Indisposable Art by Mariko

Indisposable Art by Mariko - August 2017 Scholarship Essay

Performing Arts have been the center of my life for as long as I can remember. Dance has always been my source of healing and now my voice for activism, speaking through my movement. Spoken Word and poetry have also expanded my perception of the world and the people living in it. The Arts have inspired me to give back to my community and speak up whenever I want change. However as we are now in the age of media and technology, the Arts and its history are slowly deteriorating from society itself. If I was a college professor, I would teach Dance/Art History because I would like to teach the future generations what I have learned through my mentors and experiences, and I strongly feel that Arts education is not disposable.
These past couple of years, I have been blessed to be able to have the opportunities to be taught by inspirational teachers who do more than just teach technique, they also push us to use our dancing as a voice of activism and strength. I was lucky enough to be able to go to the UCLA Dance Program Summer Institute, and it’s an understatement to say it was a life changing experience. Before the intensive, Dance was just a hobby. I loved to dance but never really knew how to take it a step further (excuse the pun) and use my technique to empower others and spread my voice for change and peace. Learning from amazing teachers who were passionate about their form of Dance really inspired me to greatly consider Dance as a career and to teach the future generations about Dance and its history as well. This Summer Intensive opened my eyes to a whole new world of Dance and its endless possibilities and now it is my responsibility to hone the techniques and knowledge I acquired from my mentors and use it to better the community around me.
I believe no matter who you are, the Arts are a very important source whether it may be for healing or to discover the history of a certain type of Dance. As our society gets more and more engulfed technology and overwhelmed by the influence of the main stream media, we lose sight of the importance of Art and its beauty. These days, Dance competitions are mostly, if not totally, dependent on gymnastic ability and flexibility. Although these two components are necessary, it is crucial to know the history of the certain Dance and realize the emotions, pain or pride, that it comes from. The superficiality of how many tricks you can do or how far your leg goes, takes away from deep and complex meaning behind each dance. I believe that the feeling must drive you throughout the movements and without that, you will not do the dance the justice it deserves. The beauty of the Arts not only comes from its emotion but its long and complex history. Most types of Dance have been passed on through many generations and new additions are created all the time. It is amazing see how types of Dance, such as Postmodern, Hip Hop, and Hawaiian, have evolved throughout history due to the different attitudes, passions, and situations of the varying generations. This passing on the traditions of generations that came before us cannot die with us. The Arts have always helped people get through their tough times and also were created as a type of celebration and social gathering.
It would be an honor to teach Dance/Art History to the future generations because I think it is a crucial part of our society and heritage. Having been exposed to incredible mentors that have supported me and opened my eyes, gives me a calling to do the same with the generations to follow. I remember this quote from a shirt that has really touched me deep within and something I now live by: “Arts Education is not disposable… in fact it is the answer.”