Should dancing be given more importance in society than it
currently is? (Sociology)
☆ Let’s Think
When and why do people dance? Why does a soccer player dance when he
makes a goal?
Note: People dance at a wedding, at a funeral, at a
party, when they pray, when they go to war, etc. They dance to have fun, to
show happiness, to express themselves, to express something, to get to know
each other, to communicate, etc.
☆Hints for points
Agree
1.
Dancing, helps nonverbal-communication, socialization,
and bonding. Like music, it does not depend on language. Dancing helps wind
down at parties, and dance clubs are popular hangout spots. Fun dancing consists
of only a few simple steps, so it is easy to join. Dancing also helps share the
sense of unity and resistance of people, such as the Palestinian folk dance
Dabke.
2.
People dance in important moments in life. Dancing
shows that the event is important, provides information about the event, and
enhances the mood of the event. Ceremonies, marriages, and funerals often
involve dancing. Entertainment events like festivals, parades and sporting
events have dancing.
3.
Dancing promotes mental and physical health.
Dance beats and repetitive movements make people feel good. It requires uses of
all the muscles of the dancer’s body and improves blood flow.
4.
Dancing prevents violence in a community,
sublimating stress into a formalized and controlled catastrophe. In a Balinese
dance, kecak, some dancers fall into trance and stab themselves with a dagger,
releasing the frustration in society. In lion dances, performed throughout
Asia, the holy animal with scary appearances vigorously moves around and poses
to eat people, making them alert and forget their daily complaints.
5.
Dancing is universal as well as representing each
distinctive culture, enhancing intercultural communication. Traditional dances,
country dances, rock & roll dances, or hip-hop dances, along with the music
and fashion, are the core of the culture. Those outside the group can learn
about them by learning their dances.
6. Dancing informs people of the world view and
values of their culture and passes them down. Balinese dancing is part of the structure
of the Balinese society. People in Bali have dedicated their dancing to their
gods in their religious practices. Each dance represents a mythological character
and its story.
Disagree or partly disagree
1.
Traditional dancing is obsolete and treated
as a traditional performing art. It is functional only in its traditional
culture. A move of a traditional Japanese dance shows skills to plant rice
seedlings but farmers do not need the information now. Also, traditional views
of the world and values conveyed by dancing are mean little today due to the development
of science and means of communication.
2.
Dancing no longer helps keep peace and community
cohesion. People seldom go dancing to “blow off steam”. There are many other
activities to release stress and bond like gaming and social media.
3.
In capitalism, dances have been
commercialized. Like fashion and music, dances are products that are sensual,
light, and easy to attract consumers. Although commercially important, the modern
dances do not play any meaningful part in society.
4.
Dancing is not a popular entertainment in
modern society compared to movies or karaoke. Dances tied-up with a song or
anime come and go once in a while, no one remembering it five years later.
☆ Sample
for Ideas and Expressions
【Thesis】Although dancing has positive effects on individuals and
society, I don’t think dancing is worth more promotion, especially in terms of social
reform. TikTok dancers are not achieving a revolution.
【Supporting Details】In ancient times, dancing was functional
in organizing and enhancing movements with its hypnotizing effect. However, few
people dance regularly now, and dancers usually dance for fun, health, or
attention. In other words, they dance for personal purposes. Although cultures
like music, art, and dancing are closely related to social movements and dancing
helps strengthen the camaraderie and solidarity, most formalized cultures, including
dancing, end up being part of the status quo in the long run. Also, the power
of dancing is a double-edged sword. Used correctly, it can be a great booster of
a movement while it can be used to control people, as seen in dancing religion.
As far as I know, the vector of dancing is toward the latter. Promoting dancing,
therefore, can be useful not so much for reformers as for the authorities.
【Counterargument-treatment】The mental health effects of dancing that
Lucus mentions is remarkable, but there are many other choices for the same
purpose as a result of diversified interests, tastes, and lifestyles.
【Conclusion】Dancing
is an essential part of life, but it will not and should not be more
influential than now. Thus, it is unnecessary to promote it. (223 words)
Write your draft. Then read each other’s
draft, asking questions and making counterarguments.
DRAFT
