Dance Advantage » History of Dance

“Black or White” to Black and White: Dance History and the Music Video

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:30:51 +0000

Photo by Travis Person

“The only thing new in dance is you.”

A friend shared that quote from an Ohio University professor years ago and it has stuck with me. Every year I find myself chuckling to myself as I listen to kids claim movements as “their” choreography when really many are sampling from the limited palette of movement they’ve witnessed, usually music videos.

The question inevitably becomes- How do I get them interested in expanding their bubble?

In grad school, I had the privilege to study under Beth Genne, a dance scholar who says music videos are our most current examples of ballet d’action, a story “ballet” told through a collaboration of arts although not necessarily in the style of dance known as ballet. I don’t think all music videos support the comparison but the style of video made popular by Michael Jackson in the “Beat It” and “Thriller” era do, just as Genne discusses in her writings.

When working with kids, one particular challenge is inspiring them to see the benefit and value of learning about what came before- even, or perhaps especially, if it occurred in black and white.

Who better to draw them in and inspire rich dialogues about many topics in dance than Michael Jackson? Who can resist Michael Jackson’s anthems of 1980s American culture, his powerful use of film to bolster his hugely successful pop songs, and the influence he’s had on music and videos of today.

The “King of Pop” alone illustrates how the past influences the future in a way kids can easily follow and discuss. The beauty of this example is that you can trace influences forward as well as back, and this is how dance history can be introduced.

Here’s how you can expand the conversation:

Check out Nichelle’s tribute to Michael Jackson from 2009.

The following categories introduce conversations on the dance topics based on but not limited to “Beat It” and “Black and White”. Included in the categories are links to other Dance Advantage articles that may also offer additional insight or points of view.

The Development of Theatrical Dance

Court Dance to Social Dance: King Louis XIV and his role in the development of dance training
Ballet d’action: a continued look at the function of dance from social dance to performance
Classic Confusion: Understanding Labels in Dance
Where theatrical dance exists: theatres, vaudeville, Broadway, Hollywood, TV/Film, Concert stages, Commercial dance settings
History Moves: Connecting Student Choreography to History’s Prime Movers

The Development of Dance Technique and Performance Philosophy

Fred Astaire, Bob Fosse, and their influence on Michael Jackson’s dancing and performance style.
The similarities and differences in commercial and concert dance forms
The Pros and Cons of Dance Crossover- Crossing Genres in the Field of Dance

Presenting Dance and Relating Topics

Dance in film: using dance to propel the narrative story.
Dance in film: the directing and choreographic choices of such artists as Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Jerome Robbins, and more.
Dance on Camera: presenting dance in ways not possible in a traditional theatre setting.
Dance on Camera: introducing the work of artists such as Maya Deren, Charles Atlas, and more.
Sharing Dance via Youtube and Social Media
Are You Followin’ Me? How to get Twitter to Work for You
Influence versus Improper Use: Intellectual Property and Accessing Rights

Dance Ethnography

Documenting Dance: Photos and film as source materials.
Documenting People: Understanding cultures through performance and rituals
Globalization: Blurring boundaries and fusing ideas
Dance Diversity: African-American Community Outreach

Where might this lead you?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

The First Film To Tell The Joffrey Ballet Story — Autographed DVD

Nichelle (admin) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:00:30 +0000

The first film to tell the story of this groundbreaking company. www.joffreymovie.com

Joffrey: Mavericks Of American Dance is a documentary film produced by Lakeview Films and released by Hybrid Cinema, that chronicles the over 50 year history of the Joffrey Ballet, known as the first truly American dance company.

During the Joffrey Ballet’s 2008 Spring Gala in Chicago, executive producer Jay Alix and producer Una Jackman sat with their friends, famed Hollywood screenwriter/director Harold Ramis and his wife Erica Mann Ramis in a theater box next to the Joffrey’s Artistic Director Gerald Arpino.

Noting that Arpino did not look well due to his advanced age, Alix suggested to the others that someone ought to sit Arpino down and videotape interviews with him about the founding of the Joffrey before it was too late. Alix and Harold Ramis had been looking for a film project on which to collaborate. “Joffrey: Mavericks Of American Dance” became that project.

Narrated by Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mandy Patinkin and directed by Bob Hercules (Bill T. Jones-A Good Man), the film documents how The Joffrey Ballet revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet technique, combining art with social statement and setting ballets to pop and rock music scores.

View the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ3UffLr6bI

The Giveaway

Lakeview Films and Hybrid Cinema would like to give away ONE signed copy and TWO unsigned copies of Joffrey: Mavericks Of American Dance on DVD to Dance Advantage readers.

This beautifully designed, six panel DVD package features rarely seen photos and the film contains excerpts from many seminal Joffrey works including Astarte, Trinity and Billboards, as well as breakthrough collaborations with choreographers Twyla Tharp (Deuce Coupe), Kurt Jooss (The Green Table) and Leonide Massine (Parade).

ONE grand prize winner will receive a signed copy of the DVD. It was signed at the world premiere screening which took place January 27 at the Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center, New York City where “Joffrey: Mavericks Of American Dance” was the opening night film of the Dance on Camera Festival. Signatures are from the film’s director Bob Hercules, current Joffrey artistic director Ashley C. Wheater, and former Joffrey principal dancers Trinette Singleton and Christian Holder.

There only 100 copies signed by these artists for sale (retail $34.95) at www.joffreymovie.com.

TWO additional winners will receive one copy of the unsigned DVD (sold for $24.95).

The Joffrey Movie giveaway is open worldwide to those 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Thursday, February 23.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but you can find DVD copies of the film, podcasts, video, and much, much more at www.joffreymovie.com

(...)

Continue reading "The First Film To Tell The Joffrey Ballet Story — Autographed DVD"

71 comments

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2012. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Media, Dancethropology, Film/Video, Giveaways, History of Dance, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

History Moves: Using the Creative Process to Explore Dance History

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:24:48 +0000

The history of dance is far from dull and including dance history in your classes doesn’t have to be either.

When we think of learning about history, most people see lectures, thick books, and discussions about plenty of dead people. There are ways to incorporate information about the traditions of dance and the people who shaped them while relating it to the material that students may find more exciting.

Last month I provided a list of ten ways to move beyond steps, making dances that venture outside the norm of assembling favorite movement to popular songs. This enriched way of working leads to many possibilities for students to become aware of their dance heritage and the methods dance icons have used for creating dance.

