You will prepare and submit a term paper on Dance: Diversity and Inclusion. Your paper should be a minimum of 1500 words in length.

You will prepare and submit a term paper on Dance: Diversity and Inclusion. Your paper should be a minimum of 1500 words in length. Dance involves far much beyond the physical movements of the performer (Dils & Albright, 2001). It encompasses all aspects of the performance including but not limited to the costumes worn by the performer, the setting of the dance, the message being conveyed through the dance and so much more. To this end, dance has now evolved into a professional art that not only displays the creativity and originality of the performance but to a given extent serves as an identity of a generation and a culture.

The need, therefore, arises of identifying whether dance is an art or a science. Surely, if it can be analyzed and taught to others through formative processes then definitely this is a valid basis for its reference as a science. This argument notwithstanding, another might argue that dance is intrinsically motivated (in light of its definition as a means of personal expression) and that its application does not follow pre-defined criteria and methodologies. Therefore, can dance be both a science and art? What about its growth? Can anyone lay claim to a dance? Which criteria are used in identifying and relating a certain dance to specific people? Above all these,-perhaps-is what roles do dance play to any society? Can such roles be influenced, controlled, directed?

The above may be a few of the many questions which behavioral scientists, scholars, and dance enthusiasts alike may find themselves grappling within a bid to better understand the dance phenomenon. The performing piece that serves as the specimen for this analysis is Beyonce’s video for her popular 2011 hit single, Run the World (Girls) (Run the World (Girls), 2011). In this piece, we shall examine the performance under several headings, which we believe are a constituent element of dance. These elements include the setting, character roles, the dance itself (also referred to as the choreography), use of symbolism, and (therefore in relation to) the message.

The performance focuses on the feminine gender, reiterating their role as “those who run the one”. The piece is predominantly pro-feminine perhaps with the intention of intimating similar feelings and reactions within the greater female body in the world (especially those from within under-develop states) to the awakening of their strong role in progress and sustenance. It serves to motivate and persuade them to break free of the chains of male dominance and historically defined roles that have served only to further feminine inferiority and insignificance.