RADIO PROGRAM
October 2l, 1997

PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR HEALTH
"REFLECTIONS ON THE DANCE”
Tap Dance by Earnest Sanders - 1$ min.
Applause :
Dunkel imitating Allen - dance steps.

Sherbon-- Umm-m- Dr. Allen, you have the rhythm, but your fest just don't quite
follow.

Dr. Allen-Well, that's the very best that ITcandco, [ haven't developed my neurosrams
twoo deeply alone those paths you know, but I think the audience, should.
know that for the past minute and a half we have been listening to Farne st
Santers in a little jam session with "Stompin't-at the Savoy". A little
later on you'll get to hear Tildie Fowler, Both Tildie and Earnest. are
new at K.U. this year. Eamest dances for the pure love of dancing, and
you of the audience can expreciate the marvelous rhythm of his feet, but
its a sheme you cantt see his movement.

Sherbon - Rhythm and Movement - that's rractically 2 definition of dance, isn't it?
Elizabeth, how woulée you aefine cance?

Dunkel -- Yell, I sunpose if I were to give a cenersl definition, I would say that
dance is expressive - rhythmic - movement. But there are many forms of
dance. Fach mekes its @cfinite contribution. "te have just heard a tap
dance. Most tap Gancine simply embroicers interestin~ rhythmic patters on
the underlyine bect of: the music. Of course, tap is not the refined form
of dence which is used by the preatest creative ertists to cxpress an idea
or enotion, but its appeal is to the fundamental sense of rhythm which has
constantly expressed itself since primitive mon first started beating on
a drum. Other forms are folk dancing and the art ¢ance as performed on the
cone ert stage.

Sherbon-- In other words, tap and folk cance are popular, snc the concert dance rep-
resents the highest form of the dance as an exressive art.

Dr. Allen-Here you are, talking about tap dance, folk dance, concert dence, but where
does social dance fit into the scheme cf things? That is considered dancing
tent 337 -

Sherbon-- Well, of course, there are those who would debate thit noint, but it is a
good question. I consider sodial dance a nart of the folk form, because
folk dance ns always emerged from the mass of neonles It is comparative-
ly simple, not requiring great skill or dexterity to perform, and puts its
sreatest emphasis on fun and the social element.

Dunkel~- But we must not minimize the great contribution folk arts have made to the
fine arts. Folk forms have vreserved' the vitality ond the characteristics
of a people in spontaneous expression, In a way we might say they are more
reel than the more highly 4eveloned srt forms. Just as Americs is a melt-
ing pot of many nations and cultures, so cur folk dance or social dance
represents a blend of many influences.