Photo by George Joch / Courtesy Argonne National Laboratory.

To recap:

Concert Dance, to me, is determined by process – the ways movement is inspired, how it is developed, edited, and finally presented. The style of dance is irrelevant in many respects; it is all about the intent and the journey, which lead to the product.

Let’s draw on those same ten ideas to outline two ways to practically include dance history lessons while going about the usual business of making dances:

A: For a single artist’s view, I have chosen modern dance heavy-weight Merce Cunningham whose development of his own technique, innovative ways for crafting dances, and pushing the boundaries in dance technology provide ample opportunity to explore many aspects of dance.

B: If you are more interested in covering a variety of artists, here is a sampler of artists that have made interesting decisions during the work they’ve created.

1. Choosing Content.

Find content with enough depth that it can be explored from multiple angles, voices, and perspectives.

Merce Cunningham: Creating dances “about” the movement potential of the human body, the potential of movement within an established movement vocabulary

George Balanchine, founder of New York City Ballet: Balanchine’s choreography is known for its visual relationship to the musical score. Balanchine’s early work included direct narratives (Prodigal Son, The Nutcracker), his later work revolved around identifiable themes without demonstrating a clear plot (Agon, Serenade). In this sense, Balanchine offers three different ways in which content can be explored.

2. Choosing Genre.

Which style of dance best suits the idea or concept you are presenting?

Merce Cunningham: Modern Dance choreographer whose movement relates well to other types of dancers. This example allows for the discussion of how technical concepts are experienced differently or similarly based on styles of dance. Example: Cunningham’s use of spine, port de bras, and weight shift can be compared similarly to classical ballet and yet very differently to other types of modern dance such as release technique.

Twyla Tharp, versatile choreographer with major works in post-modern (Eight Jelly Rolls, The Fugue), contemporary ballet (When Push Comes to Shove, Sinatra Suite), and musical theatre “jazz” (Hair, Movin’ Out).
If any choreographer epitomizes versatility, it is Twyla Tharp. Working from a strong personal point of view, Tharp relies heavily on technique and the fundamentals of movement and thus can easily relate to many kinds of dancers and audiences.

3. Choosing Movement.

Is the idea behind the piece best represented by technical movement, gestural movement, or a combination?

Merce Cunningham: Again, creating within an established movement vocabulary, Cunningham explored possibilities physically first but later in his career used a computer program, Dance Forms, to inspire new movement threads before teaching them to his dancers.

Bill T. Jones: a self-proclaimed liberal artist. This is a choreographer who masterfully ebbs and flows between codified and gestural movement based on what the piece needs. Please note, when looking for video samples be sure to preview before watching with students. His work takes on many topics and some are more suitable for high-school aged dancers and older.

In jazz, Bob Fosse offers a rich example of stylized movement vocabulary that allows each piece to look different while still reflective of the Fosse trademark swag.

4. Choosing structure.

Dances don’t have to be choreographed from beginning to end. Try creating large movement phrases that can be ordered in different ways, layered in contrasting movement, or fragmented.

Merce Cunningham: The pioneer of chance operation as a choreographic device, Cunningham created methods such as rolling dice to determine the order of movement, order of works within a concert, and other production elements.

Explore the range Romantic, Classical, and Neo-Classical ballet to discuss structuring story and structuring movement. Martha Graham offers great examples of how to structure these principles as well as movement for solos or large groups.

5. Choosing sound.

Does the piece need music or could it be danced to text, silence, or unconventional sound?

Merce Cunningham: search out his collaborations with John Cage or the use of dueling stories in How to Pass, Kick, Fall, and Run.

Pearl Primus, a modern dance choreographer and anthropologist: Primus created Strange Fruit, set to the poem of the same title by Lewis Allen. This is also a nice example of how dance can be used to discuss other subjects such as the African-American experience within American culture.

6. and 7. Choosing alternate methods for coaching ideas and movement within rehearsal.

Find the unison in intent rather than (just) the unison of performance.

Watch choreographers rehearse their dancers in A Lifetime of Dance about Merce Cunningham and Dancemaker, about Paul Taylor.

Check out Daniel Nagrin‘s book, The Six Questions: Acting Technique for Dance Performance.

7. Choosing production elements.

What kind of showing is best? How important are costumes? Lights?

Merce Cunningham and collaborators believed dance, music, and set design should co-exist in space and time rather than depend upon one another.

Explore choreographers such as Anna Halperin, Doug Varone, and Liz Lerman and their use of site-specific dance. Google site specific dance for a long list of artists (and video samples of their work) creating this way both in the past and in the present. Although site-specific dance does not necessarily mean outside, here is article that offers valuable information on non-traditional performance spaces.

8. and 9. Choosing your value system and Choosing your method for reflection.

What determines good v. bad? How do you measure the success of the process as well as the success of the work?

Consider re-evaluating how you talk about choreography. Some interesting reads on this are by Larry Lavender (Dancers Talking Dance) and Liz Lerman (Critical Response Process: A Useful Method for Getting Feedback On Anything You Make from Dance to Dessert).

The artists listed here are a mere sampling of a larger pool of artists that relate easily to any and all of these segments of the creative process. Many of the artists listed are established modern dance choreographers, however, there are a great many choreographers from ballet and jazz worlds also working within the concert dance philosophy and developing interesting creative processes, too.

In developing lesson plans, realize how important it is for students to SEE dance and include opportunities to do this.

The newly available Jacob’s Pillow Interactive, dance company websites, clips from Youtube, PBS broadcasts available for purchase, or materials available through your library should make much easier than even a few years ago.

Here are some additional ideas for teaching the History and Evolution of Dance, and for leading students through the process of making their own dances.

How do you explore dance history in your classes?
What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

© Heather Vaughan-Southard for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Choreographing, Dance Media, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Film/Video, For Classroom, History of Dance, K-12, Modern/Contemporary, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Tap Classics: Paddle and Roll Heroes, Lon Chaney & Bunny Briggs

Tristan Bruns — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:42:08 +0000

Lon Chaney and Dr. Bunny Briggs did not invent the paddle and roll, but instead developed the step to its maximum potential.

