American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

East Meets West
Sanja Korman

Abstract: Western and Eastern dance styles have developed in their respective countries on their own, neither really influencing the other, but today the conjugation between Western and Eastern cultures is a phenomenon that the dance world is experiencing to the fullest. In dance, these cultures are so interwoven that sometimes it is hard to distinguish the influences of each culture and their characteristics. Although Western and Eastern dance styles may at first appear similar, particularly in modern dance, both areas of the world have vast differences in ideas about how to begin the movement, how to execute the movement, and what approaches to take in the creative process. This article describes the author's views on the interaction between the two realms.