asian community in its workforce, something that was completely optional for them to do. Perhaps Microsoft thought that supporting this community was important to unify company culture and present an image of itself as culturally aware and tolerant.

Yunnan/Sichuan Torch Festival

This is a story from when my informant, who is Chinese-American, went back to the rural town in Yunnan, China that her father’s family hails from when she was around 10 years old.

Text

“So in Yunnan, China (and Sichuan, which I’ve learned from outside research) there’s this festival that happens at the end of summer called the torch festival, with a lot of stuff like people dancing around bonfires, lighting paper lanterns, lighting torches, etc. When I was younger and in China during that time, I participated in the festival at the rural town that my grandparents live in called Xiangyun. One of the activities I remember most about it is people gathering in a circle around the fire and jumping over it. I accidentally ran towards it as the same time as another person and burned a hole in my shoe haha.”

Context

“When I asked my parents about it, they said it was to ward off insects as the harvest season started. When I did more research on it, I found out it was based around a specific legend of how a hero warded off a swarm of locusts with fire (I believe this story comes from the Yi people, but double check me on that). As far as I know, I think the custom is endemic to that specific area of Yunnan, cause I couldn’t find it in the resources on the torch festival online. Although I was only looking at sources in English, so that might’ve affected it.”

Interpretation

This festival shares a lot of similarities with many holidays that occur at the end of summer and usher in autumn and winter. It focuses on the presence of light and warmth (lighting torches and lanterns) to ward off the increased darkness of the following days and emphasizes creating a bountiful harvest by warding off harmful insects. The ritual of people jumping over a fire is interesting because it seems like people want to take the risk of being burned to heighten their spirits and get ready for the gloominess of winter.

A Turkmen Dance

Text: “Kushtdepdi probably started as a ritual dance among Turkmen tribes. They used to perform it at important gatherings and celebrations. The dance is really lively and expressive, with intricate steps and rhythmic moves that get everyone in a festive mood. The dance is essentially a reflection of Turkmen spirit and identity. The music we use is traditional Turkmen music, featuring instruments like the dutar and tuiduk, and the dancers wear these colorful, eye-catching costumes that are representative of our culture. The dance is usually performed at weddings and other big celebrations, and we tend to perform it at cultural events since it is pretty emblematic of Turkish culture.”

Context: My informant – a 23-year-old woman from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – told me about a traditional dance, Kushtdepdi,  that is often performed in her home country. She explained to me that she herself has performed it an abundance of times, and emphasized that it usually would occur at celebrations or monumental events. She said that she and her classmates performed it together at her high school graduation, and she had learned how to dance it by watching it being performed all of her life. She said that alongside the dance being an important part of her culture, she also appreciates it because she feels that it has an essence of gender equality which isn’t always prevalent in Turkmenistan. She stressed how this is the one dance where men are not leading the women, and that everyone participating has an equal role in the performance. 

Analysis: The traditional dance Kushtdepdi from Turkmenistan embodies profound cultural values and expressions that transcend mere entertainment. Originating as a ritual dance among Turkmen tribes, Kushtdepdi has evolved into a vibrant and expressive art form that reflects the spirit and identity of the Turkmen people. The lively and rhythmic nature of Kushtdepdi, accompanied by traditional Turkmen music featuring instruments like the dutar and tuiduk, underscores the cultural richness embedded within this dance, and the colorful and eye-catching costumes worn by dancers further exemplify the deep-rooted connection to Turkmen cultural heritage and traditions.

What sets Kushtdepdi apart is its significance beyond celebratory events; it serves as a symbol of gender equality within Turkmen society. My informant’s perspective highlights how this dance provides a rare opportunity for women to take an equal and active role alongside men in the performance. In a cultural context where gender roles may be more traditionally defined, Kushtdepdi stands out as a representation of inclusivity and shared participation. My informant’s personal connection to Kushtdepdi, having performed it numerous times and appreciating its essence of gender equality, underscores the dance’s role in challenging and redefining cultural norms. By embracing Kushtdepdi as an integral part of her cultural identity, my informant celebrates its symbolic value in promoting inclusivity and diversity within Turkmen cultural expression.