There are four elements to the paddle and roll: a dig, a back brush of the ball of the foot, stepping on the ball of the foot, and a heel. The “paddle” constitutes the dig and the brush, while the roll is the action of dropping the toe and heel in a smooth and controlled motion.

Other names for the paddle and roll include the drumming term paradiddles and the gangster-inspired Tommy Gun.

Some say that the paddle and roll originated in the Midwest as an answer to the East coast style of dancing, and dancer/choreographer Buddy Bradley owes the step to the Flamenco style of dancing. Regardless of its origin, the paddle and roll has become one of the most popular tap steps and is often the first step that comes to mind when students are asked at random to show off some steps.

To say that any tap dancer is king of the paddle and roll may land you in hot water.

There have been plenty of contenders for that title. The first man to proclaim himself master of the paddle and roll was Walter Green, a tap dancer who had arrived in New York from Chicago in 1937. Green put out a challenge to all dancers that no one would be able to best his superior foot technique, the paddle and roll. Local tough guys Ralph Brown, Freddie James, Albert Gibson, and Chuck Green set him straight.

No other dancer is identified more with the paddle and roll than another tap icon, Lon Chaney.

A short, stout man, Lon Chaney danced into the floor, and his rippling paddle and roll variations created quick, staccato tapping combined with bold phrases of rhythm. At the end of tap dance performances, it is not uncommon for the tap dancers to form the so-called “Chaney track” or the “Hoofer’s Line”; at the climax of the show, the dancers form a line and rattle off a long stream of paddle and rolls. Each performer takes a small solo accompanied by the steady call and response chanting of “Ho-yeah, Ho-yeah, Ho-yeah, Ho-yeeaaahhh!” Needless to say, most tap dancers hold Lon Chaney in the highest regard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXTInxL1qG0

(Hoofer’s Line beginning at 1:12. Lon Chaney – farthest Stage Left)

Bunny Briggs is the antithesis of Lon Chaney; Briggs is slender, doe-eyed, and dances his signature paddle and roll style by lightly smattering a string of bop-inspired, staccato rhythms. Peppered with comedic body gestures, these lampoon popular dance vernacular of the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s.

Bunny Briggs’ style of dancing, in contrast to Lon Chaney’s chunky rhythmic phrasing, sounds more akin to a Dizzy Gillespie melody sped up double time, which is no accident. Commenting on his time working as a singer and dancer in Earl Hines’ band, “Both Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker were in that band, and it helped me work out my own style of paddle and roll,” says Briggs.

Bunny Briggs worked with the cream of the jazz world, with musicians like Charles “Luckey” Roberts and Erskine Hawkins. But to me and many others, it was his work with Duke Ellington, and in particular the piece David Danced before the Lord with All His Might as part of a series of sacred music concerts that Ellington toured across the country, that was a stand out example of Bunny Briggs’ style and ear for musicality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVZ9WnUyf9k

(Bunny Briggs: The most Super-Leviathonic Rhythmaturgical Syncopated Tapstamaticianisimist)

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, History of Dance, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Tap Classics: Frank Condos and 5-Count Wings

Tristan Bruns — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:30:57 +0000

Many steps straddle the line between “flash” and “rhythm” steps, but unique amongst the aerial steps are wings. To quote Marshal and Jean Stearns in Jazz Dance, “The Wing, with its combination of taps with an upward spring, holds two opposing impulses in balance, creating a dramatic fusion which can be thrilling.”

In the 1920s, wings were all the rage, and many variations existed. The Pump, the Pendulum, the Saw, the Double Back… like time steps, most dancers had a signature wing variation.

Gibson's New Standard Theater, Philadelphia, PA, circa 1919

But there was one variation in particular that caught the public’s attention, and it was the 5-count wing, created by Frank Condos.

The step gave him and his partner Mateo Olvera, billed as the more memorable moniker of King and King, that earned them the title as “the greatest of all Wing teams.”

Basically, the 5-count wing is a shuffle and a wing done without any break in the rhythm and can be enunciated as shuh-full-and-a-wing. This may seem like no great feat, but at the time, tap dance was just getting off of flat feet and up onto the toes. While a respectable wing usually had dancers getting three inches off of the ground, Condos and Olvera were getting five or six inches of lift.

“There wasn’t many teams copying Mattie and me,” says Condos, “because we did those Wings faster than anybody else.”

Frank Condos grew up working in his father’s restaurant, the Standard Restaurant, across the street from the Standard Theatre in Philadelphia. It was while running orders to the theatre that Frank was exposed to the best Negro acts in Vaudeville, class acts like Covan and Ruffin and Buck and Bubbles. It wasn’t until he saw The Three Eddies, which featured dancer Chick Horsey, whose specialty was the wing, that Frank got the idea for what would become the act of King and King.

After his split with Olvera, Condos formed the team of The Condos Brothers with his brother Nick, whom he trained in his trademark step. Later, he would train his other brother Steve, who would take his place in the group after Frank Condos’ retirement from performing in 1937.

Nick and Steve Condos went on to have illustrious careers, stars of both stage and screen. But it all started with Frank Condos, whose daring and innovative spirit is felt even today as tap dancers continue his legacy of pushing the art form to its creative and physical limits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5clBG8-elU

(The Condos Brothers, Nick and Steve Condos. See Steve hitting their signature 5 count wings at 2:15.)

More Tap Classics:

Tap Classic: Jimmy Slyde and his Signature Sliding

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Dancing, Featured, History of Dance, Tap, Terminology | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Tap Classic: Jimmy Slyde and his Signature Sliding

Tristan Bruns — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:25:48 +0000

Sliding has long been a very popular move as it gives the impression that the dancer is off-balance and could fall at any minute, like a juggler trying not to drop his pins.

The ease at which this step garners “ooos” and “ahhhs” makes sliding an appealing step for tap dancers, but few tap dancers have as broad an appeal as Dr. Jimmy Slyde, whose popularity is in part due to his signature move: his slides.

While no two slides were ever exactly the same, his technique, grace, and laid back composure made his brand of sliding unmistakable.

The novelty of the slide comes from the illusion that the floor has somehow slicked, replaced with an invisible, icy layer. This is accomplished by jumping in the air and sliding one or both feet, usually flattened by pressing the heel into the floor. The tricky part is adjusting to the disorientation of momentary weightlessness.

Especially difficult is sliding a single leg inward, towards the center of the body, or outward, to the side. It is difficult because (...)

