The End is Near

The time has come: the final blog. This entire blog has been for an English class, and now a few questions must be answered...

1- What kind of mind are you?

Personally I think that I fit under the respectful mind and the synthesizing mind. The respectful mind describes one who "welcomes differences between opinions and seeks to work effectively with them" and I think I have displayed this trait in my various posts concerning different views of jazz and in the comments I have made on other blogs. The Synthesizing mind portrays a person that "takes information from various sources and evaluates objectively and then puts it together in order to make sense" which I think describes how my post function. I took many different ideas such as art and dance and dress and connected them to an overall picture of jazz.

2- List three exemplified traits

I have: Experimented with new ideas though my exploration in topics I previously knew little about, such as jazz dance or art. Additionally I have Exhibit curiosity through my encouragement of having readers comment their favorite music ans, thoughts, etc. I think simply by looking at many different aspects of jazz also implies curiosity. And finally, I feel I exhibit Reading with awareness of self and others when I post blogs with a positive and open mind; none of my post condemn other types of music or opinion.

3-What have you realized or learned that surprised you most after developing your blog?

Honestly, I think one of the most surprising things I learned through this project was the amount of self-pride created among my peers. The amount of blogs that reeked of self-importance was appalling. I believe I succeeded in focusing on the topic rather than making my post a monologue of my egotistical thoughts. I also learned more about how the jazz of the past has influenced modern jazz and many aspects of life.

Coming to a Town Near You

When comparing modern jazz and the jazz of the past, nothing much has changed concerning actual dance hall dances. It seems today, that most jazz and swing dances today simply try to capture the fun and lively atmosphere of the past dance halls. Indiana has its own home to an enchanting dance hall: the Fountain Square Theater. This building is home to an awesome block with plenty of activities celebrating the Jazz Era of the Past; however, the Friday Night Swing Dancing is the true jewel of the area. These Friday nights include lessons to dance and a live band for hours. Just watching is exciting, with the era-dressed dancers and the talented couples twirling on the floor. For those of us who love the jazz and swing era, it is the perfect way to travel to a time of real music and simplistic joy.

Information of this lovely event can be found here: http://www.fountainsquareindy.com/theatre/index.asp

I would personally encourage anyone to partake in these unique and fun evening.

Worth More Than a Thousand Words

Another element of the jazz aura is artwork. Music and and dance capture the heart and soul of jazz, and this artwork preserves that feeling. These artist transform paints and colors into the innermost images of the mind. This art is a...art. A true talent to say the least.

One of the artist I have found and enjoy is RJ Hohimer who describes his works as similar to Van Gogh and Gauguin. Personally, I think he uses simple images to enhance emotions portrayed in the image.


This painting of Hohimer reflects what I think of when I think of jazz: Fellowship, finding joy in the simple things of life, and obviously music. I love how the aura of the painting allows one to almost hear the music of the captured instruments.

This chalk drawing represents the more abstract elements of jazz artwork. And finally, this really neat photograph is a neat image of jazz.

Enjoy! If you know any other cool works, feel free to let me know.