Kamil Kotarba
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The dance for successful diploma defence
20.06.2017
The master degree final work at the Academy of Fine Arts is a really serious business. That is why I decided to take it really seriously and do anything within my reach to make my defence successful. Unfortunately, my power was not sufficient and thus I wanted to receive help from force majeure.
For this purpose, during my defence of diploma, a success-assuring dance was performed. The group of five dancers performed twerking. The definition of twerking according to The Dictionary of Slang and Coloquial Speech reads: “Twerk or twerking is a kind of dance of erotic nature, performed mostly by women. It is performed in low-squatting stance with hands on thighs or reaching forward, simultaneously shaking buttocks up and down.”
Twerking is very much present in pop-culture, especially thanks to rap and pop music videos. However, it is not widely known that at its beginnings it was a tribal dance performed during religious ceremonies by African women. I have decided to use its original context, at the same time juxtaposing it with its contemporary edition.
For the performance, a special tune blending African rythms with dancehall and electonic music has been composed.
To make sure that the intention of the dance was well directed, the performers were wearing t-shirts with numbers which comprised my student ID number. There is no space for mistake.