Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
individuals in it. Groups may either suppress or amplify given modes of
behavior. Groups of strangers may suppress individual behavior, resulting
in conforming to what passes as a given norm. Groups of like-minded
individuals, particularly those that know one another, may result in those
norms being accepted by a wider society and breaking down, to be replaced
by behavior that would be considered a norm by and for that group.
Action within a group often displays a dynamic that has fluidity as certain
activities move throughout the group and are shared among group members.
However, this is not true of all actions or all groups. Not all members of a
group necessarily take part in actions either together or to the same degree or
even at all; there is often a clearly discernible pecking order. This is as true for
some groups of people as it is for some groups of animals.
It is interesting to observe the way that actions flow throughout a group,
instigated by an individual and with others in the group subsequently
responding. Such actions may pass from one group member to another in
turn or then result in group collaborative action. The exact nature of the
action will obviously vary a great deal, but the action does flow throughout
the group.
Collaborative effort presents an opportunity for another area of study.
Working as a team may involve people with the same physical attributes
and skills or may involve individuals with different skills who are working
toward a common goal. Consider team games with players taking different
team roles, each of them making a specific and often unique contribution to
the group.
Dance and Choreography
Dance is a rather distinctive form of performance that clearly entails a degree
of acting on the part of the dancers. During a dance, individuals take on the
role of dancer, which is outside of everyday activity, though the act of dancing
may relate very closely to everyday activities. The reasons behind dancing
are almost as varied as the number of dance styles; it may be ceremonial
or linked to cultural, religious, or social traditions. Dance, along with music,
may be seen as an art form through which cultural identity is expressed.
There can't be a single society on the planet that does not have both dance
and music as a central part of its cultural heritage. As a nonverbal form of
communication, dance may be used to tell stories, to demonstrate feelings
toward one another, or to reinforce social structures or groupings. Dance may
involve large groups of people or it may be a solo event undertaken by one
individual. In this instance it may be a way of establishing that the individual
concerned belongs to a specific group or used as a way of identifying an
allegiance with a group. For some communities, the dance of an individual or
group takes on a ritualistic nature and provides a way of connecting with the
spiritual aspects of the wider society, serving a very real and important role for
