Purpose Statement (May 6, 2011)
Historically dance has been used by many cultures as a form of ritual and worship. Dance, since primitive times, has been used to worship Gods of the earth, Gods of the sky and past ancestors. In the past this has been a common form of worship for many Africans. As globalization has occurred however more Christian churches and traditions have been introduced into the traditional African communities. Many Africans have converted to western religious practices, but dance is still a prevalent aspect of their culture. The main research question I will focus on is; “Does African dance hold the same spiritual purpose that it has in the past?” I plan to research how the spiritual aspects of African dance have been affected by the introduction of different religions. I want to learn more about the original purposes and intents of African dance and how those spiritual aspects are viewed differently now than they were in the past.
Questions I can handle, deboccles....not so much. (May 10, 2011)
Deboccle for the evening = Am I satisfied with my purpose statement?
What am I most interested in?
What are the Spiritual aspects of African dance?
When is dance used as a form of worship?
What are the original spiritual aspects of African dance?
What are the contemporary spiritual aspects of African dance?
What's the best way to teach African dance?
How are Ghanaians taught their traditional dances?
Who teaches the dances?
Do they create new dances?
What stories are told through dance?
Do all dances have a story?
What do certain dances mean?
I want to know it all!!!!!!
I know I want to dance, and I want to dance ALOT!!! That's my priority. I feel my study of the dances might be more substantial if I study a specific aspect of African dance. But on the contrary I wonder if narrowing my research will limit me from dancing as much as I would like to? Will I have enough background information on African dance before I go to Ghana that I could perform quality research on a more specific aspect? I don't want to sacrifice what I really want to do for the sake of a research project...How can I make the two purposes, (1) to learn African dance and (2) to produce research, one?
Additionally, the classes I plan to get credit for include Music Accompaniment and Dance History. So I will need to do research and participation in these areas as well. I don't want these courses to detract from my research focus, I want them to add. And while they are certainly interests of mine they don't fit exactly with the three topics I mentioned in my questions above. I don't want to spread my interests so broadly, but all these elements are integrated into African dance how can I avoid even one of them? I think they will all play an important role in my experience.
Proposal Outline (May 10, 2011)
My first, brief, very brief, outline of my research project proposal. Totally subject to change and I accept that.
Introduction
As my senior project for graduation I hope to complete a dance ethnography research project on the spiritual aspects of Ghanaian African dance. I will be studying dance in the village of Wiamose, Ghana outside of Kumasi. In the end I hope to produce a paper that can be published in the BYU Dance Department Writers Symposium or in the Journal of Dance Education. I hope to present my findings on the spiritual aspect of the cultural dance in Africa at the Belief in Motion: Dance and Religion Symposium Summer 2012.
Context
Background of field studies in Wiamose, why I chose this location
Defining concepts
African Dance
Traditional African Dance
Contemporary African Dance
Description of the history of Traditional African Dance, its purposes and occasion
Why I want to study the spiritual aspect.
Literature Review
Relevant literature discussed
Timeline
I will spend 3 months in Ghana from September 2011 to December 2011. The following is a timeline of when and what activities will occur during my stay there.
Methods
Participation
Observations
Case Study by interview
(possibly interview a young girl, a teenager, a young mother, and older woman)
Diagrams of dance structures
Video recordings of dances and interviews
Budget
TBA
Qualifications
Myself
My mentor
May 27, 2011
May 27, 2011
I spoke with Ashley yesterday morning and we sorted out a good vision for my project.
I want to study the what the spiritual aspects of dance are for the insider or individual. I will be performing in depth interviews with a few key informants who can help me understand how they connect spiritually to a life purpose or divine being through dance despite being religious or not. I am going to ask questions that help me understand how the spiritual aspects of dance affect the individual in a few key areas that have spiritual implications such as identity, health, and community unity.
Here are some questions I've brainstormed that I can ask key informants.
Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? Are you religious?
Can you describe a time when you felt a spiritual connection while dancing? (This could be a grand-tour question with a few other clarifying questions attached)
What does spirituality mean to you? Do you connect with a higher being, a deity, or is it just a feeling of direction and purpose in regards to your existence?
Do you ever use dance as a form of worship?
When do you feel the most spiritually aware?
Are there movement or symbols in your dance that you relate to spiritually more than others?
How is the music connected to the music in traditional dances that is spiritual? Is it a spiritual experience for you?
Do you feel spiritually connected at religious as well as secular dance events?
Are there certain conditions required to create a state of communion or spirituality for you individually?
Do you feel others have the same experience as you?
Do you define what is spiritual to you when you're dancing or are there conventions and specific dance movements you have been taught to have religious/spiritual meaning?
Does dancing increase your faith?
Do spiritual experiences require preparation of mind and body?
Do you believe community unity is a spiritual thing?
Do you feel a deeper sense of purpose in life when you are connected to the village?
Does dancing help you form your identity? How?
Does spirituality form a portion of your identity? How?
Do you believe spirituality and health are connected?
Do often consider dancing in relation to its health benefits? spiritual benefits?
What do you think of these questions? I need some outside eyes to take a look and see how I might better word questions so that I can connect with my informants. I have no idea who or how many informants I will have. I'm not even sure that they connect dance and spirituality to identity, health and community, maybe there are some other areas I have not considered?
I want to study the what the spiritual aspects of dance are for the insider or individual. I will be performing in depth interviews with a few key informants who can help me understand how they connect spiritually to a life purpose or divine being through dance despite being religious or not. I am going to ask questions that help me understand how the spiritual aspects of dance affect the individual in a few key areas that have spiritual implications such as identity, health, and community unity.
Here are some questions I've brainstormed that I can ask key informants.
Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? Are you religious?
Can you describe a time when you felt a spiritual connection while dancing? (This could be a grand-tour question with a few other clarifying questions attached)
What does spirituality mean to you? Do you connect with a higher being, a deity, or is it just a feeling of direction and purpose in regards to your existence?
Do you ever use dance as a form of worship?
When do you feel the most spiritually aware?
Are there movement or symbols in your dance that you relate to spiritually more than others?
How is the music connected to the music in traditional dances that is spiritual? Is it a spiritual experience for you?
Do you feel spiritually connected at religious as well as secular dance events?
Are there certain conditions required to create a state of communion or spirituality for you individually?
Do you feel others have the same experience as you?
Do you define what is spiritual to you when you're dancing or are there conventions and specific dance movements you have been taught to have religious/spiritual meaning?
Does dancing increase your faith?
Do spiritual experiences require preparation of mind and body?
Do you believe community unity is a spiritual thing?
Do you feel a deeper sense of purpose in life when you are connected to the village?
Does dancing help you form your identity? How?
Does spirituality form a portion of your identity? How?
Do you believe spirituality and health are connected?
Do often consider dancing in relation to its health benefits? spiritual benefits?
What do you think of these questions? I need some outside eyes to take a look and see how I might better word questions so that I can connect with my informants. I have no idea who or how many informants I will have. I'm not even sure that they connect dance and spirituality to identity, health and community, maybe there are some other areas I have not considered?
