In what ways does dance transgress racial and social norms through Save the Last Dance and Hairspray? This is the question asked throughout the essay. The two films compared are Thomas Carter's 2001 dance film, Save The Last Dance, and Adam Shankman's 1960s-inspired film, Hairspray (2007). By definition, transgression is an act that goes against a law, rule or code of conduct. Although these films take place several decades apart, one in the early 2000s, while the second is set in the early 60s, topics and themes such as racism and class identification occupy an important place in both films. Through not only the films mentioned above, but also different film studies sources that discuss the dance styles featured in the films that shaped the society of that era, and historical pieces that provide insight into the different dance styles and how they were born. have become giant influences not only of that era but also of today. Based on the information provided in this essay, both films show how these different dance styles can transgress racial and social norms. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay To fully understand how the different dance styles shape the society around it in each film, one must take into consideration the history behind these different dances and how they started and inspired the stories of these films. In Save The Last Dance (2001), the dominant dance style is hip-hop. Hip-hop originated in the 1970s Bronx, New York and was heavily focused on performing to different beats and was most popular at house parties and various outdoor block parties. The best example of this is written in an article from The History Channel stating: "...in 1973, at a birthday party in the recreation room of an apartment building in the west Bronx, New York...l man who presided over this historic celebration. was the birthday girl's brother, Clive Campbell, better known to history as DJ Kool Herc, founding father of hip hop (History.com). "It was a popular cultural movement within the black and Latino community, meaning at that time it was given a reputation as being for the lower class. This new wave of dance was such a shift cultural because it was not just a style of dance, it included a series of different elements that created a whole atmosphere four different practices that accompany Hip-Hop: Breaking, Culture, Aerosol Art and Rapping. At a time when the popular dances were "The Hustle", "The Bump" and "The Funky Chicken Dance", the Breaking became such a culture shock for everyone. were created in response to the song of that era, for example, "The Hustle" was made popular from Van McCoy's song of the same title. The first hip hop record is considered to be "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang. , from 1979. Although this song is not associated with a specific dance, it was the first song that introduced rap and was a game changer for hip-hop. . In the film Hairspray (2007), the majority of dance moves are directly inspired by the 1960s for an accurate representation of that era. In the story, it was a continuation of the 1950s, which was about enjoying life after the end ofthe Second World War. Some of the popular dances of this era are the mashed potato, the pony, and the hitchhiking. One of the most controversial dances of the era is The Twist. At that time, many parents did not want their child to dance this way because it involved a lot of movement of the lower half of their body, much like the way Elvis Presley danced in the 1950s, which drew the main of his inspiration in this way. he left his childhood in the ghettos behind. Many adults of that era were disgusted by him and his movements, which caused a division between adult and child. Shortly after, in the early 1960s, it was also the beginning of the civil rights movement, which inspired many African Americans to stand up for their rights not only as human beings, but also as Americans. . In the article Revisiting the Roots of 1960s Civil Rights Activism: Class and Gender in "Up South", Lisa Levenstein describes the movement as "the efforts of African Americans to reclaim their 'Americanness' and achieve equality under the law as well as their attempts to celebrate their distinct heritage and control independent institutions (Levenstein. “388”)” Knowing that this political change was taking place at this time shows that there could have been even more separation between this. who was considered "black culture", and why such dance moves from that era were only associated with them and were frowned upon by others. Thus, hip-hop and dances of the 1960s created major cultural changes and have greatly inspired today's society, including the films that will be discussed. in the following paragraphs. Each dance style depicted in these two films not only created a stereotype of who dances each style, but also created an entire setting around it and an atmosphere so specific to each style. In Save The Last Dance, Sara Johnson, played by Julia Stiles, is an experienced ballet dancer living in the Chicago suburbs and auditioning for the Prestige New York City Arts School, Juliard. After her mother dies, she moves to the South Side of Chicago with her father and things are very different around her. The new school Johnson is currently attending appears to be mostly people of color with only a few white people, something she was not used to at her old high school. Chenille, a single mother who happens to be another girl in Johnson's class, befriends her. Chenille loves hip-hop like all the other students at their school. Johnson then meets Derek, Chenille's brother, who teaches Sara how to dance hip-hop and shed the precision of ballet. Throughout the film, the characters go to nightclubs and practice their hip-hop dancing while engaging in physical fights and others judge Johnson for immersing herself in their culture. It is evident here that each dance style is associated with its own stereotypes and social norms. Ballet takes on the appearance of an upscale dance style, dominated by upper-class white dancers. This style of dance is precise and is usually taught in a dance studio in a step-by-step format. Hip-hop is presented as a dance aimed at the lower classes and may be performed in nightclubs and underground scenes, usually by people perceived to be of lower classes. This style of dance is very different from ballet because it contains freestyle elements and uses more expression through their movements. Hairspray is another film that shows how a person's dance style can inform others about where they come from and who they are inas a person. Tracy Turnblad, played by Nikki Blonsky, lives in Baltimore and attends high school with other white people. Every day after school, she and her best friend, Penny Pinglton, played by Amanda Bynes, rush home to watch The Corny Collins Show. This show is something that regular students can audition for and if one of them is chosen, they become regulars on the show. The program, once again, is completely blank. Everyone in front of and behind the screen, of course, every month they have “Negro Day”. Most of the dances Turnblad knew before meeting Seaweed, an African American, were The Twist and Mashpotatoe, which were popular moves for common people of the time. Until Turnblad is sent to definition, where she meets Seaweed and all her other friends. There, she learns to dance with the seaweed, learning all their steps, and Tracy has never felt more alive. Once Turnblad tries to imitate their dancing style on television, the style becomes overtly sexual to the audience. This causes a huge uproar but also a giant cultural shift, because no one on the show ever suggested combining black and white culture and, as Tracy Turnblad says, "Making the daily nigger day!" ". Each of these films has different dancing and dancing styles. different social classes which are major themes in both storylines. In Save The Last Dance, Johnson is scrutinized for learning the style of breakdancing and the culture that accompanies hip-hop, as it is something she is unfamiliar with. His peers also find this shocking as it is rare for white people to go to these nightclubs with them and dance among them, as well as the fact that Johnson is from a wealthy neighborhood and has a background in ballet considered like a high level. -class dance style. This film breaks boundaries because it shows how someone can master both dance styles and through Sarah and Derek's interracial relationship. Many characters in the film are against their relationship, which is quite similar to people who like ballet versus hip-hop or vice versa. As she tries to find her identity, she realizes that the best way to achieve her goals and be satisfied with herself is to embrace her past but also draw inspiration from her present. As noted in Melissa Blanco Borelli's Oxford Handbook of Dance and the Popular Screen, "...Save the Last Dance both negotiates the promise of transgression and simultaneously removes its political possibility [...] By aggressively breaking away from refined and retained. attributed to well-disciplined corps de ballet, and in particular to female bodies, hip-hop can offer a dancing transgression (Borelli. “170”). hip-hop creates a diverse routine and, in the end, helps him get into the program. It's also a nod to her relationship with Derek saying that even though they are opposites with different upbringings, they will always succeed together. In Hairspray, the transgression is shown specifically at the end of the film. Throughout the film, Turnblad stands up for people of color who do not have a proper voice to defend themselves. Since her first meeting with Seaweed in detention, she realizes that he and the other black dancers should have more than one day a month because they are as talented as everyone else. Tracy Turnblad begins to cause a lot of controversy on The Corny Collins show because she wants to integrate black and white culture, leading to Negro Day being canceled altogether. She then begins to demonstrate in the streets for their rights and receives an arrest warrant against her for having attacked a police officer. Knowing that the civil rights movement..