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| International Dance Day | |
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By NAOMI FAIK-SIMET INTERNATIONAL Dance Day is celebrated every year on April 29. International Dance Day is an activity of the International Dance Council (CID) which is the official umbrella organisation concerned with all forms of dance in all countries of the world. The CID was founded in 1973 within the UNESCO (United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) headquarters in Paris. The message for this year’s International Dance Day is aimed at governments, sponsors and the media. There is a need for the art of dance to be recognised by all sectors of the community at local, national and international levels. Activities to mark the day are aimed towards attracting attention to the practice of dance as an important art form. Dance forms an integral part of a society’s cultural and social life that contributes to human development. Dance performances play a vital role in the preservation and promotion of our heritage. The study and practice of dance is essential to the development of arts and culture in PNG. Government and educational institutions responsible for the safeguarding of our dances must support dance activities that promote the value and significance of dance as an important tool for cultural identity and expression. With the increase in technology and globalization, dance forms are threatened by change. We have to maintain our dance forms to keep our identity. By maintaining and preserving our dance forms we not only protect one aspect of our heritage but also the language, customs and oral history associated with them. These forms all contribute to our intangible cultural heritage. Some schools and tertiary institutions are encouraging their students to participate in cultural activities. Learning a particular dance from a certain culture has become part of their curriculum. This is evident in the increase in the number of school cultural shows held each year. The Education Department should be commended for their efforts in promoting cultural education in schools through such activities. The Theatre Arts Strand of the University of PNG is a tertiary institution that promotes creativity in dance forms. Students from this strand will put on dance performances at the University of PNG forum to mark the occasion. Time and space are the two main factors that contribute to changes in dance forms. Dance is also part of the creative arts in which movements are modified to suit new settings. However, each cultural group is responsible for their own dances and must take ownership of them. They must safeguard the use of their dances from exploitation. Existing legislation that protects, preserves and maintains Papua New Guinea’s dance forms are the National Cultural Commission Act 1994, PNG National Museum & Art Gallery Act 1992 and the Organic Law on Provincial Governments on Local Level Governments 1995. There are also international conventions that support the maintenance of dance forms. The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage protects the use of dances from exploitation and possible extinction. *The writer is a Dance Researcher with the Institute of PNG Studies. |
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