Digital humanities is an extremely important resource; it is a place that holds the treasures of the past, telling us our history and where we came from. It is an extensive database filled with information about art, architecture, literature, dance, music, and more. Because of the current generation's widespread internet access, this field has undergone a significant digital transformation. This not only allows the database to contain an abundance of information, but it also gives this generation the ease of researching and exploring different cultures' rich history. Digital humanities allow us to travel back in time to see how our ancestors created and developed our cultures, seeing the origins of the development we have now.
At first, I thought the process of creating this project was going to be long and tedious, but to my pleasant surprise, I truly enjoyed the research and creativity I was able to express, even though it was a bit tedious. This project taught me not only how to explore and express my creativity, but also how to create a webpage. Through my research for this project, I have found that I was taught incorrectly as a child. When I was younger, I was taught that ballet originated from France; however, through my research, I learned that it originated from the Italian courts during the 15th century. Learning this has taught me once again not to take everything I learn at face value, but to further research it on my own and draw my own conclusions. This course has allowed me to explore the beauty of architecture, art, literature, religion, dance, and music, expanding the knowledge already present. It has taught me to think and challenge the knowledge I had previously acquired before taking this course.
Ballet has a rich history rooted in beauty, experimentation, strength, athleticism, and more recently, self-expression. The ballet and dance world as a whole has become more inclusive, seeking ways to better incorporate society. Ballet has been used to display grandeur with rich, elaborate costumes and to explore stories with a wide range of emotions. It has evolved to reflect the opinions of different generations. Today, I feel as though people have lost their connection to the arts; I believe this disconnection reveals a lot about our society. Currently, pursuing a career in the arts is very difficult due to high expenses, limited opportunities, and the emotional and physical toll it takes on the body. In general, this course has taught me about how much I care about the world. From learning about the architecture of Gothic Cathedrals and the Teotihuacan temples, to the religions of different cultures, to lessons in literature, it has been reinforced how much beauty and goodness are in this world. That is in part why I chose to talk about ballet, with its rich history in beauty and traditions. In tracing ballet’s evolution, from the gilded courtly origins to its modern embrace of individuality and inclusivity, I’ve come to see how deeply humanities preserves not only our history but also our humanity; I now have a greater appreciation and understanding for humanities, and I am grateful I can experience it with the ease of it being digital.