It just struck me that while Western culture represents dance from African traditions that draws on animal movement as "savage" and "animalistic," movement in the martial arts - primarily from Asian traditions - which also draws on animal movement is not characterised that way. Even though movement that is both a fighting style as well as (often) a meditative art has potentials for violence that dance doesn't. Because white Western culture has a different set of stereotypes for describing Asian culture.
I haven't seen enough Western comment on/representation of the fighting styles developed in Central and South America from a fusion of African and American Aboriginal traditions to know if they are more likely to be characterised as savage, primitive or animalistic.
no subject
It just struck me that while Western culture represents dance from African traditions that draws on animal movement as "savage" and "animalistic," movement in the martial arts - primarily from Asian traditions - which also draws on animal movement is not characterised that way. Even though movement that is both a fighting style as well as (often) a meditative art has potentials for violence that dance doesn't. Because white Western culture has a different set of stereotypes for describing Asian culture.
I haven't seen enough Western comment on/representation of the fighting styles developed in Central and South America from a fusion of African and American Aboriginal traditions to know if they are more likely to be characterised as savage, primitive or animalistic.
But it wouldn't surprise me if they were.