http://theater.nytimes.com/2012/10/06/theater/reviews/ionescos-rhinoceros-at-brooklyn-academy-of-music.html?ref=arts

Ionesco’s “Rhinoceros,” an absurdist play about the dangers of fascism and conformity that premiered in Paris in 1960, is told through the perspective of Bérenger. An unconfident, shy man, Bérenger ends up as the last human in his own skin as a plague of “rhinoceritis” slowly transforms the people of his small French village into rhinoceroses. (No, I’m not kidding.)

Fascism is about control, and “Rhinoceros” portrays this quite colorfully- and at times, “colorlessly.” The opening scene includes an array of carefully arranged gray chairs amid a dark background, symbolizing a society that is conformist from the very start. The sounds of a rhinoceros crashing through the town square cause a panic, and all the actors onstage leap into motion- an allegory for the alarm and mindlessness of a crowd. No leader steps in to subdue the panic, and the scene ends with this flurry of activity.

The second scene shows Bérenger at work in the government printing department- an homage to Orwell’s “1984.” The office workers discuss the rhino rumors, arguing about trivialities such as “whether it is an Asian or an African one, sporting a single or a double tusk.” These minutiae distract from the larger issue- exactly what fascist propaganda aims to do.

As this conversation is going on, the floor starts to slip from under their feet as the tiered set rises and tilts the actors towards the stage. This literal disorientation is a metaphor for the mental distress and anxiety caused by uncertainty, rumors, and the absurd.

The end of “Rhinoceros,” a pledge by Bérenger to retain his humanity and not join the “flock of sheep” (or, in this case, rhinoceroses) raises the question: is conformity about refusing to leave the baseline status quo that you know, or about acquiescence to the pull of the masses? The question is open-ended; it is up to you to see the play for yourself and answer it.

The NY Times article “A United Nations of Music” by Larry Rohter talks about the OneBeat program, sponsored by the Feds.  It brings together 32 musicians from 21 countries on 5 continents to write, produce, and record original music together before bringing it to American audiences.  The program allows for musicians from different countries to experience new forms of music they may have never heard before.  They can introduce their music to others to create new music and add the musical influences of others to their own music.

One of the major benefits of this program aside from the interchanging of different types of music is that it helps establish bonds between different cultures from around the world.   The bonds the musicians form with each other can continue even after the program ends.  The musicians can also take things they learn from other cultures and introduce it to their own cultures back home. It is basically a creative form of international diplomacy and cultural diffusion.

Seeing as how this program seems to successfully allow for cultures to share with one another, do you think similar programs could be as effective?  Could programs with international artists, students, chefs and other jobs produce similar results?  Could more programs like these have a serious impact on change for the better within the world?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/arts/dance/flex-is-kings-live-at-the-dumbo-arts-festival.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=arts&adxnnlx=1349388937-UctNiqT+0YdnojXgg7miBg

As we’ve progressed into the future, dance styles have become decreasingly orthodox. We’ve gone from traditional ballroom dancing, ballet, and even flamenco baile to breakdancing, robotic techno dance (here’s an example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XU3qLoMhtY&list=FL9XxY3ZrDtvzANG89UVbj5A&index=53&feature=plpp_video), and just completely random and unique dances such as gangnam style. But recently a new style of dance has emerged called “flexing”.

Flexing, also called Bone Breaking, is a form of dance in which flexors (those who practice flexing) perform rhythmic contortionist movement. That is, they bend and flex their bodies beyond human’s normal range of flexibility in rhythm with whatever music is playing. Typically hip-hop or rap music accompanies flexing, however the dance style did not emerge from this genre of music. Flexing originates from a Jamaican style of dance called brukup, which is characterized by popping and locking, and is accompanied by dancehall and reggae music. Brukup also incorporates flexing; here is an example:

At the Dumbo Arts Festival in Brooklyn, a flexing event was held called “Flex is Kings Live”, in which 20 dancers showed off their flexing skills. Flexors often perform shirtless for showmanship. One dancer aliased “Flizzo” removed his shirt to reveal his name, which was tattoed across his belly.  Flexors also incorporate hats in their performance to add zest and give a new flavor to old flexing routines. Some hat tricks include spinning the hat around one of the fingers, throwing the hat up into the air so that it can be caught in rhythm with an elbow or knee, and simply transferring the hat to different parts of the body in a smooth, fluid motion that is in rhythm with the music.

So what are your opinions about flexing? Or about the general evolution of dance? Will there be a limit to how strange and odd these new styles may become? Will older styles of dance such as ballroom dancing one day become extinct? Interesting things to ponder.