senior project research paper

i have this so far for my senior project research paper, and i need a conclusion about half a page long. any ideas?

When someone says the word “dance,” we think of little girls prancing around on a stage with little pink tutus and too much makeup on. That’s not the case at all. Dance is one of the most beautiful forms of art that has grown in leaps and bounds. Dance is no longer just a hobby; it is also one of the most rewarding professions as well. Even though there is much more to dance than what most people think, many dancers take it very seriously, whether teaching dance to others, or dancing professionally. “Dance seems to be a lot like ice cream flavors...it's so hard to choose just one. If you are thinking of trying out a new dance style, there may be a few you haven't even considered” (Bedinghaus). There are multiple types of dance that originate from different areas; however, there is a tough fight for this job in this field because it takes many different qualities to succeed in this job.
Ballet is one type of dance that many other types of dance depend on. It teaches the student how to keep their balance, remain flexible and limber, and introduces them to the main movements and techniques that other styles use as well. If one were to look at the names of many of the moves and steps in ballet such as arabesque, assemble, attitude, balance, bourree, cabriole, chasse, pas de chat, degage, developpe, fondu, fouette, jete, pique, pirouette, and plie, they would see that many of them were French. This is because King Louis XIV of France started the first ballet school, the Royal Academy of Dance, in 1661 (Bedinghaus). Some of the names and techniques have changed a little, but most have remained the same throughout the years. Ballet dancing is known for its graceful appearance, as if the dancer is gliding across the stage almost effortlessly. One of the main things ballet dancers try to do is remain tall and light on their feet, which female dancers raise themselves up higher with the help of pointe shoes, which are worn after years of proper training, by dancing on the tips of their toes. The first ballet was performed over 500 years ago. Men traditionally danced the leading roles, because they thought women were too weak to perform the difficult choreography. Female dancers didn't start performing until years later.
Jazz dancing is a way to show the dancer’s individual style and originality. Jazz has become one of the most popular dance styles in recent years, mainly because its popularity on television shows, movies, music videos and commercials. “This type of dancing is energetic and fun, consisting of unique moves, fancy footwork, big leaps and quick turns. To excel in jazz, dancers need a strong background in ballet, as it encourages grace and balance (Bedinghaus).” Every jazz dancer executes moves in his or her own way. There are many different moves that are performed in mainly jazz. A jazz walk and contraction is two of them, and although they’re done in mainly jazz, they can also be done in other styles and performed differently.
Tap is an exciting form of dance where dancers wear special shoes that have metal taps on the toe and heel of the foot. Tap dancers use their feet like drums to create rhythmic patterns and well-timed beats. Dancers practice a series of basic steps, adding more difficult combinations as they become more proficient. Tap dancing is mastered through lots and lots of practice. Beginning tap dance classes focus on learning single tap steps, then incorporating the steps into series of combinations. A few of the basic tap steps include the brush, flap, shuffle, and ball change. After the dancer accomplishes the basic steps, they can move into combination steps such as maxie fords, cincinnatis, paddles, riffs, bombershays, pullbacks, wings, buffalos, cramprolls, drawbacks, front essence, and time steps. Tap dancers strive to produce clean tap sounds with each step. The goal in tap dancing is to produce clear, clean sounds, with various levels of tone. Origin of tap dancing comes from the tribal dances of African slaves. Their arrival in North America introduced that dance to the western audiences.
“Dance clothing varies for different styles of dance, but basic tights and leotards will work for just about any class. Some dance teachers do enforce dress codes, especially for ballet, so ask before you buy anything (Bedinghaus).” Most dancers wear leotards and tights to class so teachers can see the lines of the student, although in some classes they can wear other things along with their normal attire. Bare legs are not a good way to practice. Not only do dancers wear a leotard and tights, but also leg warmers and/or pants over their tights in order to keep their leg muscles warm and flexible. Jazz and tap classes are more relaxed than ballet, but the dancer’s lines need to be visible, so no baggy clothing.
Fierce competition exists among professional dancers for available jobs. Employment is expected to grow more slowly than other average occupations (“Dance Employment and Job Outlook). Many people still have very strong interests in the dancing field, but the funding for what everything costs does not keep the pace up fast enough. For many organizations, studios, and schools, they will have to reduce their amount of performances in order to stay within their budget. Professional dancers and choreographers held about 40,000 jobs in 2006. About 17% of those dancers and choreographers were self-employed, along with about 32,000 private studios in the United States. There is no degree required, but many have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Because of high physical demand on their bodies, most professional dances retire from dancing during their mid-30s.
Dance training can begin in childhood and continue throughout a dancer’s career, along with many other facts that many people are unaware of. Good traits to have are creativity, teamwork, and determination. One should have good balance, knowledge of dance techniques, and physical stamina. There are many health benefits in dance such as flexibility, increased memorization skills, balance, peripheral vision, lessens the chance of osteoporosis, improves endurance and strength, improves capacity of lungs and muscles, reduces stress and frustration, and also lowers the risk of coronary diseases and high blood pressure. Research shows that both hemispheres of the brain are actively engaged while learning dance and 96.3% of American children are being left behind in the art of dance due to lack of classes available (McGreevy-Nichols). Dancers are athletes as well as artists. They must stay in top condition, just like professional athletes such as basketball or hockey players. Dancers have extraordinary flexibility, muscular strength, and both physical and mental endurance. Professional dancers train and practice every day for an average of six hours while many also cross-train with cardio, weight lifting, yoga and/or Pilates to improve their physical fitness and technique. Many dancers get “rushes” while performing on stage. While dancing, the body releases endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that are responsible for positive moods. Endorphins also act like natural painkillers, so even after hours of rehearsal, dancers don’t necessarily feel their aching muscles and joints when they’re on stage. Once they start dancing, many people find it hard to quit because the satisfaction is so great. It’s hard to find something else to take its place since not many other activities make them feel so connected and alive.
One of the major factors in dance that is occurring in the world currently is the issue of a dancer’s weight. Many people who wish to do something pertaining to dancing are starving themselves and going to extremes to try to maintain that “perfect body type” with a low weight, slim figure, and the ideal look that people think must be necessary to dance. It is widely known that there is an "ideal" body for a ballet dancer to have long limbs, small head, long neck, hips with great natural turnout, tremendous flexibility, and many other crazy assumptions. Much of this comes from the fact that dance is most easily done naturally and with certain body types, although if anyone works hard towards it, they can achieve it. Being healthy is the most important thing, but it is difficult to fight years of what people see as a perfect body image. The ballet world is moving past it, but it will ever fade away entirely. Many people form serious disorders from it because they’re not careful and don’t realize that what they’re doing is actually hurting themselves more than helping. There are many schools where dance is presented as an art form that can truly be enjoyed by all; however, not all people have the capacity to be professional ballet dancers.