Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Federal Funding For The Arts & Developmental Success In Western Nations, Sophia Ciokajlo

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Culture is undeniably a vital part of any society. To preserve and develop their culture, a majority of modern states allocate some part of their annual expenditure to the arts. The amount of money and system through which it is distributed varies from country to country, but the principle remains the same. Not only do countries value the contribution of culture to their common well-being, but it is also widely accepted that participation in the arts, as a performer or viewer, holds benefit for the individual. All of this considered, I sought to investigate whether or not the size of …

The Vulnerability Of The Acetabulofemoral Joint: Examining Acetabular Labral Tears In Classical Ballet Dancers, Rebecca Tschan

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The acetabulofemoral joint, more commonly referred to as the hip joint, is an extremely important mechanism of the human body. It plays a crucial role in a person's ability to sit and stand, walk and run, jump and crouch, and more. Not only this, but the hip joint bears most of the weight of the body, making it necessary for the joint and surrounding anatomical structures to be strong and stable. Fortunately, hip joints are built in such a way that allow for an extreme range of motion while simultaneously providing support for the rest of the body. Additionally, the …

Cultural, Political, And Choreographic Developments Of Feminism In Classical Ballet, Lydia Mariya Wirth

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This thesis was an exploration of how the female ballerina can be better represented in the culture, aesthetics, and politics of ballet. Despite the patriarchal and misogynistic traditions that this artform is steeped in, women have made significant strides in reclaiming ballet as a tool of female empowerment, rather than of suppression or objectification. A disparity of leadership positions, a traditionally disempowering training system, misogynistic ballet narratives, and patterns of abuse and harassment all combine to create a world which disempowers female dancers on multiple levels. Despite these realities, women have been at the forefront of narrowing wage and opportunity …

The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: A New Radio Play, Sarah Michelle Ault

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

"If we could turn back the clock, where should we go back to? Once we reach that place, can all our mistakes and errors be undone? Will happiness be ours to stay?"

Adapted from the Bangtan Universe created by South Korean music group BTS, this work features a new theatrical script that explores the hardships of young adulthood and the pressing need for perfection in one's life. The story centers a group of friends, once inseparable, who now find their companionship fractured by the passage of time and the unexpected tragedies of life. Desperate to pull them together again, the …

"Becoming-Pite: An Application Of Deleuzian Theory To Crystal Pite’S Choreography, Kyra Laubacher

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Art destabilizes the human, rupturing the concept of the individual as primary universal organizer. The artist recognizes infinite potential in the virtual as expressed through intensity, something semantically inarticulable but nonetheless accessible via artistic production. Chrystal Pite, contemporary dance choreographer, is one such artist in whose creations the workings of affect make themselves perceptibly clear. We may turn to poststructuralist philosopher Gilles Deleuze and his theories of multiplicity, repetition, and nomadism in order to further understand the work that she has put forth. Pite, through art and affect, reminds us of the human condition of the de-centered individual, and Deleuze’s …

The Specificity Behind The Sparkle: The In’S And Out’S Of Disney Choreography And Park Productions, Laura Theisen

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The Walt Disney Company has revolutionized the use of choreography and dance in commercial settings to showcase the value, talent, and passion of the dancer while impacting and inspiring their guests. This has led to the development of their signature style felt throughout all of their productions. Dance is vital to the Disney aesthetic as they use the art form to illuminate the “Magic.” People have very high expectations for the Disney brand, especially the theme parks. To make sure that the Disney quality is upheld they utilize their foundational rules and promote their trademark style. The creative teams ensure …

Governmental Funding Of K-12 Arts Programs, Elizabeth Abbick

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Among the significant political debates of our time is how to dedicate resources to different programs, and what types of ideas will be funded and subsidized by the government. Unfortunately, even the United States is not a nation of unlimited resources. In general, arts programs are one of the first to be cut from schools, as they are not seen to be equal to math, reading, or even sports. However, arts programs could be an integral part of the successes of the elementary, middle, and high school student. In my thesis, I will explore the differences between students who have …

National Dances Of The Nutcracker : A Study Of Racial, Cultural, And National Depictions In A Classical Ballet, Meredith Hunter-Mason