Continue reading "Tap Classic: Jimmy Slyde and his Signature Sliding"

One comment - ADD YOURS!

© Tristan Bruns for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Dancing, History of Dance, Practice, Tap, Terminology | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

What Do They Mean By ‘Contemporary’ On SYTYCD?

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:28:44 +0000

What is contemporary dance?

How is it different from modern dance, or jazz dance?

Nicola Ayoub - Fete de la Danse 2010 | Photo by pixieduc.

Good questions that get asked a lot! And not just by newcomers to dance.

It seems the entire dance community is trying to sort it all out…

Four months ago, I got an e-mail from a reader who e-mailed me wondering if I had written anything on the topic. Seems she had been to some workshops and asked around, hoping for some clarification on the term. She came up empty.

Our new columnist, Heather Vaughan-Southard recently called describing contemporary dance ‘The Next Verbal Challenge‘ on her EducatingDancers blog.

And that was expounding on a conversation happening on Twitter (in 140 characters) and mentioned by Jordon Cloud on her blog about the differences between contemporary and modern dance.

And fellow dance writer and Houstonian, Nancy Wozny, penned The Contemporary Conundrum for Dance Spirit Magazine. It’s not a new article but the questions sure are familiar.

The point is, this is an ongoing conversation. I’m sure none of us were the first and we are obviously not the last thinking, processing, and scribbling about it.

EDITOR’S UPDATE: More scribblings

So you think you can tell me… what contemporary dance is? (Sarah Linstra)

How do you define Contemporary Dance? (Dance Studio Life)

What Is “Contemporary” Dance? (Dance Doc’s Think Tank)

What Is Contemporary, According To Nigel Lythgoe (Wet Paint – SYTYCD)

‘Contemporary’ Dance, My Take On It (MaryJane O’Reilly)

What is the difference between “Modern Dance” and ” Contemporary Dance”?

I’ll add more interesting articles as I find them.

I’ve been sitting on this post really, picking at it until I felt like I’d nailed it. Problem is, it refuses to be nailed. The subject really should be (and probably is) somebody’s Master’s thesis.

BUT it deserves to be talked about among undergrads and younger students as well. Students need to hear the perspectives and some of the history and experiences behind them.

And so I throw my thoughts into the fray. A scholar I am not, but let’s see where they go and what you do with them, shall we?

I’ll start with my Bottom Line first…

(you’ll forgive the language, I hope)

Labels suck but we kind of need them.

Can ‘contemporary’ be taught?(...)

Continue reading "What Do They Mean By ‘Contemporary’ On SYTYCD?"

28 comments

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Community, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, History of Dance, Modern/Contemporary | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Expand Your Library or Horizons: 13 Books on Dance and Culture

Guest Contributors — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:45:36 +0000

I’ve been following Renée Rothman’s Dance Doc’s Think Tank blog since (I think) its beginnings and certainly from early on in the life of Dance Advantage. Dr. Rothman is a scholar and educator and her insights on everything from Bellydance to So You Think You Can Dance fascinate me because I almost always learn something about dance and particularly dance in American culture.

In this article, she provides an invaluable list of dance resources (and a helpful description of each) for even the non-academics in the house. Bookmark this one – perfect additions to your personal, academic, or school’s dance library! Just click on the titles to view or purchase on Amazon.

Dancing always takes place within specific historical and cultural contexts. Anthropologists attempt to explain the power and purpose of dance activities by detailing these meaningful contexts. I have assembled a small list of dance books that cover a range of dance forms from the U.S. and abroad.

A few of these are full-on ethnographies, a specific sort of literature that includes very thick descriptions of specific populations meant for scholars. I’ve put a star - – by these. All of the selections are ethnographic in that they address the human meaning and experience of dancing. All of the books were selected because they are easy for non-academic audiences to read—that is, short on jargon but long on insight—and are relevant in today’s world of dance.

GENERAL INTEREST

Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement

by Gerald Jonas. Harry N. Abrams in association with Thirteen/WNET 1992

I used this as my textbook when I taught Dance in World Cultures and still recommend it as an excellent primer on the subject. It was produced to accompany the PBS 8-part film series which may be available at your public library. World dance forms are compared along topical lines such as religion, gender, and courtly society. One chapter, for instance, compares two 400-year-old classical dance traditions: Japanese kabuki and Western ballet. Among the varieties of dance you will encounter are dances from Africa, Polynesia, and Southeast Asia.

International Encyclopedia of Dance

edited by Selma Jeanne Cohen and the Dance Perspectives Foundation. Oxford University Press 1998

This 6-volume collection is a comprehensive, reliable and well-documented reference on the histories and cultures of world dance. It has nearly 2,000 entries covering geographical regions, historic and modern styles, and biographies of dancers and choreographers. Its price puts it out of reach for most of us as individuals (a used paperback copy starts at $200), but it is the best resource for dance researchers of any caliber.

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy(...)

Continue reading "Expand Your Library or Horizons: 13 Books on Dance and Culture"

4 comments

© Guest Contributors for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Community, Dance Library, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Featured, History of Dance, Jazz or Musical Theatre, Modern/Contemporary, Other Dance Forms | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Past and Present Pillow at Your Fingertips

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:35:33 +0000

Ted Shawn Theatre, 2008; photo Christopher Duggan

It’s been almost three years since I stepped onto the Jacob’s Pillow grounds nestled in the Berkshire mountains of Western Massachusetts. I’ve visited several times, mainly during my pre-mommy, 2004-06 term as Dance Director for a nearby summer camp. Three years feels too long.

Jacob’s Pillow is the only dance institution recognized as a National Historic Landmark by the federal government and the woodsy retreat has been drawing legendary dancers since Ted Shawn purchased the property in 1930. As friend and fellow writer, Nancy Wozny observed “It’s hard to walk around on these hallowed dance grounds and not think about all the icons who traveled these very paths.”

At the same time, it’s thrilling to share the same fresh Berkshire air as the current and up-and-coming stars of dance who come to perform in the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival (which on March 2, 2011, received a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama for its contributions to the creation, growth, and support of the arts in the United States) or study in the Pillow’s historic studios each summer.

