Joffrey Ballet Essay Example for Free

Joffrey Ballet Essay When school is out, dance students have more time to dedicate to training. Choosing a summer intensive program of study can be a challenge, though. How do you know if the program you are considering is a good fit for you? Dance Informa spoke with faculty from The Joffrey Academy, Cary Ballet Conservatory, Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts’ Next Generation and Patel Conservatory’s Dance Department to learn more about what constitutes a great summer program and how you can be prepared to get the most from your experience. What should a student look for in a summer intensive program? Deanna Seay, Ballet Mistress, Cary Ballet Conservatory In looking at a summer intensive, each student needs to evaluate his or her own goals. Does the student want a program where the focus will be on improving technique? Is the student at an age when he/she wants to be considered potential company material? Does the student want an experience focused on one discipline, or does he/she want to use the summer to broaden his/her horizons? Defining these goals can help to narrow the possibilities. A student wanting to improve a lot can look for smaller programs where they will be able to receive personal attention as well as a place that provides many hours of instruction. Those on the verge of professional careers will want to find company related programs. Students wishing to broaden their horizons can look for programs that offer classes in a wide number of dance styles. Students enjoy Patel Conservatory’s Next Generation Ballet Summer Intensive. Photo by Bill Kraulter. Peter Stark, Artistic Director of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts’ Next Generation and chair of thePatel Conservatory‘s Dance Department Students should look for: 1. Training. The school should demonstrate a history of training dancers well. Check on their website for recent graduates that are dancing professionally. 2. A schedule that keeps a young dancer busy and working hard. More classes will increase strength and technique. 3. A focus on the type of dance a student wants to study (ballet, modern, jazz) with a sampling of other styles for diversity. 4. A performing and/or rehearsing opportunity. As a performance art, in dance it is important to learn new dances and to get on stage. Alexei Kremnev, Artistic Director, and Amanda McAlpine, Communications Associate, Joffrey Academy and Community Engagement, The Joffrey Ballet Students should assess the quality of a summer intensive program by it’s faculty members (their experience and background), brand recognition (affiliation with professional company), variety of classes provided, performance opportunities, location and length of program. What are the advantages to training locally or going out of state? Peter Stark A family must decide how far they want to travel for a summer program. There is an expense with increased distance. Summer programs can offer a great sampling of an area for future employment. There are many excellent programs worldwide that will improve a young dancer both near and far. Do check out the security of the city, school and dormitory to determine if it meets the family needs. Also, ask about transportation for the students during the program. Students at the Joffrey Ballet Summer Intensive Deanna Seay The most obvious advantage to staying local is the possibility of staying at home while attending the session, or at least being close to home, which can be comforting to both parents and students attending boarding programs the first time. As long as students have access to local programs that provide the number of classes they need, there isn’t really a need to travel far at a young age. Once students reach high school age and are more mature, going out of state becomes an option parents might feel more comfortable with. That being said, there will always be those young students who have the talent and maturity for an out-of-state experience at eleven or twelve. What advice do you have for those taking summer intensive auditions? Alexei Kremnev and Amanda McAlpine It is important to be as prepared as possible. Check the program’s website for any headshots or photos needed, audition fee and attire requirements. If it is possible to pre-register online, it will save you time during the day of the audition. During the audition, do your best and keep a positive attitude. If you excel in a particular area or step, be sure to stand in front or go in the first group. If you are not as strong in other areas, you may want to wait to go in the second group. Regardless, always look pleasant and smile. The judges may not realize that you may have made a mistake because they are concentrating on watching many other dancers too. Peter Stark Always dress neat in a dress code. Do not wear any warm-up shorts, skirts or jewelry. Have a head shot and dance photo (arabesque is good) available even if not specifically requested in the audition announcement. Have a positive attitude and try your best. Often schools are looking for potential, not accomplishment. If a combination isn’t perfect, that’s okay as long as you gave it a good try with a happy demeanor. Try to also pick up any nuance when the teacher is demonstrating the combination. What accents are they using in the music? How are they holding their hands and head? Be open to change and to trying something new. Deanna Seay PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS! Watch everything the teacher does when demonstrating a combination and listen to everything the teacher may say. These details are part of what the teacher will be trying to teach the student, so the students need to prove that they are responsive, receptive and truly interested. Some teachers will be very specific about where students stand and how they enter or exit the dancing space and it is important to understand and adhere to their wishes. When changing groups, students need to walk into formation quickly and place themselves immediately in the starting position. Students should appear neatly dressed. Female ballet students need to wear pink tights and a conservatively colored leotard. Black is traditional and the best choice. Men need to wear the traditional black tights and white t-shirt, which needs to be tucked in. Absolutely under no circumstances should the student wear any sort of cover-ups. Shoes, whether flat shoes or pointe shoes, need to be properly sewn and all drawstrings, ribbons and elastics should be tied and tucked out of sight. Hair should be securely pulled away from the face in a bun, French twist or other practical, yet attractive, shape. What does a summer intensive cost? Students at Cary Ballet Conservatory’s Intensive Summer Training Program. Deanna Seay Families with students wishing to attend a five-week summer ballet intensive will need to prepare to spend about $5,000 for tuition, room and board. A few smaller programs may cost $1,000-2,000 less. Many programs offer financial aid and scholarships, so it is good to ask. Peter Stark. On average most ballet summer intensive programs run about $1,000 per week, including tuition, room and board. However, this can vary greatly and many full and partial scholarships can offset some of that cost. What benefits, aside from technical and artistic, are there to attending a summer dance intensive? Peter Stark Hearing the same correction from a different teacher can open a young dancers’ perspective greatly. Of course, each teacher also has new information that can improve a dancer technically and artistically. Summer programs also pool talent from smaller schools. Students learn from each other and being surrounded by talent can be motivational and create lasting connections through one’s performance career. Many dancers enter the field professionally at 18 and it is a big adjustment to be away from home. A summer program can start to prepare a dancer to be self-sufficient and strong in a new setting. Deanna Seay Aside from the artistic and technical improvement that is often seen during intense summer ballet sessions (attributed to the concentration of class hours), students have a chance to meet other like-minded students and make new friends. The student can become re-inspired by seeing himself/herself in a new setting. These summer programs also expose the student to other students from other schools, and can help the student identify where she stands in relation to her peers. Alexei Kremnev and Amanda McAlpine Attending a summer dance intensive helps a dancer grow and mature in many ways. Often times, students form lasting friendships, make valuable connections, gain confidence and widen their perspectives. Taken from the Dance Magazine.

