Courtney Maxfield Dance 261 Orientation to Dance Writing Prompt 1.

1 The True Artist One of the most valued qualities expected of a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values ("Merriam-Webster Dictionary: An Encyclopedia Britannica Company"). Integrity in all things is essential to success, and should be a governing factor, especially for those whose lives are closely intertwined in the arts. Integrity is the quality of being complete, undivided, or unbroken. It is moral soundness, honesty and uprightness. But perhaps most importantly, integrity is the unity of purpose (Tanner). Unity of purpose for an artist, particularly a dancer, is essential. Dance, which is often considered to be a means of communication, loses its power of sincere expression when the performing artist has vacillating purposes for doing so. According to Martha Graham, the essence of dance is the expression of manthe landscape of his soul (Graham 67). If Grahams statement is true, how is it possible for a dancer to truly express himself without integrity? It is not. Without a purpose behind the dance, there is in my opinion, no reason to dance at all. Whether it is for performance, enjoyment, communication, movement for movements sake, or any other reason, there must be a reason for dancing. If there is no intention behind the dance, is it really a dance? Without a specific goal in mind for each dance that is performed, there is no power in the dancing. There is only meaningless movement. An example that comes to my mind is that of one of my acquaintances who joined a ballroom team. He was a dancer who was determined to attain satisfactory technical skill. Because of his hard work and determination, he quickly achieved his desired level of success.

However, once attaining his goal, his progress plateaued. He continued to dance, but never managed to surpass his current skill level. In a conversation I had with him several months ago, I asked him why he danced. The response he gave me both surprised and saddened me. He told me that he began to dance because that is the world in which he had found friends. He had then endeavored to become more proficient than his friends were at the time, proving himself to be a presentable dancer. Upon reaching his desired level of proficiency, he had then deemed it his duty to perform so that others might enjoy the sight of him dancing. But he himself did not enjoy dancing. He merely continued to do so because of his belief that everyone ought to share their talents with the world. Because of this belief that it was his duty to dance, rather than an actual love of dancing, this young man never progressed any further in his skill level and he eventually gave up dance altogether. Were his reasons for dancing wrong or misguided? Not necessarily. Everyone has different goals, and his artistic goals simply did not extend as far as the artistic goals of others. However his dancing was precisely the expression of himself, a landscape of his soul. He was expressing himself with true integrity, because as Martha Graham stated, movement never lies and ambition is not enough; necessity is everything (66-67). This young man danced very well, and to the extent his goal had desired. He did, in fact, express himself with integrity. How then, should artists infuse their dancing with power? In an address entitled Centering the Arts in Christ, Newell Dayley, dean of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, suggests to LDS artists that including the light of Christ in art will bring power to it (Dayley). Dayley states that the arts embody a unique learning process that awakens the very core of ones being to life and beauty. Artists dedicate their lives to the pursuit of beauty

and perfection, a goal that is shared by the LDS community in all aspects of life. Dayleys statement is true not only to the dedicated artist, but also to the casual participant. It has been observed that music has a direct influence the mind, spirit, and behavior (Wixom). From the kind of music people listen to when getting ready for a party, to the kind chosen for a more sedate evening, even casual participants to the arts instinctively know what kind of music to turn on for the purpose of enhancing their mood. For the dancer, merely hearing the first notes of a piece immediately awakens all their senses. Their minds and bodies are suddenly acutely aware of the rhythms, tempos, and energy of the music. This awakening is from deep inside, from our souls, perhaps coming from our spirits memory of Christ from behind the veil of our knowledge. Truth exists beyond belief and is found in all things good (Uchtdorf). It is uplifting and it brings joy (Bednar). For the dancer, joy is sensed in the first notes of music; it is given expression as that joy flows through the body in the form of movement. It is as a dancer begins to express his joy through movement that he also begins to celebrate the wonder of the human body. It is a miracle. And the dance is a celebration of that miracle (Graham, 67). Members of the LDS faith believe the human body to be a gift from God. As Elder Russell M. Nelson stated, We are dual beings. Each soul is comprised of body and spirit, both of which emanate from God. It is a sacred garment (Graham, 68). It is through creative expression that this marvelous gift from God is celebrated (Maxwell). Creativity is a continuation of the feeling of life and beauty of dance. It is what expresses truth of heart and soul; it shares beauty. Dance and creativity is the cultivation of the being (Graham, 67), a response to truth and beauty (Maxwell). We find ourselves, not only through

creative processes, but also in the end result (Maxwell). This concept is beautifully phrased in the lyrics of a popular song by Avicii:

Feeling my way through the darkness Guided by a beating heart I cant tell where the journey will end, But I know where to start. They tell me Im too young to understand. They say Im caught up in a dream. Well life will pass me by if I dont open up my eyes

All this time I was finding myself, And I didnt know I was lost.