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Character development is a large component of ballet performance that is integrated into each rehearsal process leading up to the show. In this year’s production of The Nutcracker, I danced the role of Chinese Soloist. As I began my character development, I asked myself, “How does a Chinese girl dance?” When the question is asked about other roles, it is easy to respond; however, when the character is tied to a specific nationality it becomes much more difficult. Generalization and cultural misrepresentation become possible risks. Alastair Macaulay explains in his article Stereotypes in Toeshoes¸ “The ranks of ballet companies contain …

Dramatic Form: In Theory And In Practice, Alexander Borrello

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

One of the most essential aspects of any dramatic work is dramatic form - the categorization of whether a given play is a tragedy, comedy, melodrama, or something else. Most dramatists argue that dramatic form is inherent to the play and cannot be changed. Typically, dramatic form is determined by the playwright's choice in writing the play, and many dramatic theorists believe this determination to be unquestionable. One such theorist, Giovanni Battista Guarini, wrote,

" ... And there is no doubt that anyone who imagines that he can make one of these genres slip in its entirety intothe confines of …

An Exploration Of Dance Therapy, Its Origins, And Its Applications In Parkinson’S Disease, Emilia Floody

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Throughout history, dance has been used as a means of promoting health and wellbeing and for healing the sick. These practices date back to some of the earliest Neolithic societies with the advent of the circle dance in shamanistic cultures and continue into today’s society. Notable examples of healing dances include dances devoted to Apollo in ancient Greek culture, the dancing manias of medieval Europe, and the tarantism of southern Italy that dates back to the fourteenth century. Today, the primary role of dance in healing is the use of dance/movement therapy which, according to the website of the American …

Raising The Stakes: The Impact Of Emotional Investment On Learning Stage Combat, Sarah Tam

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

One of the most integral parts of stage combat is safety. A fight director’s constant challenge is keeping their actors safe. One aspect of a fight scene that then merits close inspection is the effect that the intense emotions involved in the scene have on an actor’s ability to perform the fight safely. Does the level of stakes in the scene affect the integrity of the actor’s fighting technique? There exists a paradox when an actor must be emotionally present in a fight as their character while performing technical fight moves accurately. Knowing how to navigate this paradox will enhance …

The Back Pocket Play: Revealing White Privilege And Its Contribution To Institutionalized Racism, Sonia Michelle Goldberg

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Black lives matter. This phrase incites intense and polarizing emotions in our community: with it brings images of police brutality. It forces the topic of racism to the forefront of the listener’s mind. And when that listener hardly ever considers issues of race in their daily life, “Black lives matter” easily becomes a hostile phrase, one to shrink away from. Why? This ability to dissociate – to write off uncomfortable situations – is a privilege. In predominately White communities like Butler University, individuals are often hesitant to have a conversation about race, because they believe firmly it is not their …

Perceiving Dance: Examining The Foundations Of American Ballet And Influence Of The Press In Establishing Today's Perception Of Dance, Robyn Jutsum

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The 20th century for dance brought forth some of the most iconic names and choreographic pieces to date. This time period also introduced the U.S. to the potential for the arts, with attention from the press guiding dance’s way into the public eye. A major focus was the idea of being American and discovering what being part of America meant and could mean in the future. Establishing a uniquely American identity became a goal of early pioneers of dance in the U.S., and the emergence of the Ballets Russes spurred development of American ballet. As American ballet found its footing, …

The Link Between American Deaf Culture And Dance: Assessing Nonverbal Communication And Recognizing The Value Of Deaf Dancers., Chloe Edelstein

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

As a dancer, it is of the utmost importance to know the history behind the origins of movement with intent. In a collegiate setting, we are immersed in the different styles and origins that have shaped the refinement and adaptations of dance into the genres that it exists today. But, I have recognized a lack of knowledge in one extraordinary facet; dance performed by those who are deaf. With this project, I have educated a group of dancers on the different aspects and struggles of being deaf within America and through the creation of a dance that mimics the rehearsal …

Movement And Music: Exploring The Relationship Between Movement And Dance, Savannah Dunn