Moral Dilemma of Atticus in To Kill A Mocking Bird Essay examples -- e

In Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird the protagonist Scout face offenses by others because of her father's justice for defending an African American in court. Scout Finch lives with her brother Jem, and their father Atticus, in the sleepy town of Maycomb during the Great Depression. As Atticus, the father of the protagonist faces the moral dilemma in chapter 29-30 of the incident with Bob Ewell. Atticus moral dilemma will reveal his character and his beliefs. Bob Ewell attempted to hurt Atticus children in order to get revenge on Atticus for defending the African American who was accused of raping his daughter in court. Atticus has a hard time of choosing whether to tell the town that Bob Ewell died of an accident, or his son or Boo Radley killed Bob Ewell. Atticus is a famous lawyer in Maycomb and he believes in legal justice. Atticus learns what had really happened from Scout?s explanation of what she had seen, and heard when Bob Ewell attacked them while walking back from the school play. He understood that Bob Radley killed Bob Ewell in order to save Jem?s life. Atticus does not want to send Boo to court for the fact that Boo saved his children?s life. When Scout and Jem got their BB guns they wanted to shoot the mockingbird, when Atticus said, Well, It?d be sort of like shootin? a mockingbird, wouldn?t it He explains that it is a sin to shoot mockingbirds because they do not harm us. Boo Radley is just like the mockingbird he stays inside and does not harm others, instead he saves Atticus children. Sending Boo to court would be like shooting a mockingbird. That is a sad house? he always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Miss Maudie Said. When Jem and Scout talks about the reasons Boo is... ...Scout, I couldn?t go to church and worship God if I didn?t try to help that man. Atticus would help a man if it is the right thing to do, he does not consider what people think of him, he will only be bothered if does not help, then he is going against his moral beliefs. Atticus shows his beliefs, truthfulness, and justice. Atticus moral dilemma of weather Bob Ewell died by accident, or Boo killed him in order to save Jem?s life, or Jem killed Bob in self defense has became the decision that he must face in order to tell the town what had happened. Atticus must go against his moral belief to save his children and Boo Radley. Atticus real character will be soon through his dilemma. He loves his son and he does not want Boo to go to court for saving his son. In the sleepy town of Maycomb Atticus has immense dilemma that will follow him for the rest of his life.

