Introduction
Dance is any form of movement and aesthetics used to pass information to society, as described by the social anthropology theory. According to the concept, different occurrences in the world motivate different choreographers to compose a dance to pass the message. Dance has therefore been a key instrument for communication in society. Dances have been evolving throughout history, and different dance forms have emerged. Examples of popular dances are ballet, jazz, tap, and modern dance, all of which influence different parts of the world.
Japanese Butoh
Japanese Butoh is a vital dance that has become famous worldwide. It is commonly known as the Ankoku Butoh. It originated in Japan in the 1950s and was developed to express people’s displeasure with the post-war era, which made more people suffer. As the West affected the world then, Hijikata Tatsumi developed a form of dance, and the people mostly danced Japanese songs (Oparina et al. 5). The music gained international recognition in the 1980s and has been in use worldwide. The time is historical, and the features are related to aspects of the time.
Witch Dance by Mary Wigman
The dance, as developed by Mary Wigman, is highly symbolic and was developed to resist the Nazi regime that had taken over Germany and made it a republic where the people were suffering. The dance was motivated by the Wieman era, characterized by economic suffering, and the people expressed their displeasure with the then regime through the dances (Tovey 62). The dance featured sharp and unpredictable movements, representing the state of governance in the country. The sudden stops and sharp movements proved to express displeasure.
Similarities Between the Dances
Although the two dances were extracted in two different periods, they had numerous similarities, such as the theme, motivation, and the main message transmitted. For example, both dances conveyed political reasons as they expressed displeasure with how the government was run. While the witch dance was formulated to criticize the Wieman era, the Japanese dance was meant to introduce peace and sanity, especially after the Second World War (Barber 13). Both dances leveraged symbolism to convey the desired message and carried a specific historical context to be analyzed. The dances were, therefore, rich historically and could be used to improve outcomes.
Further, the two dances sought to challenge traditional aesthetics and change the status quo regarding the future of dance and other art forms. Both embraced new and distorted expressionist movements, intending to initiate social change to improve people’s living standards. The theme of political liberation is rampant in both cases and shares world events that link world history (Oparina et al. 45). Both dances connected people to their leaders because they better understood the challenge.
Main Differences Between the Dances
Despite the numerous similarities depicted by the dances, many differences put the two dances apart. For example, the origin and culture make them different because whereas the witch dance represents the start of the 20th century, the Japanese Butoh was established in the 1950s (Barber 15). Further, the dance did not influence the West as much as the Witch dance did. Conversely, the dances differ based on movements and aesthetics during the performance. Whereas the witch dance had a precise focus and sharp movements, the Japanese Butoh is slow and has a predictable pattern.
The dances further portray differences in the thematic realms. While the Witch mainly focused on spirituality and mysticism, the Japanese focused on using the subconscious mind to read the steps and procedures. Further, the Witch Dance was also characterized by pagan rituals, while the Butoh originated solely from previous music and other forms of literature in the region. The Witch used black robes to symbolize the acts in costumes and visuals, while the Butoh used white clothing to show worldly possessions.
The other dance differences can be understood through influence, inspiration, and a global audience. While the Witch was aimed at expressing displeasure with the current regime, the Butoh dance ensured that it shared the concerns and displeasure of the people through drawings in the proposal (Barber 25). In the emotional realm, the witch dance was inspired by pagan rituals and the struggle to overcome the Nazi regime, while the second dance was motivated by Japanese culture.
Use of Technology and Political Implications
The impact of technology is felt in almost all aspects of life. Since the dances were formulated when technology was not rampant, the use of technology is limited. However, the invention of technology made storage easy, and today, technology is used to store them, and anyone can access them (Tovey 15). Further, the poems are politically oriented because they were formulated to increase awareness and make people reject the suffering brought by the changes in the era.
Conclusion
The dances analyzed in the paper are of great cultural importance and are an essential form of communication, as people have the chance to influence issues that affect them. The movements can convey information to the country’s leadership to enable better management and play a significant historical role. Dance plays a crucial role in ensuring that people are heard by the leadership and in communicating their feelings. Both dances are relevant in the contemporary domain despite being in different historical times.
Works Cited
“Kazuo Ohno 101 – Butoh – Japan Society.” The New York Times, Web.
“Mary Wigman Timeline | Timetoast Timelines.” Timetoast, Web.
Barber, Stephen. Film’s Ghosts: Tatsumi Hijikata’s Butoh and the Transmutation of 1960s Japan. Diaphanes, 2019.
Kennedy, Fen. “Start somewhere else: 1619-ing the American dance history class.” Journal of Dance Education vol. 20. no. 3 (2020): 168-175. Web.
Oparina, Nina A., et al. “Folk dance as a means of formation and creative education of primary school children personality.” PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, vol. 17, no. 6 2020: 731–742.
Tovey, Cara. “The Language of dance, the dancer’s eye, and aesthetic experience in Mary Wigman’s Hexentanz II.” Seminar: A Journal of Germanic Studies. Vol. 58. No. 2. 2022. Web.