The rustic atmosphere of Jacob’s Pillow is definitely part of its allure but I’m glad to report that visitors worldwide now have access to a brand new website, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive, and can experience Pillow dance – both artists of bygone eras and present-day dancemakers – without making the trip to Massachusetts.(...)

Continue reading "Past and Present Pillow at Your Fingertips"

2 comments

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Media, Dancethropology, Featured, Film/Video, History of Dance, Interviews, News and Events, Online, Product/Website Reviews | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

The Desegregation of Dance and the Pioneers Who Made It Possible

Roger Lee — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:30:12 +0000

Black History Month is a time for reflection. Each year I make it a point to reflect on how far African-Americans have come as a people, how their outstanding contributions have added to the rich fabric of American history and how prominent their influence is on popular culture, entertainment and the arts. From inventions including the traffic light system, The Super Soaker and hair relaxer to famous leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Maya Angelou and Oprah Winfrey, Black History is rich with tales of struggle, triumph and creativity. During Black History Month 2011, I found myself reflecting most on African-American contributions to the art of dance.

Photo by George Joch / Courtesy Argonne National Laboratory

Segregation in Dance

In 2011, dance is known for its promotion of acceptance, individualism, innovation, freedom of expression, physicality, grace and transformative power within society. However, these artistic ideals were not always celebrated in the field of dance. As recent as the 1960s when America was in a heated battle on segregation, the dance world too was an active participant in the battle. Dance was just as segregated as the rest of America. This may be hard to conceive since today’s dance world is integrated with race, gender and orientation. However, in the “old days” the art of dance actually mimicked the narrow viewpoint that was diving America.

According to Shantella Sherman in a 2000 article, “Ballet had always been considered a dance form far outside the scope of black experience. As recently as the 1960s, choreographer Debbie Allen was denied admittance into a dance school because(...)

Continue reading "The Desegregation of Dance and the Pioneers Who Made It Possible"

4 comments

© Roger Lee for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, History of Dance | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Preparing Little Dancers For The World of Clara and Beyond

Stacey Pepper Schwartz — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:30:06 +0000

I have never performed in The Nutcracker. I have never worn a tutu and am fascinated with the ones that stick straight out.

I have taken pointe class. It was in college and I was 19 years old. I never performed en pointe, never performed ballet for that matter. I was a trained modern dancer that took ballet.

I found my love for The Nutcracker when I was teaching at a local dance school and was helping the directors of the school choreograph and direct it. There was a magical buzz about the ballet, about keeping the tradition alive and putting our own stamp on the production.

In college, I studied dance history and learned about The Nutcracker on an historical level. Now I was feeling my own personal connection to its history by indoctrinating young dancers into the world of Clara. No matter what your own personal feelings are about The Nutcracker, it is a mainstay in dance schools, it is a holiday tradition and has a firm place in dance history.

How do you teach little ones about this iconic ballet? How do you prepare them to watch the production? What should they come away with?

The First Act – The Synopsis

The first act of the ballet tells a story. A story that every young child can relate to; a story about a party! Clara’s family is having a holiday party. She and her brother are excited. The guests come. They dance. Presents are opened. The boys and girls tease each other.

Clara gets a special present: a Nutcracker. Her brother Fritz breaks the present. She is sad and the present is repaired. The guests leave and she falls asleep. She has a dream that her Nutcracker has a great battle against a mighty Mouse King. The Nutcracker and his soldiers fight the Mouse King and the mice army. She saves the Nutcracker by throwing her shoe at the Mouse King and she disarms him. The Nutcracker magically becomes a prince and takes her to his kingdom to celebrate the victory.

The first act is an example of narrative dance. It tells a story. Each dance in the first act moves the story along. Your students can dance the story too! You don’t need to choreograph the entire first act for them. You need only to focus their movements.

The Party:

How do you move when you are excited?

How do you dance at a party?

How do you dance with others?

What gestures do you do when you get and open a present? (hand movements like hugging yourself, reaching up to the sky, pumping your fist)

How can you show teasing and chasing each other with dance steps?

The Toy Breaks:

How do you feel when a toy you love breaks?

How would you move?

How would you move with it when it was repaired and fragile?

The Nutcracker Comes to Life and Battles with the Mouse King:

With movements, how can you show the Nutcracker coming to life?

How can you dance a battle? (opposite sides of the room, dance towards and away from each other, gestures of kicks, sword slashes, etc.)

How can you show your happiness that the Nutcracker won the battle and you are going to visit his magical land?

By creating your own dance narrative of the first act of The Nutcracker, your students have learned the story through their own movement experiences. They will be excited to watch the choreographer’s interpretation of the party scene and your students might remember their own movement choices for when the guests arrive or when Clara’s Nutcracker breaks.

The Second Act – A Synopsis

The second act is a divertissement or a dance or group of dances that does not advance the plot. The people of the land dance for Clara. Each dance has a theme. Some of the characters that greet Clara are:

Angels

Sugar Plum Fairy

Spanish Hot Chocolate Performers

Arabian Coffee Performers

Chinese Tea Performers

Russian Candy Cane Performers

Flowers

Sugar Plum Fairy

The dances show off the skill, beauty, grace, athleticism and expertise of the dancers. At the end of Act II Clara goes back home.

Explore how the characters from Act II could dance for Clara.

How would an angel dance differently than a flower or a high spirited Russian dancer specializing in high jumps?

Give your students tambourines and see how it makes them want to move. Shake the tambourine and then hit it. How does the shaking sound make you want to move? What about the sharp bang of the drum?

The Sugar Plum Fairy wears a crown. How do you think she would dance?

Play some of the music from the second act and see if your students can create their own characters based on the sounds they hear.

The second act can be abstract for some young children. By introducing the characters and music beforehand it can help them understand how Act I and Act II are connected.

It is never too early to teach children about the art of choreography or creating dance.

By exploring the Nutcracker your students are being introduced to narration, divertissement, characters, and themes. As young dancers and audience members, they are getting an enriching experience that will enhance their dance appreciation and beginning understanding of dance history. No tutu required!

© Stacey Pepper Schwartz for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, For Classroom, History of Dance, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Bringing Native American Dance into the Classroom for Thanksgiving

Stacey Pepper Schwartz — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:10:33 +0000

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, there is no better time to bring cultural dance into the classroom or Native American culture into the studio!

It is important that children understand that Native American people are not characters in a Thanksgiving story, but a people with a rich and deep culture. And one way to explore a culture is through its art.