Concept of Education in Islam and Its Objectives Essay

The Arabic language has three terms for education, representing the various dimensions of the educational process as perceived by Islam. The most widely used word for education in a formal sense is ta’lÄ «m, from the root ‘alima (to know, to be aware, to perceive, to learn), which is used to denote knowledge being sought or imparted through instruction and teaching. Tarbiyah, from the root raba (to increase, to grow, to rear), implies a state of spiritual and ethical nurturing in accordance with the will of God. Ta’dÄ «b, from the root aduba (to be cultured, refined, well-mannered), suggests a person’s development of sound social behavior. What is meant by sound requires a deeper understanding of the Islamic conception of the human being. 1) Importance of Education Education in the context of Islam is regarded as a process that involves the complete person, including the rational, spiritual, and social dimensions. As noted by Syed Muhammad al-Naquib al-Attas in 1979, the comprehensive and integrated approach to education in Islam is directed toward the â€Å"balanced growth of the total personality†¦through training Man’s spirit, intellect, rational self, feelings and bodily senses†¦such that faith is infused into the whole of his personality† (p. 158). Educational theory in Islam: In Islam educational theory knowledge is gained in order to actualize and perfect all dimensions of the human being. From an Islamic perspective the highest and most useful model of perfection is the prophet Muhammad, and the goal of Islamic education is that people be able to live as he lived. Syed Hussein Nasr wrote in 1984 that while education does prepare humankind for happiness in this life, â€Å"its ultimate goal is the abode of permanence and all education points to the permanent world of eternity† (p. 7). To ascertain truth by reason alone is restrictive, according to Islam, because spiritual and temporal reality are two sides of the same sphere. Many Muslim educationists argue that favoring reason at the expense of spirituality interferes with balanced growth. Exclusive training of the intellect, for example, is inadequate in developing and refining elements of love,  kindness, compassion, and selflessness, which have an altogether spir itual ambiance and can be engaged only by processes of spiritual training. Education in Islam is twofold: 1. Acquiring intellectual knowledge (through the application of reason and logic) 2. Developing spiritual knowledge (derived from divine revelation and spiritual experience) According to the worldview of Islam, provision in education must be made equally for both. Acquiring knowledge in Islam is not intended as an end but as a means to stimulate a more elevated moral and spiritual consciousness, leading to faith and righteous action. 1. Emphasis on Acquiring Education in Qura’an: In a society where religion and knowledge in general and science in particular do not go hand in hand, it seems necessary to briefly describe the position of Islam vis-à  -vis knowledge, Islam, in theory as well as in practice, has always promoted knowledge. Distinctive mark of human beings over the angels is knowledge: â€Å"And Allah taught Adam all the names†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2:31) The first verses of the Quran began with the word: â€Å"Read. Read in the name of thy Lord who created; [He] created the human being from blood clot. Read in the name of thy Lord who taught by the pen: [He] taught the human being what he did not know.† (96: 1-5). The Qur’an says. â€Å"Are those who have knowledge equal to those who do not have knowledge?!†(39:9). 2. Emphasis on Acquiring Education in Hadith: The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his progeny) has also emphasized the importance of seeking knowledge in different ways: (a) Time: â€Å"Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.† (b) Place: â€Å"Seek knowledge even if it is far as China.† (c) Gender: â€Å"Seeking of knowledge is a duty of every Muslim† (d) Source: â€Å"Wisdom is the lost property of the believer, he should take it even if finds it in the mouth of a mushrik.† The Prophet did not only preach about importance of knowledge, he also gave examples of promoting knowledge. In the very first battle between the Muslims and unbelievers or Mecca, known as the war of Badr, the Muslims gain victory and caught seventy kuffars as prisoners of war. One of the criteria of releasing the prisoners devised by the Prophet was that those who were literate among the prisoners could go free if they teach ten Muslim children how to read and write. 2) Aims and Objectives of Education in Islam The aim of education in Islam is to produce a good man. What is meant by good in our concept of â€Å"good man†? The fundamental element inherent in the concept of education in Islam is the inculcation of adab (ta‘dib), for it is adab in the all-inclusive sense I mean, as encompassing the spiritual and material life of a man that instills the quality of goodness that is sought after. Education is what the Prophet, Peace be upon him, meant by adab when he said: â€Å"My Lord, educate (addaba) me and make my education (ta`dib) most excellent.† There is a general tendency among Muslims who are aware of the dilemma that is now pressing upon the Community to see its causes as external, as coming from the outside, originating from influences exerted by Western culture and civilization. That its causes are attributed to external elements is of course based upon correct observation, but it is also only partly true. It is true that the Muslim mind is now undergoing profound infiltration of cultural and intellectual elements alien to Islam; but to say that the causes are derived from external sources is only partly true. How has it been possible in the first place for Muslims to succumb to such infiltration to the extent that their predicament has now assumed the proportions of a dilemma? We will at once realize that the external causes referred to are not the only ones responsible for throwing us into a state of general crisis, and we must see that the full truth of our answer to the question lies undeniably in the prevalence of a certain anomaly within our Community; an anomaly that has with increasing persistence plagued our world and our intellectual history, and that has been left uncorrected and unchecked, now to spread like a raging contagion in our midst. Only by our consciousness and recognition and acknowledgement that serious internal causes have infact contributed considerably to our general disarray will we be able to discern the full truth that lies at the core of the dilemma we suffer today. The secular scholars and intellectuals among the Muslims derive their inspiration mainly from the West. Ideologically they belong to the same line of descent as the modernist ‘reformers’ and their followers; and some of them cleave to the views of the traditionalist ‘reformers’ and their followers. The majority of them do not possess the intellectual, spiritual, and linguistic prerequisites of Islamic knowledge and epistemology so that they are severed from the cognitive and methodological approaches to the original sources of Islam and Islamic learning. In this way their knowledge of Islam is at the barest minimal level. Because they occupy a strategic position in the midst of the community and unless they drastically change their ways of thinking and believing, they pose a grave danger to the Islamic welfare of the Community. They have no adab, for they do not recognize and acknowledge the legitimate authorities in the true hierarchical order, and they demonstrate by example and teach and advocate confusion and error. This is in fact the main reason why, as demonstrated in the course of Western intellectual history throughout the ages and the rise of secular philosophy and science in Western  civilization, the Western conception of knowledge based upon its experience and consciousness must invariably lead to secularization. There can be no doubt, therefore, that if the secular Muslim scholars and intellectuals allow themselves, or are allowed to confuse the Muslim youth in knowledge, the delslamization of the Muslim mind will continue to take effect with greater persistence and intensity, and will follow the same kind of secularizing course in future generations. Large numbers among them do not fully understand the nature of Western culture and civilization whence they draw their inspiration and before which they stand agape in reverential awe and servile humility portraying the attitude of the inferior. They do not even completely grasp the contents and implications of the teachings of their alien masters, being content only to repeat them in vulgarized versions and so cheat the Muslim audience of their true worth.

