Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/39968
NOT THE SAME OLD A s forms of creative expression, singing and dancing are as old as the human race. Ancient Egyptian paintings on tombs and papyrus depict performers, accompanied by bands, plying their trade. And, unless banned for religious reasons, every culture before or since has indulged in song and dance. In modern times, the popularity of both art forms remains as strong as ever across all strata of society: Black Swan was one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2010; FOX's Glee has become a pop culture phenomenon; children's entertainment is perennially rich in musicals, with upcoming releases including Happy Feet Two and The Muppets; new karaoke-style and movement-tracking videogames are released every year; and there are any number of dance and music-based competition shows on TV. NBC is hoping to carve out its own niche with Smash, a mid-season television drama about a Broadway musical. Mass media and the Internet have not only made access easier, they have exposed the public to diverse styles of song and dance. Darren Criss, who plays Blaine Anderson on Glee, said technology has opened up people's interests. "We're the iPod generation. We no longer have to define ourselves by genre. We can love so many different kinds of things because it's available. You can just click a button and have Barbra Streisand, Tupac and Beethoven on the same playlist, and that's totally cool," Criss said. "We're just hearkening back to an earlier age. Music and dance is the reason why this whole industry was founded, so of course it's popular." 24 SCREEN ACTOR - Summer 2011 SAG.org Michael Yarish/FOX