Through the web and YouTube, it is now easier then ever to obtain information and watch traditional Native American dance. The following is a great jumping off place. (I know it was for me!)

Investigating

Native American Hoop Dance:

“The hoop dance is consistently the most requested dance throughout the United States. The hoops symbolize a sacred part of the Native American life. It represents the circle of life with no beginning and no ending. Watch as the dancer begins with on hoop and keeps adding and weaving the hoops into formations that represent our journey through life. Each added hoop represents another thread in the web of life.” www.nativespirit.com/hoop_dance.htm

Nakotah LaRance – 6 time World Champion Hoop Dancer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKg8RQSv4LE

The hoop dance can also represent the beauty of the world and nature. Some symbols that are depicted in the hoops are the butterfly, eagle, flower, and mother earth or world.

Discovering

I watched the hoop dances with my daughter and she screamed out the different animals she saw in the hoop shapes. She also hopped in a circle and kept the rhythm in her feet as we watched. She was fascinated by the dance and asked me to play it many times. Then she wanted me to stop watching the dancer and start watching her do the dance.

You don’t have to know specific cultural dances to explore themes, stories and images. What is important is to bring to your class an authentic understanding of the concepts while letting go of any stereotypes or cliches.

If you have a TV or computer accessible in your studio or classroom, show your students some Native American dances.

Ask:

What do you see? Talk about the symbolizes and the meaning behind the dance.

What are some similarities and differences in the Native American dance and another type of dance you are familiar with? (like ballet, jazz, tap,etc.)

What movements do you remember from the video? How can you represent an eagle, a butterfly or a flower in movement?

What are the instruments you hear in the music?

Don’t try to copy the dances but explore the elements of the dance.

Take some hula hoops (or any type of hoop you have – the smaller the better) and see if the children can bring the hoop over their heads and bring them back down. Now try it while hopping or walking in place. Can you turn with your hoop? Can you hold the hoop perpendicular to the floor and jump through it? Can the class make some shapes with the hoops like an eagle’s wings or flower?

Exploring

Share a Native American legend or story with the class.

An example of an activity you can do with your class is read your students The Girl Who Loved Horses by Paul Goble. It is a retelling of a Native American legend about a girl who becomes a horse. The book’s illustrations are stunning and captures the horses movements beautifully.

After reading the story, ask the children if they would ever wish to become an animal and why. Explore the gallop of a horse and movements that are inspired by the animals the children would like to become.

” But when the hunters next saw the wild horses there galloped beside the mighty stallion a beautiful mare with a mane and tail floating like wispy clouds about her. They said the girl had surely become one of the wild horses at last.” Paul Goble

It does not matter if you bring a painting in for the children to see, a song to listen to, a book to read or a dance to view. The important thing is to incorporate other cultures into your teaching. Broaden the children’s minds, knowledge and experiences. Use other cultures to influence your art and expand your teaching tools as well. It will be well worth the effort.

I would love to hear your thoughts about bringing various cultural experiences into your classroom and studio!

© Stacey Pepper Schwartz for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, For Classroom, History of Dance, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Guest Post: The What, When, Why, and How of Clogging

Guest Contributors — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:20:14 +0000

Today’s guest post is from Dorothy Stephenson. While still in college she opened a small dance studio specializing in clogging instruction called The Sundance Studio. Today, Sundance not only houses Sundance Studio, but also a productions company, booking agency, and web design firm.

Clogging? What Is Clogging?

Yes, it’s kind of like Tap. No, it’s not like Riverdance. Clogging is every dance – a dance form that includes everything from Irish step dancing to hip hop and everything in between. Cloggers perform choreography to anything from “Uncle Penn” by Ricky Skaggs to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.” It is a dance form that defines who I was, who I am, and who I always will be.

A Little History

Clogging, known as the “melting pot of dances,” began during the 1700’s in the Appalachian mountains of the eastern United States. Scottish, Irish, English, and Dutch-German settlers found common ground through dance. Over time, their styles wove together and clogging was born. As clogging spread throughout the United States, other influences, such as Native American and African, found their way into this new dance form.

Traditional clogging, also known as “drag-style clogging,” is a percussive dance where a dancer produces rhythmic sounds from steel double taps positioned on the heel and toe of the shoe. The sound then combines with the rhythm of the music which was usually bluegrass. Many times mountain figures, or square dance figures, are combined with freestyle clogging footwork to form hoedowns.

21st Century Clogging

©Kathy Cobb Photography

Today’s most recent version of clogging features influences of jazz, ballet, hip hop, and pointe throughout precision routines. Modern “cloggers,” such as myself, do not don the stereotypical crinoline and petticoat that their predecessors once did. Sequins, fringe, and netting are all fair game now. Competitive teams battle it out on the dance floor through the American Clogging Hall of Fame, Clogging Champions of America, and the National Hoedown and Clogging Council competitive circuits.

Clogging is making a name for itself not only on the dance floor, but in the pop culture scene. Soloists and groups have appeared on shows such as America’s Got Talent, America’s Best Dance Crew, So You Think You Can Dance, and most recently SPEED’s Fast Track to Fame. Clogging has appeared not only in the United States but around the world. No, clogging is not just an American dance. It can be found in Europe, Australia, Canada, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, and more. In fact, the Soco Gap Cloggers, one of the first competitive clogging teams, performed for the Queen of England in the early 1900’s.

Why Clogging?

Not only is clogging a way to exercise and have fun, but it is also a way of life for many dancers across the country – myself included. Five years ago, I was working a 9-to-5 job as a teller at a local bank while attending college for a degree in business management. I was motionless whether I was at work or in a classroom, and it was killing me. I yearned for the excitement of dancing and entertaining, and I wanted more. So after about nine months of sitting behind the counter watching other people’s bank accounts grow, I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it. I quit my job and opened my own dance studio in an old barn with no indoor plumbing. Being an instructor gives me the opportunity to teach at various dance and clogging workshops and allows me to meet new and amazing people no matter where I travel.

The popularity of this dance form is huge as it lends itself to many different age and personality groups – an attribute that I believe accounts for its tremendous following. There is something for everyone from kids, teens, young adults, all the way to the “golden oldies.’ The diversity of music from bluegrass and country to rock, pop, hip hop, and even heavy metal accounts for many different personality types and makes clogging fun for anyone to enjoy whether they are performing or watching.