The Separate Journeys Of Beowulf And Sir Gawain - 1761 Words

The Separate Journeys of Beowulf and Sir Gawain The purpose of the hero in literature has evolved through time, and there is no denying the differences of two medieval heroic archetypes, Beowulf, and Sir Gawain. In both poems, the hero is faced with several different tests, each with proposed solutions and goals. Anglo-Saxon epic and romantic stories focus on the central hero who stands alone as the ideal example of perfected chivalry. Even though there are countless similarities that both manuscripts share, Sir Gawain and Beowulf are pitted against vastly different obstacles by the poet to preach different messages to the intended audience. As a renowned epic warrior of the Geats, Beowulf faces challenges that test his physical capabilities since the traditional Epic was concerned with pondering grand questions about life and giving the hero abilities that separated him from ordinary humans. On the contrary, due to the nature of the romance hero, Sir Gawain’s two main tasks revolve around maintaining a reputation that is marked by qualities of what was thought to be the complete human at the time. As we will come to realize, neither one is without sin. In the case of one Gawain, it is a slight imperfection that solidifies his status as a hero for the people of Camelot. For a medieval warrior to be worthy of a place in an epic story, several characteristics were essential for consideration. Just like any hero, the most prominent of traits is the display of immenseShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Women In Literature1587 Words   |  7 Pagesare expressed through literature. An example is the archetypes that can be found throughout literature. In the British Middle Ages, the people were grouped into different social classes using the feudal system. Society was mainly broken into two separate groups, the nobles, and the peasants. However, there was also a subset group, which maintained the women. Women were the lowest of the low because they were considered to be evil because of what happened with Adam and Eve in the Bible. It is saidRead More Comparing the Hero in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight921 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf and Sir Gawain – True Heroes Heroes come in many forms. The construction of the heroic has taken many forms, yet traits such as: courage, honor, and loyalty, reappear as themes throughout the hero personality. The characters of Beowulf and Sir Gawain each represent a version of a hero, yet each comes across quite differently in their story. A hero can be said to truly win if he remains constant to his noble values when put in any situation that crosses his way. When measured by thatRead More17th Century Literature Throughout Europe1973 Words   |  8 Pagesand The Aeneid—were continuously mentioned, which shows their significance and inspiration to the literature of the time. In fact, several stories, including Sir Orfeo, can be considered â€Å"mock epics:† stories that follow the structure of ancient epics, typically parodies or retellings of older stories (â€Å"Mock Epic†). Although, admittedly, Sir Orfeo lacks the satire of traditional mock epics, and more so embraces the retelling asp ect. Royalty The Royal Family throughout the 14th century influencedRead MoreThe Sonnet Form: William Shakespeare6305 Words   |  26 Pagessonnets were written—the sonnet was the form of choice for lyric poets, particularly lyric poets seeking to engage with traditional themes of love and romance. (In addition to Shakespeare’s monumental sequence, the Astrophel and Stella sequence by Sir Philip Sydney stands as one of the most important sonnet sequences of this period.) Sonnets were also written during the height of classical English verse, by Dryden and Pope, among others, and written again during the heyday of English Romanticism