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Thursday, January 30, 1997

By Stephanie Sheh

Daily Bruin Contributor

ocated in a city where cultures from all over the world merge, UCLA prides itself on its diversity. But students don't have to rely on sociology and political science classes to learn about other cultures.

Most college dance departments focus on traditional jazz, classical ballet and modern dance. But when UCLA renamed the department World Arts and Cultures (WAC) several years ago in an effort to broaden and diversify its scope, it opened up a new future for dance and new possibilities for students. Today, the changes are resonating throughout the halls of the dance building and the campus as a whole.

"The UCLA dance department decided to change its course in looking toward the future," reveals Ben Hernandez, who teaches Dance of Mexico. "After you define all the cultures you then integrate all the dance needs of the people of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is a location that is multicultural. So all of the styles of dance provide the opportunity for all these people to come together. The department is looking forward by integrating the society by means of an art form."

Liliana de Leon-Torsiellol, Flamenco and Dance of Spain instructor, agrees with Hernandez and is glad to see these changes at UCLA. "I think UCLA's (dance department) offers more world classes than any other program in the United States that I know of," says de Leon-Torsiellol. "I have taught at Arizona State University, Pomona College, Cypress College and here at UCLA. And UCLA has the most variety of world dance teachers."

Movement toward world dance not only signals a changing view in academic dance, but it reflects changing ideas about the world. These different ways of seeing dance also reflect the United States' movement from a melting pot to what many now call a salad bowl.

"The concept of the melting pot is no longer accessible," Hernandez says. "It's not functional at this time, because although we see that we live in one society, we still want to maintain our own traditions. We come home and like to eat our own foods. And by experiencing other people's cultures we become more knowledgeable. All this makes our society more healthy."

According to Hernandez, exploring world dance not only enhances our understanding of other cultures, but it helps make better dancers. A ballet-focused dancer may consider an Indian dance class unnecessary, yet taking this type of ethnic dance class proves beneficial in many ways.

"It may open them up to a different form of moving," explains de Leon-Torsiellol, "a different vocabulary in their body that they are not used to exploring. Plus in this day and age, when we're living in Los Angeles, in such a mixed, cultured city, it makes it sometimes easier to understand a whole culture."

First-year M.F.A. choreography student Sen Hea Ha, an instructor of the Dance of Korea class agrees. "It's like learning the Korean body language. If you go to a (different) country people just look different. It is their body language. It's the same thing as learning a different culture, learning a vocabulary with body rather than speaking."

The concept of learning a new language has intrigued many UCLA dancers. Hernandez says that you'll find many classical ballet and jazz dancers in an African dance class because they are interested in learning a form of expression that is both new and universal.

Ha points out, "People in different areas express (themselves) in different ways. In a way, you can see the connection between ballet and Korean dance. There is a connection. There are different outfits or different styles of clothing, but inside they have the same bonds and feelings."

On the pragmatic side, Hernandez brings up the notion that knowing world dance is viable to a dancer's economic future. "How many jobs can they get that specializes in jazz here in L.A. or in California?" Hernandez says. "But if a person has information about dances from Korea or dances from Mexico as well as classical ballet and jazz, this person will have more opportunities to serve their community."

For the non-dancer, these benefits may not mean much, but they too can enjoy the classes in a broader cultural sense. The number of non-dance majors in the world dance classes prove this.

"We do have a lot of students that are not dance majors," Hernandez admits. "This is wonderful because we can see these people are open-minded and that they want to experience a cultural expression by means of trying something that is unfamiliar to them by doing something that is challenging.

"They have to learn a new language. In this case, it is the language of movement. They are not familiar with it and these people deserve a lot of credit, because they are going out of their comfort zone."

For those who want a casual taste of foreign dance, there are free recreation classes in African Dance and Flamenco, and there is also the International Folk Dance Club. Most undergraduate world dance classes in the WAC department are also accessible, although some require an audition or instructor's consent. However, generally a strong dance background is not a prerequisite.

"I think most people that never had any dancing do well in class if they work hard at it and they commit," de Leon-Torsiellol says. "But if you're the kind of person that's really insecure or if you get frustrated too quickly, I think dance classes might frustrate you because you have to be willing to fail every day and just eventually succeed at the end of the class. You don't succeed every step of the way, because you're learning new steps that somebody's giving you."

Part of the secret to the WAC department's success is the high caliber of instructors teaching world dance. In supplement to the regular instructors, every so often the department brings accomplished dancers to teach a master class. For example, last quarter world-renowned Flamenco dancer Maria Benitez taught a master class.

Although the first-rate dance instructors definitely play a role in the department's success, de Leon-Torsiellol humbly suggests that the students also have a positive impact on the department. She says, "Since I've taught at different places, I always appreciate my students everywhere I teach. But I've found a very incredible level of students at UCLA."

"I feel that the students at UCLA are really hungry for good teachers, I don't mean hungry like they've been starved," de Leon-Torsiellol reveals. "I really appreciate the students at UCLA because their energy, their effort and their focus is really admirable. And it makes me a better teacher for it. The department has a wonderful atmosphere. For all of us teachers that are there, it's very welcoming.."

Students

participate in a World Arts and Cultures Korean dance class. The UCLA dance department, which is one of the most comprehensive in the nation,

encompasses diverse forms and styles of dance from a broad range of cultures all over the world.

JAMIE SCANLON-JACOBS

Instructor Sen Hea Ha (l.) leads students in a Korean dance class.