Visual art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Visual art - Essay Example However, it is also evident that Spanish cinema has an increasingly international appeal with added creativity and dynamism than at any time in its history. Results released by the Spanish film board shows that Spanish films have grossed more than $143 million in 2013despite funding cuts that have been a result of austerity measures (Dennison 16). This is the best performance ever by the industry, which can be attributed, among other things, to the conscious attempts by the industry to appeal to a global audience base. Some of the best films I have watched in the last year include â€Å"The Impossible† that I believe is the best local Spanish film of all time, which earned an Oscar nomination. â€Å"I Want you† by Fernando Molina and â€Å"Tad, the Lost Explorer† were also local hits that gained international recognition in this period. These films also grossed $50 million, $15 million, and  million locally, while making double the amount globally, indicating a renaissance for the Spanish film industry (Dennison 34). This year has also begun brightly with â€Å"Mama† produced by Guillermo Toro and starring Jessica Chastain, which was also successful in the US, beginning its run in at the top of the box office. However, it is also important to note that these successful films began production over four years ago; mostly because of a decline in government, funding that was widely criticized in the Spanish media. The last year and half have been the most successful for the Spanish film industry according to the Spanish media, especially due to its simultaneous international and local appeal. For example, the four nominees at the GOYA awards this year for best picture, â€Å"Unit 7†, â€Å"The Artist and the Model†, â€Å"The Impossible†, and â€Å"Blancanieves†, were especially appealing to local audience as they tackled the theme of crisis, which has been emblematic of Spain in the last five years (Dennison 34). However, my interest in the Spanish

The Influence of Capoeira on Hip Hop Dance Forms Research Paper

The Influence of Capoeira on Hip Hop Dance Forms - Research Paper Example This Afro-Brazilian form is called capoeira, a game of movement in which the intent is to mimic fighting moves to outdo an opponent. Capoeira is uniquely suited for the origins of Hip Hop and aspects of it can be found throughout the culture. According to Emmett George Price, hip-hop evolved in the 1970’s as a reactionary cultural movement based on concepts that evolved from the civil rights movements of the 1960’s (1). Price says that the movement is considered to have begun in the Bronx in New York where the neighborhood had developed into an impoverished, gang-based culture that thrived through violence and criminal behavior (9). The gangs provided a sort of â€Å"family’ for the displaced youths that suffered from inadequacies of all types from low-quality nutrition, poor educational opportunities, and a bleak future outlook. Under the leadership of Afrika Bambaataa who rose to lead a gang named the Black Spades, an alternative to violent conflict between the gangs arose to fill the needs of the adversarial youths. Hip-hop developed from a need to find respect and honor without entering into a battlefield of bloodshed. Hip-hop culture developed through a need to find a way to save a culture from its own violent destruction. As ‘crews’ developed rap and movements intended to outdo rival groups, the appeal began to spread and become commercialized. Where the origins of the music developed for private purposes, the commercial potential began to find its way into the music industry. With the release of Sugar Hill’s Gang’s work titled â€Å"Rapper’s Delight†, the revolution of the music industry began. As the music industry developed, so did the dance associated with the music and the culture worked its way into mainstream American entertainment (Fitzgerald 42). Hip-hop is urban and global, a representation from the poor inner-city youth that has expanded into a multi-million dollar financial benefit.