Chinese Fan Dance
The Chinese traditional dance has existed for over two thousand years. It has been part of their heritage for all these years and is believed to be an ancient type of folk dance, and the Chinese people highly value the festival event, and it is seen as a symbol of national identity (Tamara, 2016).
Purposely, the fan dance is a significant form of art and plays many roles in China. First, it is used a means of passing down traditions and stories of Chinese culture. Promote their rich historical roots. During the fan dancing, brightly colored costumes were used which offer an eye-catching movement spectacle Kezia (2013). Lastly, Tamara (2016) states that it serves as a form of exercise just like many other types of dancing styles the choreography requires an ability to remember routines and physical fitness. However, the role of Fan dancing is exciting as it is a means of passing knowledge from one generation to another. A particular status and gender were associated with the type of fan they played on stage (Jurgenson and Rey, 2013).
Several concepts relate to Chinese fan dance, and they were critical in developing the skills of the kids in school. The first concept observed is Culture. It fits directly with the issue of people’s customs, beliefs and how the Chinese have struggled to maintain the impressive performance over the years. Today Fan dance is viewed as a way of life a positive cultural symbol that directly identifies the people of China. It is perceived with a right attitude to bring unity among communities at different levels despite their gender motivating them to work as a team. Another second concept is Material Culture, the works of Freire who identified social issues such as race, class and gender. The author’s aim was to dismantle social forms that were seen as a barrier which includes white supremacy and class (Freire and Macedo, 1995). We the Navajo have fallen victims to the issue of white supremacy that Paulo addresses. However, Fan dancing is an exemplary piece of art that has managed to withstand in the past and today offers solutions to our cultural differences with a focus on educating everyone on the importance of liberation.
Also, the third concept is Hidden Curriculum: Social Class & Capitol. As an illustration, the concept explains to us how hidden curriculum has changed the behavior of many students and the resultant solution putting the theory into real life practice and acting in school festivals. One of the effects is that they abandoned some of their cultures and assimilating other people’s cultures which they view as being superior and more productive to their own (Buzzelli and Johnston, 2002). To the Chinese, this concept had a positive impact such as strengthening their trust and belief in culture. Partly becoming the reason why Fan dance is still valued and in existence today creating a distinctive character to Chinese.
Use of different arts in the drawing, paintings, workshops, and teacher support on preparing exhibitions reflected the deeper social meaning of what happened in the past and why it exists in the social setting. With educational skills, the children studied wider knowledge on several cultural activities performed at separate levels in the society. Since there are different ethnic groups with each showing a culture characterizing a set of unique folk dance, it reflected their religious, cultural and historical racial narrative. The majority of the dances shared common themes such as rivalry, jealousy, love, community bond and forgiveness.
Another reflection is that interest in co-curriculum activities in the school was developed by the children, encouraging their teachers to admire the diligence and their efforts in calligraphy painting and drawing. For any teacher, achievement is always their main agenda focusing on pupils. My future classroom, I will hold more cultural activities to let the students learn and exploring their talents being one way of addressing multiple styles and needs in learning art. An aim is a public performance in the future as a background inspiration, giving responsibility and maintains the cultural dance a continual event throughout the years.
As an analysis, culture is seen as a powerful human tool for learning and respect, but it is a fragile phenomenon. What have they done differently? Where did we go wrong? These questions are vital and need answers. Fan dance is the perfect example in Chinese community representing strengths how one can overcome adaptation and cultural conflicts. When performed at celebrations, the Chinese fan dance shows a symbol of a love life, history and grace in the short term (Kaomea, 2005). In my project, I want to explain to the children that cultures are argued with so many contradicting perspectives but despite different views from people.
Finally, Indigenous Studies in the Elementary Curriculum is the last concept. The author stresses the need to educate children when they are still young in their cultures and the importance of preserving these very cultural norms. Children are seen to have a good memory and these cultures, when taught at an early stage of their lives, will show them a picture of why most elderly people still value the drama event. In turn, this storytelling and will unite one another without considering their social-cultural differences. (Moje and Suzanne). The different performance, the role of a teacher in a classroom is to ensure that all children are united without considering the origin ethnic community. This will make them have the initiative in their course work to achieve a cultural heritage worth of preservation in the future and the world as a whole. One virtue they need to have in common is working together as a group under one leadership, and that unity is essential for development in the society.
In conclusion, Chinese fan dance is absorbing, and I was inspired to choose it because of its unique information and what it represents to the society as a whole. It illustrates what real culture is, why it is in existence, and it further shows that indeed maintaining and respecting one's culture is of high impact. In my paper, the Chinese Fan Dance fits well with my paper, unlike our Navajo community which has lost almost all its cultures the Chinese fan dance still stands after thousands of years. Cultural practice in a community keeps on changing with evolutionary changes helping the new learners understand their origin and why some of the practices are highly valued in their society. For example, the significance of the dance to individuals and its relevance in educational history.
References
Buzzelli, C. A., & Johnston, B. (2002). The moral dimensions of teaching: Language, power, and culture in classroom interaction. Psychology Press.
Freire, P., & Macedo, D. (1995). Dialogue: Culture, language, and race. Harvard Educational Review, 65(3), 377-403.
Jurgenson, N., & Rey, P. J. (2013). The fan dance: How privacy thrives in an age of hyper-publicity. Unlike Us Reader: Social Media Monopolies and Their Alternatives. Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures.
Kaomea, J. (2005). Indigenous studies in the elementary curriculum: A cautionary Hawaiian example. Anthropology & education quarterly, 36(1), 24-42.
Kezia, W. 2013. History of Chinese Fan Dance by Kezia West on Prezi. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://prezi.com/nu3ll0rbs5ic/history-of-chinese-fan-dance/
Moje, Elizabeth B., and Suzanne E. Wade. "What case discussions reveal about teacher thinking." Teaching and Teacher Education 13.7 (1997): 691-712.
Tamara, W. 2016. Chinese Fan Dance. Retrieved from http://dance.lovetoknow.com/chinese-fan-dance
