Assignment 1 Blog "And What They Wore"

                                           How Do Clothing and Dancing Go Hand and Hand?

When I think of historical dancers and clothing I think of Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley.  I think that these two artists paved the way for our entertainment world today. I think that the clothing and dance a performer chooses can go along with the mood and rhythm of performance. We all have our own style in clothing and in music. I think dancing and wardrobe go hand in hand because is an expression of the artist. Sometimes we wear things because of a trend. Sometimes our apparel is our voice and expression of art without saying a word. I think these two artists had a good hand on clothing and dance. They had their own self possession in performing.

 Michael Jackson for instance he wore flashy jackets with sparkling glitter (which I think set the mood) and one white glove? He also wore a hat and used it as one of his dancing tools. The clothes he wore not only set a new look to the modern age but it also fit with the rhythm and plot of the music. In his hit single “Smooth Criminal” music video. He wore a white suit, blue shirt, black tie, khaki pants, black shoes and his traditional hat. He blended his style in with the plot of the song. Michael was a performer and an artist. I think Michael Jackson would pull the attention of his audience in with his clothing and then he would start to dance and you would be hooked. I could never see Michael singing any one of his songs and not getting his grove on. His style in wardrobe defiantly went hand in hand with his term. He was a performer. He had a beauty of form. The audience was always in tune with his dancing and I think his clothing was an added bonus.

 Elvis Presley also set the manner for clothing and dancing. Elvis Presley was thought to be the devil in his day, because of his style and way of dancing. I think Elvis Presley was misunderstood as a performer. His style was so different from all other singers in his time; he broke all the rules and made a statement by his expression of emotion. I think Elvis was a great natural dancer. He wore flashy loud clothes like tight leather, suit, and half button down shirts. Elvis even had his own big hair. I think his closely related styles go along with today’s genres. I think Elvis and Michael had their own taste in music and style, never boring. I think both of these artists started a trend in music and clothing that you see a lot of today. Elvis wasn’t afraid to perform his own style in dance and clothing. That is what made him a true artist. You could tell when Elvis was singing and dancing he was in touch with his own approval. I think we have come along ways in the performance world. It is normal to make a spark in the clothing and dancing world today. This is a new age of performance wither it be Folk, Rock-n-Roll, Jazz, R&B, or Classical. It will be very interesting to see what the future will hold for Dancing and Clothing in the performance world.

Austin Minton