Essay On Performing Arts

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The immigrants and migrants faced many obstacles before and after the 20the century and music and dance was a way to get over struggles and move over the obstacles they were experiencing. Performance and performing arts was seen as a way to create a sense of modern, urban identity and social belonging. This will be discussed in this essay and many examples will be included. Many obstacles were faced during this period which included pass laws where black people couldn’t walk around the city if they didn’t have their passbooks and if they were caught without them they would be in trouble. The black people were treated as inferior and they couldn’t have elite jobs which meant they had no way of making a living (Coplan, 2007) During the 19th century the black people were harassed by the police and rejected by society (Coplan, 2007:79). They experienced racial segregation and discrimination and so they created communities where they could identify with one another which included singing and dancing (Coplan, 2007:2). Performing was a way to gain control and gain autonomy as the black people came together to perform. “Living amidst the homes, churches, schools, taverns, mine compounds, servants’ quarters, concert halls, recording studios, and…show more content…
Performing arts was seen as a culture and as a way to make city life for the black people easier (Coplan, 2007). Many Africans didn’t have access to performance halls and theatres and so they took part in underground clubs which allowed them to perform. Performance played a major role in putting an end to segregation with the migrants living in South Africa as communities were developed from the music for example regular dance competitions began as alternatives to fighting and drinking (Coplan,

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