Creativity is a process which results in the discovery of the soul, the revelation of self. It is also the method through which the story of a soul is told with all the tragedy, bitterness, and sweetness of living (Graham, 67). It is venturing into the unknown, which is what a dancer does (Graham, 67), and it becomes an opportunity to pull from the life-light within and translate it into a visual, tactile creation that is felt, experienced and shared. Life-light, governed by principles within each performer is what dictates how each piece of art is created, where a dancers movements come from. These closely-held principles are what give the dance its inherent integrity, because and Martha Graham stated, movement never lies (66). If it is impossible to lie with movement, how is it that that same integrity that is considered inherent to movement itself can be removed or diminished? Perhaps a method for destroying the integrity of movement is determined by the selection of music. Because music

directly affects the light within us. When that light is extinguished, talent and training will still create a skillful dance, but it will always lack the fulfillment of life and beauty. It will become shallow, and an instant gratification for an emotional need which ends with the final beat. Creativity without values will not foster a continuation of joy, nor demonstrate integrity and adherence to the values which promote light and truth. To the contrary, it will encourage the promulgation of deprecating thoughts and ideas. Such creations, without reliance on moral values, are, according to Newell Dayley, of the devil, and are carried out for the praise of men rather than completed for the praise of God. Each piece of creativity will be felt by the community in which it was created. To the artist who understands this, the weight of the ethical responsibility to leave a lasting influence is great. And it is the true artist who comprehends that to leave such a lasting impression, remaining true to his or her own moral principles and values is a necessity. For what is not based in truth and sincerity will not last, and it is the responsibility of each to know truth (Uchtdorf), and the responsibility of each artist to perform such works that exemplify the values they hold dear. It is imperative for an artist to examine his or her goals because what they leave behind will indeed be a landscape of the soul, a true expression of the values they hold most dear. When a work of art has its foundation in the very essence of truth, that truth will be felt by every witness. Integrity of purpose, and remembrance of the responsibility to know truth will awaken and spread the joy of life and beauty throughout the world.

Works Cited Avicii, , perf. "Wake Me Up." 2013. Radio. <http://www.metrolyrics.com/wake-me-up-lyricsavicii.html>. Bednar, David A.. "Be Honest." BYU-Idaho Devotional. Sep 2002. Rexburg: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2002. Web. 18 Jan. 2014. <https://www.lds.org/newera/2005/10/be-honest?lang=eng>. Dayley, K. Newell. "Speeches--Centering the Arts in Christ." Brigham Young University. Brigham Young University, 06 Mar 2001. Web. 18 Jan 2014. <http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=264>. Graham, Martha. I Am a Dancer. 1952. 66-68. Print. "Integrity- Definition." Merriam-Webster Dictionary: An Encyclopedia Britannica Company. Merriam-Webster, 2014. Web. 18 Jan 2014. <http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/integrity>. Maxwell, Neal A. "Creativity." New Era. Aug 1982: n. page. Web. 19 Jan. 2014. <https://www.lds.org/search?lang=eng&query=neal+a+maxwell+creativity>. Nelson, Russell M. "We are Children of God." Ensign. Oct 1998: n. page. Web. 18 Jan. 2014. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1998/10/we-are-children-of-god?lang=eng>. Tanner, N. Eldon. "General Conference- Integrity." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, April 1977. Web. 18 Jan 2014. <https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1977/04/integrity?lang=eng>. Uchtdorf, Dieter F.. "What is Truth." CES Devotional. 14 Jan 2013The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2014. <http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/print/ces-devotionals/2013/01/what-istruth?lang=eng>. Wixom, Rosemary M. "The Influence of Music." Liahona. Sep 2013: n. page. Web. 18 Jan. 2014. <http://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/09/youth/the-influence-ofmusic?lang=eng&query=influence+of+music>.