Dance Goes Insane

[Alexandra]

What I like about the articles at www.article19.co.uk is that they pull no punches -- just come right out and say what they think. This piece complains about the state of contemporary dance in Britain, but much of what they write applies to modern dance -- and ballet, with a tiny bit of detail-tweaking -- in this country as well. They also tackle the question of "why don't audiences like it"; I'd argue that the avant garde, if it's truly avant garde, will never attract a mainstream audience and one wouldn't want it to. But others seem to live in hope.

Anyway, the more interesting points are that NOTHING IS HAPPENING, everything "new" is recycled from the past, and, well, boring.

Dance Goes Insane

For too long finding new thinking, clever ideas, imagination and a desire to entertain the audience in contemporary dance has become akin to looking for Iraq’s elusive WMD. Article19 and many in the dance profession (meaning the dancers themselves) have become weary of watching the self indulgent posturing and half baked philosophy being offered by many of today’s dance makers. There is nothing wrong with having big ideas for your work but where most dance performances fall flat on their collectives faces is in communicating these ideas to an audience and holding their attention all the way through the show.

I'd urge you to read the whole article; I think it's worth it. And then....what do you think?

[sandik]

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply.

The house style on this site is indeed very lively, which makes for a fun read, but I'm not sure that the problem they describe here deserves the level of vitriol it gets. At its core, they're complaining because a group of mainstream choreographers continue to make work in their own style. They may feel that these artists have stopped developing, which would be an interesting discussion, but the sense I get is that authors just don't like their work. They also seemed miffed because some teachers insist on spending a long time on relatively simple actions (perhaps because the students aren't doing them as the teachers would like.)

The short life-span of most dance careers tends to keep us on perpetual lookout for the next new thing, and I can understand how someone might get antsy at a slower pace, but rather than invite older or more established artists to fall on their swords, no matter how zippy an image that is, perhaps they should keep looking for work that resonantes with their own aesthetic.

I can't say that I'm that enthused about every I see right now, but I know that things will shift soon enough, and other work will emerge. I can't make the new (fill in blank with your own preference for geniuses past) appear, but I can keep looking, and in the meantime try to see what others do in the work in front of me.

sandik (aka Pollyanna!)

[Alexandra]

They're definitely provacateurs, but I do think the young and sassy should have a voice. I'm not familiar with all the artists they skewer, but I have read accounts of Siobhan Davies, for example, that make me want to see her work. I was more taken by their comments that the NEW stuff from the young and hungry isn't new, young or hungry but old stuff in new clothes.

[sandik]

They're definitely provacateurs, but I do think the young and sassy should have a voice.

Oh, absolutely. One of the things I treasure about the Internet is that it's opened up so many more opportunities for marginalized writers to speak up. As print publications fall away, or cut their dance coverage, and established dance writers find themselves jostling for space, I'm glad that this venue continues open.

I've seen a bit of the work they dismiss, and although it's not in my top ten (if I even have one) it's thoughtful and usually well-crafted. But it's always the case that if it's not your taste, no matter what it is, you're pleased to see the back of it.

[BryanM]

Well, I suppose we too are thorwing stones in general when we reply here, and hardly am I a mainstream dance reviewer. By all means, criticism is a good and healthy thing. Here's to spunk!

[article19]

They also seemed miffed because some teachers insist on spending a long time on relatively simple actions (perhaps because the students aren't doing them as the teachers would like.)

No! the teacher was really that boring trust us.

[Alexandra]

Hi article 19! Thanks for dropping by!

Are you seeing ANY new work that you think is interesting? It seems to me that we've needed The Next New Thing for a long time now.

[article19]

2 new pieces being filmed near the end of this month. we will be running video of both of them. more details to follow. whether or not they are any good we don't know as yet so we will find out soon enough.

[Alexandra]

Thanks -- keep us posted.

I've posted this before, but article 19's site regularly shows video of contemporary dance performances.

http://www.article19.co.uk

[cargill]

I haven't seen the specific choreographers the article mentions, but, by substituting most of the new ballets I have seen, I think they made very good points, especially about technique not being a substitute for content. I wish modern ballet choreographers (especially Stanton Welch) didn't think that adrenelin equals soul.