When It's Either Prowess or Artistry

[kfw]

Tamatonose asked some excellent questions on the Swan Lake on PBS thread --

[. . .] an important issue needs to be thought about, and that's the way ballet wants to market itself in the future. If highlighting technical prowess supercedes other considerations, will the artistic goals be altered, and if so, is it necessarily a bad thing? Is this just the natural evolution of an art form? Although almost everyone agrees that commissioning new works is a good thing, and many new works emphasize this athleticism, should the classics also be kneaded to do the same?

Moreover, how do you balance between doing what's necessary to stay financially stable (and thus preserve ballet for future generations) and doing what's necessary to stay true to the art when those things might work against each other?

It's a cliche these days that while on the whole younger dancers are more technically accomplished than ever, they tend to lack the personality and individuality that distinguished preceding generations of performers. I wonder what accounts for this relative lack of star power. Is there something more going on than just a lack of coaching? More germane to the issues Tomatonose raised, how can and do choreographers and company directors cope with this when they cast ballets? If choreographers are seeing more prowess and less artistry or artistic promise, won't they tend to focus on what's available to them, setting steps and envisioning their work in progress accordingly?

In regards to whether or not a relative emphasis on technical prowess is a natural evolution, certainly it's to be expected that the larger culture will shape both the dancers and the taste and expectations of the audience. We're living in such an anti-romantic age, at least for youth culture: in the age of "hooking up," for example, how many young dancers have had the love affairs -- the experience -- to dance romantically?

That last question may be wandering somewhat afield. Or maybe not. In any case, any post with such a lovely use of a verb (kneaded) deserves its own thread.

[Anne74]

This is definitely a huge topic that merits a lot of thought and discussion. I think it also ties in with other issues in the ballet (and dance in general) world today, mostly the question of the future viability of ballet as art versus entertainment. My impression is that is an effort to stop the erosion of its audience base and thereby stay alive, ballet companies are focusing on younger audiences. These are people that are percieved to want to see athleticism, not "old-fashioned" dramatic ballets. Therefore, the emphasis in the training and coaching of their dancers is on increasing that impressive show-stopping, sparkling technique, not on honing a subtle acting ability or intangible stage presence.

[bart]

Very important and interesting topic. The debate over whether artistry (as traditionally defined) or thrilling technique goes back at least as far as the gladitorial combats in ancient Rome. I especially the observation about the decline of "romantic" experience and point of view. You only have to look at older and recent versions of Romeo and Juliet (film as well as dance) to see this occurring.

I was quite startled to find myself more impressed by the way Angel Corella (ABT's televised Swan Lake) landed and placed himself at the end of his jumps than by the incredible jumps themselves. Stunning. But this kind of perfection would be mostly lost in a big hall where the elevation and distrance travelled and physiologically impossible arabesqus are the only things easy to discern.

On another thread, oberon mentions that he won't even attend ballet at the Metropolitan Opera, a vast barn of some 4000 seats. I know others who feel the same way. Taste that responded positively to style, artistry, projecting a characater, was developed in small theaters. It was there that a Fonteyn, for instance, could do "what consummate artists in all fields do: transcend technique." (Meredith Daneman's biog.)

Maybe chamber groups, smaller regional companies in smaller venues, and videotaping are more important than we think -- a way to preserve finesse and "artistry" where it can actually be seen and appreciated.

Edited June 24, 2005 by bart

[bart]

Reading recent threads on ballet competitions raised this question for me:

Can the recent prominence and spread of ballet competitions (and the devotion of so much training and so many resources to winning them) have something to do with the heightened emphasis on "prowess" and the need to make a quick, smashing impression?

[Helene]

On figure skating boards, there is a custom of starting "I Am An Outcast" threads in the off-season, where people can voice unpopular opinions, because the rules are that there can be statements and no arguments. I'm not suggesting that this happen here, but in responding, I'm thinking I may have to duck!!!

Over 30 years ago, Baryshnikov defected to the West, became the exemplar of virtuoso technique, and inspired a generation and a half to increasing technical heights. Baryshnikov's ballet performances, with the exception of his dancing in Twyla Tharp's choreography, have always left me cold, and I think it's because while he was the gold standard of technical prowess, I was never convinced through phrasing or characterization that he was an artist. He was clearly the product of unequalled institutional training and coaching -- the equivalent of being well brought up -- and had the taste to keep his virtuosity from overwhelming the ballets, but, with the few (Tharp) exceptions, I wasn't convinced of a need to convey, which I think is the hallmark of an artist. For me, an artist is someone who, when a young dancer watches and says "I can do that," and performs the same with impeccable technique, classicism, and restraint, he actually can't "do that." (Although, he may very well be on his way.)

Bruhn is dancer who is polarizing in this way at one extreme, and to give a current example, it sounds from chiapuris' description of the popular Israeli dancer in the Moscow International Ballet competition, Vladimir Kuklachev, that Kuklachev might be at the opposite extreme.