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Darcy Calabria
RCL, Bedell
13th September 2014
Sweet Disposition
Dance has always been a part of society. In the past, it was used for rituals in many cultures
around the world. Today, it is a form of expression. Dance is a language of art. It persuades the
audience to think about life in a different way. As Kristin Chenoweth said, We sing because we can't
speak anymore, dance is an extension of that. We can't speak anymore so we move (Kristin
Chenoweth). The dance routine entitled Sweet Disposition, choreographed by Sonya Taya and
Christopher Scott, and originally aired on the hit show So You Think You Can Dance in the season
eleven finale, is the epitome of this persuasive expression. Through the use of words, movement, and
story, Sweet Disposition persuades the audience to see that every person in the world has the ability
and obligation to make the world a better place.
Sonya Taya and Christopher Scott provoke the audience to think about the world in a different
way through the use of spoken and lyrical word. The piece begins with a voice saying, Even the
smallest act of caring is like a drop of water. It will make ripples throughout the pond (Group
Performance). The lighting is dimmed, forcing the audience to focus on what is being said by the
voiceover. This creative choice amplifies the power of the metaphor. By narrowing the audiences
perception of senses, the audience is allowed to create their own image of the water metaphor, making
what is said, and thus the overall message of the piece, have a greater impact. The spoken word
further enforces the purpose of this piece at the end by saying, Never believe that a few caring people
cant change the world, thats all who ever have (Group Performance). This clear and direct message
draws upon the commonplace that everyone has the ability to change the world. In doing so, this piece
persuades the audience to believe that nobody is insignificant and even the act of a single person has
meaning. In both examples, they use a deep, strong male voice, thus appealing to ethos by creating a
sense of security and authority that the audience can trust. In addition, this piece makes use of the

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lyrical words from the song Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap to convey Sonya Taya and
Christopher Scotts message. For example, the opening phrase of the song Sweet disposition, is used
to explain peoples natural state of being as one of goodness and caring. The song then goes on to say,
Reckless abandon, like no ones watching you. These words successfully convince the audience of
the overall message by appealing to the natural good that is first established in the previous phrase.
Essentially, this piece uses a virtue-based ethical framework to convey the message that it shouldnt
matter what people think, the important thing to do is what is right. Moreover, this piece calls upon the
commonplace of the goodness of human nature in the lyrics: A moment of love, A dream, A laugh, A
kiss, A cry, Our rights, Our wrongs. This structural repetition appeals to pathos by creating a sense of
warmth and kindness. The use of structural repetition continues to the end of the song with the phrase
Won't stop 'til it's over; won't stop to surrender. Again, this appeals to pathos because it evokes a
sense of determination and perseverance. This is evident in the many comments of the video on
Youtube, such as one made by LBfromtheblock, FIRST SYTYCD routine to make me cry (Group
Performance). The overwhelming public support of this routine made by common, everyday people
further emphasizes the impact that this dance has had in the world. Therefore, this piece ultimately
succeeds in persuading the audience to care because it evokes an emotional response.
Furthermore, Taya and Scott persuade the audience that everyone has the ability to change the
world through choreography. This notion is most clearly expressed at the one minute marker of the
video. It starts with a single dancer doing a movement, then gradually it infects the rest of the group
until everyone is repeatedly doing the same movement. This ripple effect is symbolic of the pay it
forward concept: showing kindness and caring to someone else because they were shown that same
compassion. This literal spreading of movement is an appeal to pathos because it causes the audience
to have an emotional connection to these caring acts. It is also an extension of the water metaphor used
earlier in the piece. The choreographers belief that anyone can change the world is further conveyed
through the section of the dance in which the small group of boys use animation and hip hop. The
group of boys are in unison, but they are all dressed differently, suggesting that their characters come

