Shaiyana Mendes

Dance as Art, Period 4

December 17th, 2010

Respect

“To respect a person is not possible without knowing him; care and responsibility would
be blind if they were not guided by knowledge.” - Erich Fromm
Respect is agreeing to disagree. Loving to embrace yourself, trust and honesty, trying to
understand someone’s viewpoint. Respect is not earned it’s given. It is like a boomerang you must
send it for it to be returned to you. I respect myself by knowing my sense of worth and what I‘m
capable doing in life. I walk to the beat of my own drum and knowing I can only be who I want
myself to be. I take pride in my accomplishments; strive for the best and not telling anyone
interfere with my morals. In my opinion my self-respect reflects on the amount of pride I carry.
Respecting and loving myself is one of the biggest aspects of my life.
The idea of encouragement also plays a role in my life. Encouragement is very life-
altering. Knowing that one of my achievements was noticed by someone makes me believe that I
have a chance at excelling at a goal I want to accomplish. In addition, giving encouragement to
others is also important. Giving someone simple words of encouragement can have an effect on
someone’s life. For instance, telling someone they’re smart, talented or they have a bright future
ahead of them etc., especially if the person lacks confidence. Giving someone support can open
the door to someone’s dream. If you see someone with great talent or capable of showing talent
let it be noticed and tell them. The good you give will come back to you in return but don’t let
that be your motivation. Do it because it makes you feel good. Without encouragement we would
feel alone in the world.
Aside, from respect and encouragement listening is an important factor in life. Listening
falls closely with respect. When you listen to someone you’re taking their feelings into
consideration. In order, to communicate successfully with a person you must listen. Listening is
more important than speaking. When you listen, you have a better understanding, and you build a
relationship. The only way to understand someone is to listen to them opinions, questions and
answers can be given at the end. Be aware of the problem before you open your mouth.
Sometimes, when someone trying to let their feelings and opinion out you shouldn’t even put
your input in just let them vent. Personally, listening is important in my life because when some
listens to me it let’s me know that my ideas are respected and not being ignored.
Dance should be respected as an art form in our society because it’s a form of expression
and tells stories through body movements. Several dances contain symbolic movements which
tell a story. When a dancer is on stage they are the paint brush and the stage is their canvas. In the
painting the dance can reveal many meanings. It can show heartbreak, pain, joy, etc. though the
movements. In dance you empress yourself artistically without saying any words, just like in a
painting where themes and motives are revealed. Therefore, dance should be respected as art in
our society because it has similar characteristics of a regular painting.
In a conclusion, that is the meaning of respect, and how support, encouragement, and
listening plays a role in my life. Also, how dance is respected as an form in society.