Wylie. p1. t6. contemporary

Pop culture can be described as the “mainstream” or appeals of the younger generation that the majority of the population shares. Pop culture is a view not typically held by religious organizations and groups that represent traditional aspects of society. For example, a pop culture dance of the contemporary period can be described as “loose”. It incorporates more freestyle movements that connect “mind, body and soul” into fluid movements. This can be seen in contemporary dance styles that don’t follow “rules”, like in traditional ballets and other dances. Hip-hop, for example, can be considered a pop culture dance because it represents this. Pop-culture music also embodies this definition because it is also rather interpretive, with no traditional chord progressions or “rules”. Much of the pop-culture music of the contemporary era is hip-hop and R&B which has no real structure although there are repetitive chords and sounds. Contemporary string orchestras as well embody pop culture because they incorporate non-traditional instruments and sometimes don’t use the traditional instruments how they’re supposed to. Some contemporary pieces, for example, use the wood side of the violin bow instead of the hair side. As far as art is concerned, pop culture art is almost like post-modern art, incorporating the metaphorical “means more than it seems” Andy Warhol essence; no traditional face portraits with minute detail or cubism, but instead splashes of color and solid objects that have more underline meaning. The contemporary era is a time of breaking away from traditional ties and becoming more “natural”, so to speak. It’s about becoming more fluid between art expression and self. A constant theme of pop culture and this era is the idea of “no rules”, and a phenomenon that the majority of society embraces because it is becoming more common to break free of traditions and harness self expression and individualism. 

-Team Waka

Lillie Moffett, Lauren Wakabayashi, Nicole Lussier, Sooji Hong