Clogging, just like America, continues to grow and evolve more and more every year. In the past twenty years in which I have been blessed to clog, I have seen many dance forms trickle into clogging and have seen clogging appear in many places I never dreamed I’d see it.

“Just as it has always been from the beginning, clogging continues to evolve and to change, symbolizing the nature and spirit of those who first came to the Appalachian Mountains,” says Steve Smith, veteran clogger and national instructor.

More Clogging…

Should you be interested in learning clogging, Smith offers instructional clogging videos from beginner to advanced levels on his website at www.stevescloggingvideos.com.

If you are a dance instructor or studio owner and would like to incorporate clogging into your curriculum, visit www.clogdancing.com to find a clogging instructor in your area.

You can also visit www.doubletoetimes.com for the latest news in the clogging industry.

For twenty years, Dorothy Stephenson has entertained audiences with the dance form that she holds dear to her heart – Clogging. Dorothy owns Sundance Studio and Productions Company. She leads the Little Switzerland Cloggers, and also competes with her competitive troupe, Sundance Express, who qualified for, competed at, and placed at the 2007, 2008, and 2009 American Clogging Hall of Fame (ACHF) World Championships in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. In addition, she has earned numerous awards and titles. Most notably, was her 2008 induction into the ACHF All-American Team, an honor bestowed on only 12 men and women from around the country. Along with her partner, Graham Kershner, Dorothy entertains frequently at prestigious resorts such as The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, and The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Do you teach or have you tried clogging?

What do you enjoy most about it? Tell us in the comments!

© Guest Contributors for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Styles, History of Dance, Other Dance Forms | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Today Is National Tap Dance Day!

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:15:35 +0000

National Tap Dance Day — The Bill

When was the bill passed?

(thanks to www.dancehelp.com)

On November 7, 1989 the bill was signed into law by President George Herbert Bush

Who was involved?

Nicola Daval, Carol Vaughn and Linda Christensen of the Tap America Project (TAP) were all very active in the promotion of the U.S. Joint Resolution declaring May 25^th National Tap Dance Day that was introduced and overseen by Congressman John Conyers and Senator Alfonse D’Amato.

Gregory Hines, Harold Nicholas, Savion Glover, Sandman Sims and many other tap dancers and supporters were present when Congressman Conyers announced the bill into affect.

Why May 25^th?

May 25^th is the anniversary of Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson’s birthday.

Who is Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson?

Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson (May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949) is best known for his appearances as an American tap dancer on the stage and in film. Many recognize him for his dancing with child star Shirley Temple during 1930s. Tap dancers recognize his steps and dancing style as a tap dancer who was always on the balls of his feet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjCFYpWDmfM

“Robinson gained his nickname because of his reputation as a “jangler” and is immortalized in the song “Mr. Bojangles.” He arrived in New York in 1898 and, within ten years, was a vaudeville soloist and star, billed as Dark Cloud of Joy. His Stair Dance was perfected in the early 1920s, but Robinson’s number became classic as performed with Shirley Temple in The Little Colonel (1935), one of fourteen movies. The first of six Broadway shows was Blackbirds of 1928. Robinson reached an entirely new audience with Michael Todd’s Swing Mikado, when the production moved from the Great White Way to New York’s 1939 World’s Fair. The first black soloist to star on white vaudeville circuits, he was a headliner for forty years, known for strict tempos and smooth shifts executed on his toes. Robinson coined the word “copasetic,” to signify “all is fine.” Formed in 1949, the black dance fraternity became the Copasetics in his honor.” — Dance Heritage Coalition

More on Bojangles:

Tap Dance Hall of Fame – Online Bio || National Tap Dance Foundation

Some Excellent Film and Documentary Clips || Robinson Theater

Bojangles (film) starring Gregory Hines || Netflix (or via Amazon: Bojangles)

Rap A Tap Tap, Here’s Bojangles – Think of That! (children’s book)

Mr. Bojangles: The Biography of Bill Robinson

How do tap dancers celebrate National Tap Dance Day?

In the United States, many workshops are offered as well as performances and jam sessions.

To mention a few events taking place this year:

“Tradition In Tap” – May 29^th-31^st in NYC. Honoring Bill Scheerer. www.traditionintap.com

“Tap Extravaganza” - May 30^th in NYC. Honoring ATDF, BDC, Steps on Broadway, Randy Skinner and David Gilmore. www.nytap.org

“Tap Jam at Skipper’s” – May 25^th in NJ (304 University Ave, Newark NJ 8:00PM-midnight)

“Hoofer’s Night” - May 22^nd in Los Angeles at Universal Dance Design

“So You Think You Can Tap?” – May 25^th in San Francisco, special guest Arthur Duncan www.soyouthinkyoucantap.com

National Tap Dance Day has evolved into an international celebration

To mention a few events taking place this year:

Japan began celebrating “National Tap Day Japan” in 1991 with an annual performance that has taken place in the month of April. www.ntdj.tap-wonderland.com/

Russia will have an “International Tap Day Celebration” May 24^th-25^th www.vortexdance.ru/news.php?id=84

Spain’s Barcelona Tap Festival is May 23^rd-30^th www.tapbcn.com

How can YOU celebrate National Tap Dance Day?

Attend one of the events listed above

Watch a tap dance movie or documentary (Tap, White Nights, Singin’ in the Rain, The Cotton Club, Been Rich All My Life, By Word of Foot, No Maps on My Taps)

Read a tap dance book (Inside Tap, The Souls of Your Feet, Tap Roots: The Early History of Tap Dancing, Gabriella’s Tap Shoes, Tap Dancing America)

Look up Bojangles and other tap dancers on YouTube

Visit www.famoustapdancers.com and watch footage

Learn how to tap dance

Spread the word about National Tap Dance Day

Donate to an organization that supports tap dance

Put your shoes on

Register for a tap festival [Jersey Tap Fest (NJ), LA Tap Fest (CA), Rhythm World (IL), Motor City Tap Fest (MI), Tap City (NY), St. Louis Tap Festival (MO), Tap Into A Cure (Canada)… and many more!] Visit the listing of summer festivals on Dance Advantage and check out www.tapdance.org for more tap festivals taking place internationally

Thanks to Hillary-Marie for her contribution to Dance Advantage on this special day! Be sure to check out the Jersey Tap Fest website and stay updated via their page on Facebook. Register TODAY (5/25/10) and get a 10% discount on packages.

