Trelon Smith

Before learning what i learned in dance i didn’t think dance was more than just having fun. Leadership, context, and reflection. This class has already taught me a lot and leadership stuck out the most to me. Leadership plays a big role in dance and that’s why i chose to interview my friend barkley to see if they noticed how leadership work whitin in dance, and to find out how much dance and leadership changed over the years. I’ve been knowing barkley for a few months now and he has helped me plenty of times since i’ve known him so i felt comfortable asking him to sit down and do this interview. Barkley is a retired 17 year professional swimmer who is now in the army here at the university of arizona state. Barkley is 24 years old and is from Houston, Texas. During the interview i asked about his background in dance or music and he simply replied that as a kid he was involved in Hip-Hop dance. Hip hop was something that ran deep in his family. Barkley described leadership as being a huge role in hip hop dancing, listening to instructions and paying attention to dance moves was a big part of his experience with dance.

 

Dance was a big part for both him and his community as well, people would come together for major events such as sports, and business events just to dance it played a huge role in every event. And it was a lot fun. He said that dance brought the best out of both the people and the community as a whole. I asked barkley a few more questions about leadership as it related to dance during his time as a kid, he explained that hip hop there were leaders. A leader who lead all the dance performaces, the would be located in the front leading the others.

 

After talking about his community i went on to ask if he’s personally noticed any change in leadership throughout the years in general, he replied yes there are more events and more people dancing now as before it wasn’t so many. Then i asked how dance changed since he was my age (19). Barkley explained how there are more styles and body movement involved now than before. Just like the newer music, it’s faster and more up beat rather than the older beats from back in the day. Overall barkley taught me a lot about hip hop dancing and how leadership is used in dance and music. He helped me understand how dance changed both people and communities from houston texas and just how much dance changed over the time he has grown up.