Introduction/Why Figure Skating is the best model for artistic practice... seriously...
So this is my first blog entry for the great dance blog.
Exciting! Let me give you a little bit of background about myself. I was a
competitive figure skater for many years, gradually migrating towards dance
about 5 years ago. I currently attend Tisch, but am graduating in the spring.
I've been choreographing since my figure skating days, but obviously figure
skating choreography and contemporary dance choreography are two different
genres. Compare:
Mirai Nagasu
vs.
"Lili Handl"--Choreographed and performed by Ivo Dimchev
Different. So yes. Even though I count myself as relatively
post-modern (po-mo, if you prefer), figure skating remains an influence. For as
hackneyed as they may be, figure skating programs appeal to me insofar as they
have a basis in a physical practice and the program is really used as a vehicle
to convey a point. Moreover, a point that is, for the most part, non-referential.
By that I mean, I generally find that skating has a certain lack of pretension
in its lack of concept. Let me reiterate. There is nothing conceptual about
figure skating. It says something (i.e. "I am striving to be a successful
athlete as demonstrated through the following tricks. I will succeed or fail")
within itself.It does not reference a concept, the "concept" is fully fully integrated;
the work embodies the concept, if you will. The earnestness of engaging in
impossible or unlikely physical tasks appeals to me. I was watching Kimmie
Meissner's long program at the U.S. Nationals a few weeks ago, and, frankly,
watching her fall apart was really very compelling. Here's a video from a few
weeks ago at the Grand Prix Final where she skated the same program with
essentially the same result:
Anyhow, I talked about that lack of reference to a 3rd
party in the video blog. I think its important to remember that
dance/performance/whatever is enough. The idea that a medium (i.e., dance) can
only be legitimate if it manages to transpose a specific idea or issue is
laughable to me. And I don't know about you but this seems to be the age of
idiotic commentary, in which everybody seems to have something to say about
whatever issue, some sort of unnecessary response. You should know that, you're
reading this blog right now. So perhaps if the performance was enough, and the
performative act didn't become reduced to commentary, we would end up with some
better, or, at very least, perhaps more interesting dances.
Anyhow, over the next couple months I will be ranting and
talking about my process. I will generally tend to be longer, drier and more
theoretical. Sorry. I encourage whoever might be reading this to respond and
tell me how I'm wrong or (rather unlikely) right. It seems to me that this is a
good forum to bounce ideas of one another.
Till next time
Jacob
The Tisch East Alumni Council exists to support the unique
needs of Tisch Alumni in the arts and entertainment community, creating
interdisciplinary and cross-generational relationships, and increasing alumni
visibility by coordinating the talent, expertise, time and financial resources
of East Coast alumni. For more information, please visit us online.
Molly Merkler was ready for it last Sunday as we rehearsed for a show at Dixon Place down on the Bowery.These three beautiful girlies, Kiersten Franz and Kate Atherton included, have been dealing with my choreographic shenanigans since the inception of POW! in 2004. Over the next few months, I'll be documenting their journey on the way to becoming the most entertaining girl band to hit the stage of DTW.
The Tisch East Alumni Council exists to support the unique needs of Tisch Alumni in the arts and entertainment community, creating interdisciplinary and cross-generational relationships, and increasing alumni visibility by coordinating the talent, expertise, time and financial resources of East Coast alumni. For more information, please visit us online.
Welcome to First
Drop, a blogging projectdocumenting
the work of dancers and choreographers as they prepare for the SummerDANZ
Festival at Dance Theater Workshop this coming July.
Participating
choreographers in the SummerDANZ Festival will share their experiences with First Drop as they develop their pieces
from ideas into movement. Dancers in these pieces are asked to blog from their
viewpoint, expressing their personal pathways to translate the choreographer's
movement on one's own self. All of this
is amplified by photo and video collaborators, creating a multi-layered
experience.
First Drop is more than appropriate as a title
for this venture. This is the first blogging project for many of the
choreographers and dancers in this project, and the performances in July will
be the first SummerDANZ Festival. First
Drop is also unique in its use of Tisch Alumni as its participants, which
is also one of the first endeavors the newly formed Tisch East Alumni Council.
We hope you
stayed tuned to First Drop as we
share videos, photos and written posts along our journey to the SummerDANZ
Festival!
The Tisch East Alumni Council exists to support the unique
needs of Tisch Alumni in the arts and entertainment community, creating
interdisciplinary and cross-generational relationships, and increasing alumni
visibility by coordinating the talent, expertise, time and financial resources
of East Coast alumni. For more information, please visit us online.
