Carly V.- Blog Post #7



I learned quite a bit about the Ecuadorian culture from the folkloric ballet. I learned what they value in their culture, which includes peace, women, earth, what earth provides for them and more. Through these dances I was able to get a glimpse into their culture and see how it worked. The colorful representations through costumes and actions through dance told a very clear story. They were able to portray their culture through strong actions of dance and costumes/props. It was very interesting to see how people who are a part of the culture represent their own culture.

My favorite parts of the ballet were the Eternal Spring dance and the Sanjuanadas Dance of the Ribbons. I really enjoyed the Eternal Spring dance because of the various colors that were represented. I also loved the part where they used their flower rings individually to come together and make a whole flower. The Dance of the Ribbons was interesting because the dancers all have ahold of a ribbon that was attached to a pole and danced around it. They were able to weave the ribbon in a really cool pattern on the pole, and then unweave it. I thought this was really amazing because one misstep and the whole system would not work. It was really a moment where you had to trust the other dancers as well as yourself to make the correct steps in order for the entire thing to work correctly. It was a community effort that turned into an amazing display.

Dance is a major form of nonverbal communication. Although this is may not be the first form that people go to when trying to communicate, it is definitely a great way to do so. Through dance you are not only able to speak but to portray meaning through actions. Dance is such a universal language, that even if you are not portraying meanings, you are still able to connect with others through this form. Everyone can dance no matter the language so this is such a great way to connect, even if you are not trying to exchange words or meanings.

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