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from very different walks of life. The juxtaposition of these elements shows that everyone starts form
somewhere and that there are similarities among strangers. Furthermore, it suggests that societal
barriers do not need to exist and that they can and should be broken for the betterment of society. This
appeals to pathos and further persuades the audience of the take home message because it creates a
sense of unity. The sense of unity and appeal to pathos continues throughout the rest of the dance, most
notably at time mark 1:51 minutes till the end. Although it has a similar effect as the previous
examples of creating unity, it differs from the ripple effect or the small group of boys because it
encompasses everyone, all together, all at once. The transition of the individual to group unity at the
end shows that the entire group has been persuaded and changed by their experience with caring.
Similar to the Pay it Forward effect, the dancers are in unison and get closer together, showing that
they are one cohesive unit. The dancers then spread out to foreshadow a continuation of paying it
forward. This movement accomplishes commonplace in conveying the belief that the act of caring for
another person will spread to make the world a better place. They reach out and stretch themselves as
far as possible so as to influence as many people as possible. In showing that the dancers are
persuaded, the audience too, is persuaded.
Similarly, the setting and characters and their relationships in this piece employ the use of story
to communicate that anybody has the ability to change the world for the better. This piece is thought to
takes place in a train state, perhaps Grand Central in New York. The critical use of setting creates a
busy atmosphere, thus allowing for multiple things to happen at once. This produces a sense of
urgency for the audience and appeals to pathos. The hectic scene engages the audience and forces them
to constantly be aware of the nuances between what is believed to be the truth and the scene that has
been created by the choreographers. In reality, many would think that people keep to themselves and
refrain from interacting with different types of people, yet this setting allows the choreographers to
create an alternate reality, one in which, their message about anyone being able to change the world is
a realized commonplace, as exemplified through the caring nature of the people. Furthermore, the
setting helps to convey the choreographers message because it naturally enables interactions with

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many different types of people from varying socioeconomic backgrounds. Because the audience can
logically expect that different types of people enter the train station, this appeal to logos permits the
audience to accept this as reality and be persuaded of the overall message more easily. Furthermore,
the characters and their relationships with one another aid in the persuasion of the choreographers
message because they make the piece relatable, and thus believable. For instance, in the first scene of
movement, a pretty girl is knocked over and is helped up by a beat boy, a stranger. In this image, the
choreographers draw upon the classic Nicholas Sparks-esc young love story to familiarize the audience
with the sweetness and kindness that makes people believe in the power of compassion. Taya and Scott
portray the human element of compassion most clearly through the poor homeless man, begging for
money, who, after being denied by many, is helped by the business man. In these two examples, the
audience sees that the ability to help a stranger can change their lives forever. This message is further
enforced through the partner work on the benches. The final pose shows that the one will always be
there for the other. This appeals to pathos because it crafts a sense of compassion and joy in the
audiences heart. This is further exemplified by the whole group caring about the fate of one individual
when the stage turns dark, with monochromatic lighting. This theme is continued at the end of the
piece. The stylistic choice to black out the dancers so that they appear as silhouettes furthers the
message of Taya and Scott. By taking away the identity of the characters, the choreographers make the
point that anyone, from any walk of life, regardless of his or her standing in society, can have a
monumental impact on the world.
Sweet Disposition provokes the audience to change the world around them and to leave it
better than when they found it. Through the use of setting, Sonya Taya and Chris Scott are able to
create a scene in which many different types of people, from business types, to young lovers, the
youth, a beat boxer, and even a homeless man, exist and can interact. Reflected in the lyrics of the song
and the movement of the dancers, these characters have the ability to break the cycle of apathetic
behavioral norms. This in turn persuades the audience of their own ability to do good in a society that
is often quite hostile, therefore furthering the point that societal lines do not have to exist for society to

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function. In fact it is these fabricated lines in society that hinder people from caring about others for
fear of what might be thought of them.

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Work Cited
Rhetoric and Civic Life. 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson Learning Soulutions, 2014. Print.
So You Think You Can Dance. N.d. Group Performance: Top 10 & 10 All-Stars | SO YOU THINK
YOU CAN DANCE | FOX BROADCASTING. Youtube, 3 Sept. 2014. Web. 5 Sept. 2014.
So You Think You Can Dance. N.d. Kristin Chenoweth Guest Judge. Youtube, 30 June 2011. Web. 4
Sept. 2014.