Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Question L
The video Gimp did not have a huge impact on the ability of dance expanding the notions of the human body. I do not have much exposure to theater, dance or other expressive arts, so much of what I see is new and interesting, as I'm not able to provide much of a critique. Gimp did a great job showing difference ways that the human body can express itself through motions and in rhythm with others. This piece helps address issues of ablism by providing other outlets of human expression through dance, which was the complete opposite of what a dancer is portrayed as in our society today. Popular culture and the media portrays dancers as young, petite females or homosexual males (not accepted among mainstream masculine culture today). As Wendell explain about living in a culture of ablism, "the lack of of realistic cultural representations of experiences of disability not only contributes to the "Otherness" of people with disabilities by encouraging the assumption that their lives are inconceivable to non-disabled people" (pg. 480). There is no common language and promotion of understanding and acceptance of individuals who do not fit into this false reality of popular culture today. But Gimp gave a positive, visual example of everyone' own, unique abibilities of their body.
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I agree with how you said that the video showed different ways that the human body can express itself through motions and in rhythm with others. It also sort of showed how a person with a physical disability can still move in a graceful and beautiful way. I think our society often overestimates the limitations of those with disabilities.
ReplyDeleteI agree. This video emphasized what they were able to do instead of what there were not!
ReplyDeleteThe video is incredibly powerful and exciting. It is sad that the mainstream media so seldom shows the strength and power of persons with disabilities. This is why alternative artistic cultures are so important, as it is one of the few venues where people can express human diversity.
ReplyDeleteThat is an important point that our society often overestimates the limitations of those with disabilities, and most of the time glorifies an individuals story of how they want and can do the same things as someone who is non-disabled. This only upholds the "otherness" that our culture has created to automatically label someone with a disability as "other", completely disregarding the individual and only going off of preconceived notions of the capabilities of a person with a disability.
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