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This thesis will examine the goals of dance performance, the craft behind choreographic art, and their respective relationships to music. As it would be impossible to rewrite the discourse and philosophy of dance or reach any concrete conclusions in that regard, I merely aim to present some of the primary theories surrounding this topic and discuss the roles they took on in the dance I created as part of this project, titled Ash Fighting Balance. I worked with a composer, Harriet Steinke, over the course of the 2015-2016 school year to choreograph a dance in three parts. I conscientiously pursued …

Realistic Acting Methods In Non-Realistic Theatre: Konstantin Stanislavsky's Theories Applied To Bertolt Brecht's Epic Theatre, Taylor Galloway

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The path to understanding Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre in any theatre history class is often paved in terms of its contrasts with Konstantin Stanislavsky’s realistic theatre. Two of the most influential theatre practitioners of the 20th century, Brecht and Stanislavsky, are presented as polar opposites and as essentially incompatible. For instance, one learns that Brecht theatre intends to turn its spectators into critical thinkers, to prevent them from emotionally identifying with the play in anyway, and to present them with a picture of the world- recognizable yet strange. Conversely, one learns that Stanislavskian theatre intends to turn its spectators into …

Existing On Earth And Stage: Exploring Human Relationships With Ecosystems Through Performance, Julia Stephanie Levine

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

"You're on Earth. There's no cure for that," says the character Hamm, in Samuel Beckett's Endgame. The stage offers a unique lens through which to explore the reality of human existence on Earth, sharing the behaviors of characters in imagined circumstances with audiences. My honors thesis production, GAIA: an eco-theatre project explores human relationships with the environment and comes out of research conducted during the 2014 Butler Summer Institute. My thesis project began by raising the following questions: How do we impact the environment, and how do we react to changes in our ecosystems? What do our actions in our …

An Investigation Of Howard Gardner's Intrapersonal And Interpersonal Intelligence In Dance Educational Outreach Programs, Catherine Lynn Jue

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Can you remember the first time you were exposed to the arts? Might it have been in elementary school? Many schools in today's society face budget cuts to art programs since they are overlooked for their educational benefit. However, one might not even realize that these art programs, such as dance classes, can have positive effects on a student's self esteem and social interactions with others.

An alternate way for students to become exposed to the arts is through educational outreach programs. Dance educational outreach programs have been established by schools, community centers, and dance companies as a means of …

Exploring The Relationship Between Text And Dance: Seeking Music In Spoken Word, Anastasia Ellis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

I assert that dance exists as more than a worthwhile ,inventive ,and ever-advancing art form; it also thrives as a language. The language of dance cannot say everything on its own, for body language is limited to the interpretive. Yet, speech carries limitations as well. Spoken language houses the potential for dishonesty and fails to encompass all that we notably call thought, seeing as the human mind can think in pictures and invent concepts that present themselves without labels. The two languages therefore have the opportunity to complete each other-an opportunity that I, as a dancer and choreographer, fully believe …

The Process And Impact Of Professional Collaboration In An Arts Integration Education, Rachel Marina Chambers

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In the fall of 20 14, I began student teaching at Wallace School of Integrated Arts in Kokomo, Indiana. Under the guidance of my cooperating teacher, Lashaya Williams, and our co-teacher, Abigail McClure, I was given the chance to educate fifth grade students and further develop my personal understanding of authentic arts integration (AAI), which is defined by the Kennedy Center as follows: "Arts Integration is an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives …

Genu Recurvatum In Dance Training: Assessing And Addressing The Structural Deformity In Dancers, Anne Mercedes Mushrush

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Genu recurvatum is a medical condition in which the knee curves baac kwar d past the normal range of extension predominantly in the sagittal plane. Hyperextension can be attributed to extra laxity in the body, therefore the surrounding ligaments of the knee allow for the femur and tibia to be placed past a sagittal alignment of 180°, which is the possible knee extension of normal knee alignment. Genu recurvatum, medically viewed as a deformity, is desirable and considered a positive attribute in the dance world, especially classical ballet. Hyperextension also makes the line of the leg appear longer and straighter …

The Story Of Us: College As A Modern Rite Of Passage For Emerging Adults, Tamara Ulana Bodnar

