Gessamtkuntswerk Analysis

“Artworks have ‘aboutness’ and demand interpretation” (Barrett 71). This statement creates a foundation for writing, specifically about dance, as each dance piece is always about something, no matter how simple it appears to be. As I began to write about dance I knew not only to provide a description of the piece, but utilize the description as evidence as I develop a possible meaning. Additionally he explains, “There can be different, competing, and contradictory interpretations of the same artwork” (Barrett 73). When I would begin to develop an explanation from the description I provided, I had to remind myself that my interpretation was only one view of the dance and I should not try to provide one comprehensive interpretation for the

These elements were shown through body, energy, action, time and space. For instance, the dancers in the beginning were using their bodies to show that they were confident. The character’s head was up, chest out and back arched, as they moved to show their feelings. Likewise, the energy aspect of the dancing was shown through the explosiveness of the movements. The dancers were observed to be full of energy which showed through their movements and dancing. Every movement was sharp and clean. Furthermore, the action portion of the basic dance elements was seen through the dancer’s basic movements that turned into dancing. For example, in one scene, the actor jumped off the table and broke into a little skip-glide dancing movement. The time aspect of dancing was shown through their

Each and every day, people make sacrifices for their loved ones. Maybe they choose to get up earlier in order to do chores or miss an important meeting so that they would have time for each other. There is no greater example of sacrifices for loved ones than in Romeo and Juliet however, where Shakespeare explores two star-crossed lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, who come from two families that have a deep hatred towards each other. The pair meet each other, secretly wed, and then in order to stay together, commit suicide out of despair and distress. Through Romeo and Juliet’s acts of defiance and sacrifice, Shakespeare proves that while hate has the power to destroy and kill, love is even more powerful as it has the power to transform. Instead of conforming to the expectations their family and society places on them, Romeo and Juliet choose to follow their hearts and stay together. Romeo and Juliet also both give up welfare and security in order to be with each other and ultimately give up their lives, the greatest sacrifice.

Lewis Hyde’s “The Gift”, subtitled “Creativity and the Artist in the modern world” is a deliberation – thesis, if you will - on the nature of the creative process; likening it to the principles of a gift economy and thereby highlighting the uneasy existence of creative labour and art in a modern world ruled by the ethos of capitalism.

“Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their compassion,” this quote by Martha Graham describes Sergei Polunin, who was the dancer in our assigned video. While this dancer is dancing to “Take Me to Church” by Hozier, he is using many different elements to create the form of art called dance. Three of these elements are mine and pantomime, the music, and mise-en-scene. Through each and every one of these elements the dancer is able to tell his audience exactly how intense his feelings are and he can also send emotions to us and make us feel what he is feeling.

The first thing in this book that surprised me is that how popular that Shakespearean drama, opera, and orchestral music were, and more important, how well these nowadays so-believed "high" arts integrated well with magicians, acrobats, and comics, such today so-believed "low" expressive forms. In the nineteenth century, Shakespearean drama, opera, and orchestral music were

The word “ballet” brings to mind words such as “grace” or “beauty” when heard by many people. The definition itself states that it is a form of dance that uses precise steps and light, graceful motions. This definition was in the minds of those who attended the Théâtre des Champs-Élysèes in May 1913, but rather they were greeted with the complete opposite. When Igor Stravinsky’s ballet Rite of Spring opened, the audience was greeted with swift, chaotic music that quickly became a whirlwind of sound. The music softened and the curtains opened to a primitive dance, causing mass hysteria throughout the theatre. The audience felt they were being attacked, for they had paid and dressed in ornate gowns to see the beauty and grace they feel reflected who they were, but instead they were shown a primal, barbaric scene. This piece had disrupted the order and harmony that one could associate ballet with.

There are few instances when a person is influenced by something to the extent of questioning their life. Something that is so powerful that it can create emotion in all of the people who experience it. Artists fight to create this something in order to connect people through it. However, in today’s culture where fads come and go it is often difficult to find such works of art. Cultivated through the things that make us human, great art always finds a way to make an impact. Through art we can experience love, anger, fear and many other emotions. With an understanding of the human condition, artists can create things that contain inspiration for all. Great art can speak to people of different generations with new relevance; it is timeless.

Every prominent figure is known for their unique set of abilities, whether it is their ability to act, sing, produce, play a sport, model, etc. However, looking through that facade can either reveal an ethereal soul, or a chamber of ominous secrets. In this case, two notable figures, Richard Wagner and Michael Jackson, both held a number of offenses that would ultimately be deemed immoral by many. What mainly separates Wagner and Jackson from the regular, working class citizens is their fame. One might assume that because of Wagner and Jackson’s fame, people may choose to overlook the unethical actions committed because of their prodigious talent.

“Bitumen” traces the sublime from its 18th century inception to more contemporary representations. First postulated by Edmund Burke, the sublime was traditionally described as a feeling of astonishment and terror when faced with a vast and incomprehensible object, which ultimately referred to God via nature. Noticeably influenced by Burke’s theories, Romantic art from the early 19th century frequently sought to depict the sublime. Paintings such as Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog and J.M.W Turner’s Slave Ship, which appear in “Bitumen”, are apposite to many of Burke’s tenets. They conjure the sublime by presenting an awesome and terrible nature which figures largely in their works.

The Symposium presents several arguments about love at a group drinking party. To pass time while they drink, Eryximachus suggests that each of the guests orate a speech on love. The guests proceed to participate in oration; however, their analysis of love may not be as objective as it seems. Many of them have their own personal beliefs that they are advancing in each of their speeches. Several speeches heavily deviate from a speech about love, and turn it into a speech that uses love to support and justify their beliefs. Characters in the Symposium twist the meaning of love to fit their own narrative, rather than provide an objective analysis.

This text is taken from a lecture that was given by William Morris about the importance of the arts. In this lecture he tries to convince his audience why the arts are beneficial and should be available to not only the wealthy but also ordinary people. He uses personification and imagery in order to make what he is saying more interesting, and also uses inclusive language to appeal to the whole audience.

Dance might be just a movement of a person’s feet and body for others. But to me, it means more than that. Dance is an art, a way of expressing your thoughts through your body involving perfect posture, unstoppable practice, and confidence. Gerald Graff’s, “Hidden Intellectualism” mentions that intellect does not only exist in academic form of thinking. Non-academic subjects should be apart of intellect because knowledge can also take the form of street smarts.

In his critique, Igor Stravinsky classifies that conductors and their role in traditional concert music is not as great as it seems. Stravinsky develops his classification by comparing conductors to actors and politicians, and exemplifying how the conductors contribute to the orchestra's music. Stravinsky’s purpose is to educate his audience on how conductors are not as important as they seem, and also on how they do not contribute to the music. To support this, Stravinsky takes on a hypercritical tone with his audience of fellow critics, press agents, and reviewers.

M.H. Abrams’s The Mirror and the Lamp: romantic theories and the critical traditions is one of the most influential books in the field of western criticism. It was published in the year of 1953. The title of the book refers to the two contradictory metaphors used to portray the artist – one comparing the artist to a mirror which reflects nature as it is or perfected whereas the other compares the artist to a lamp that illuminates the object under consideration. Professor Abrams in his book illustrates the transition of the perspective of the theorists on the artist from one to the other and the ramifications of the latter in aesthetics, poetics and practical criticism. The essay “Orientation of critical theories” is the first chapter of this book. It provides a condensed history of the evolution of critical theories and discriminates between them with the aid of a simple diagram.