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The movement from adolescence to adulthood has often been identified by certain rites of passage across cultures. These rites are ceremonious, ritualistic events such as a bar/bat mitzvah, marriage, and graduation, They indicate a transition from one stage of life to another and sometimes contain difficult obstacles and challenges that assist in the maturation process. College provides contemporary American students with a modern rite of passage; it is a time of transition between youth and the "real world" of adulthood. At its core, the purpose of going to college is to become educated, so that by the time one leaves, …

Rediscovering Vaudeville: Influences On Film And Theatre, Audra Leigh Edwards

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The greatest thing that vaudeville contributed to the legitimate theatre and to films was talented artists. Many performers who became well known on the stage and screen began in vaudeville. It even occurred that performers with hardly any training at all had an opportunity to perform on vaudeville, and after some time became some of the best performers America has seen. Vaudeville is significant not only because it was an important part of American history in general, but also because it created and trained many artists for successful careers, particularly in film and radio. Without it, many famous and influential …

An Exploration Of Self-Empowerment And Truthful Expression Through Movement And Rudolf Laban's Theory Of Effort, Morgan Raquel Sicklick

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

My ultimate goal in completing my Honors Thesis was to make a very personal discovery: to feel and see what it was like to become self-empowered and thus, give myself and others within the field of dance permission to engage in truthful expression. To accomplish this, I used Rudolf Laban's theory of Effort to explore, through movement, my "inner" and "outer" Effort life as well as created a large-scale choreographic work entitled "In the Moment of Not Knowing." Creating this work allowed me to project my own journey towards self-empowerment onto a universal, physical and artistic canvas, and evaluate the …

Latvian Folk Dance: Sustaining Cultural Heritage In The Context Of Christianity And Communism, Emilija Karina Grinvalds

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In times of chaos and violence, brutality and oppression, one would not think of the arts as a guiding light for maintaining cultural identity and establishing peace and independence. However, the small country of Latvia serves as a prime example of how the arts, specifically folk dance, helped to maintain Latvian culture through centuries of oppression and war. As Swedish and German missionaries sought to spread Christianity throughout the pagan tribes in the 11th century, dance helped to sustain the cultural and religious beliefs of the ancient Latvians. Folk dance created a sense of unity within their communities, and the …

Why Theatre? A Study Of Robert Wilson, Rachel Elinor Bennett

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Wilson’s unusual background influenced both the avantgarde nature of Wilson’s theatre and the humanity present in his work. Wilson accepts the people in his life as they are without trying to change them or ignore those differences. Wilson gives these people and their perspective, which society so often rejects, a voice. He sees art where others see a problem. Wilson’s theatre looks like nothing else, but his respect and acceptance of others, even those who are different and almost invisible to most of society, are just as innovative and refreshing to see in theatre.

Dmitri Shostakovich, Lady Macbeth, And The Soviet Government, Bianca Nicole Dudeck-Wiseman

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Dmitri Shostakovich's opera, Lady Macbeth of Misenk, has suffered through more social changes than any other work in Russian music history. It brought Shostakovich unprecedented fame, and also brought about his downfall by the Soviet Government The story behind Shostakovich, Lady Macbeth, and the Soviet Government is one of power, as well as the evolution of a nation and how it affected the struggling individual. Here, the artist, his art, the government, and the people are all inextricably linked.

Analysis, Interpretation And Performance Of The Concerto For Violin And Orchestra By Samuel Barber, Elizabeth Ruth Flood

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In the twentieth century there has been much diversity and multiplicity in the musical world. Tonal and rhythmic realms have been redefined by many composers, some who were concerned with preserving beauty in their aural landscapes and some who deemed it an inessential part of the musical experience. In this compositional sphere, Samuel Barber was a composer who continued the Romantic tradition handed down to him, while adding to it aspects of contemporary musical culture. In all of his writing, Barber's highest musical aim was expression of emotion, and the variety of compositional techniques he employed were used to serve …

Gogol: An Overview, David Paul Allen

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

The Reformatory And Choreographic Contributions Of Micheal Fokine, Elaine Louise Bauer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Many individuals have contributed to the development of dance throughout its history--some as choreographers, some as teachers, and others as performing artists. But there is no personality more significant nor more relevant to dance as we know it today than the Russian artist, Micheal Fokine.