A Native of New Jersey, HILLARY-MARIE is best known throughout the Tri-State area as a tap soloist, performer, choreographer and teacher who specializes in the American art form of rhythm tap dance. She established an entrepreneurial stance at a young age by managing local musicians in the tri-state area under Fireshot Promotions and is now the Founder and Director of Jersey Tap Fest, an annually fantastic New Jersey tap dance even that will educate and serve diverse students with great passion for tap dance. As a reputable tap dance instructor, Hillary teaches weekly tap dance classes across the state of New Jersey. In addition to the dance, look forward to seeing her featured in the Crystal Glass Cosmetics catalog.

Tell us how you are celebrating National Tap Dance Day in the comments!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Styles, History of Dance, News and Events, Tap | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Profile of an American Icon: A Few Words With Paul Taylor

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:20:16 +0000

An Unignorable Hunch

Paul Taylor is one of the most prominent and influential choreographers of our time. Yet, in the late 1940′s he seemed to be on a different path. He was studying painting and swimming on scholarship at Syracuse University when amidst a series of seemingly unrelated dance experiences he was struck by a revelation or, as he describes it in his autobiography Private Domain a “flash of recognition… an unignorable hunch” that he was to become a dancer. Not long after he began training within the newly formed dance department at Julliard and won a scholarship to the American Dance Festival where his athletic build and powerful presence captured the attentions of Martha Graham, José Limon, and other modern dance founders. He was already making his own choreography by the time he was invited to join Graham’s company in 1955.

Taylor performed in the work of a number of dance pioneers in these early years, including Merce Cunningham and George Balanchine. He did so while continuing to choreograph for his own company a number of avant-garde works that sometimes confounded audiences. In 1962, the same year he left Graham’s company, he created his first popular success Aureole.

Photo by Tom Caravaglia

Photo by Tom Caravaglia

“The amazing inventiveness, that peculiar quality of dynamic imagination which infused even his earliest choreographic attempts, continues absolutely unabated. There is still an awe-inspiring naturalness to his choreography, a sense of every step being in the right place at the right time to the right music, that is simply God-given.” — Clive Barnes, Dance Magazine 1994

An Unequivocal Talent

In a 1989 New York Times article, Anna Kisselgoff states “There are four Paul Taylors. One choreographs dark pieces, another creates light comic works, a third favors homemade rituals and the last seems to invent pure-dance pieces inspired by music.” She goes on to acknowledge that this is an oversimplified analysis of Taylor’s rich body of work, a hallmark of which is the bleeding of these ostensible contradictions into one another. Taylor’s choreography ranges from revolutionary to romantic, comical to controversial, robust to penetrating, spontaneous to shrewd, often within the same dance.

Photo by Lois Greenfield

Carol Walker, retired Dean of the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College calls Paul Taylor

“an American icon and one of the most prolific and stunning choreographers of the past 60 years. He was a dancer who captivated audiences in his performances with the Martha Graham Dance Company and in his own work. He is an author of two books and an Emmy winner for his choreography Speaking In Tongues. Dancemaker, Matthew Diamond’s award winning, Oscar nominated feature-length film about Mr. Taylor was hailed by Time as ‘the best dance documentary ever’. An artist and a man who has been devoted to making dances not only for his company but for major ballet companies as well, his work has awakened in many a love for dance that few choreographers’ inspire.”

Celebrating 80

Paul Taylor will be 80 years old this July yet a celebration of this milestone begins this week with Paul Taylor Dance Company’s return to New York City Center [link] which features performances of enduring favorites as well as two premieres. On March 15, the day after the company closes its season at City Center, Mr. Taylor will be honored with a Nelson A. Rockefeller Award at the Purchase College School of the Arts Gala. To celebrate Mr. Taylor’s work at the gala, members of the Purchase Dance Corps will perform excerpts of two of his works.

A Few Words With Paul Taylor

Photo by Maxine Hicks

I have been captivated by Paul Taylor’s choreography since my first exposure to his work in college. Seeing Esplanade live was an exhilarating introduction to his movement and scenes from the insightful film Paul Taylor: Dancemaker made an enormous impression as I practiced the craft of choreography and prepared to enter the professional dance world. Therefore, I feel very honored that Mr. Taylor took the time to answer a few questions for Dance Advantage about his life and work in an email interview.

Dance Advantage: Your first experience with dance was through books. What did you read or see within the pages that so captured your attention that it changed the trajectory of your college study and your life?

Paul Taylor: Some of the first dance books I read during college that changed my aims were Martha Graham: Sixteen Dances in Photographs by Barbara Morgan, a book about the Diaghilev Ballet in Paris, Dancers, Buildings, and People in the Streets by Edwin Denby, and several books on dance history.

DA: Your dances have often been categorized as either dark and psychological or light and joyous.

PT: Most of my dances are a combination of both dark and light.

DA: Indeed, certainly this is a reflection of life and the human experience, but which is harder to make – the light or the dark?

PT: All of my dances have been both hard and easy to make.

DA: You have created over 130 works for your company since 1954. What is staggering about this is that you have made new work (sometimes multiple dances) every year for the past 55 years. What about the creative process continues to intrigue you and keeps you coming back again and again?

PT: It’s my life.

DA: Despite all this dance-making, you’ve said that you don’t think about dance much before you get into the studio.

PT: I lied.

DA: Is choreography a bit like sculpture, are you molding or carving the dance as you go?

PT: It is like sculpture or a painting but I usually have a general plan before rehearsals start.

DA: And what happens when you get stuck and aren’t sure how to proceed?

PT: I skip ahead then go back and try to solve the problem later or ask the dancers to improvise and use whatever steps that seems suitable.

DA: Many of my readers are young dance students who face the decision of attending college or heading straight to a performance career. The dancers you select tend to have gone through university or conservatory programs before coming to you. What do you think these dancers are “picking up” in college that makes them right for your company?

Photo by Lois Greenfield

PT: College is a good place for students to find out what they really want to do. They are exposed to a lot of things that they may not have experienced before. They may be inspired by attending a performance by a touring dance company or by seeing a dance film.

DA: In auditions one of the first things you have dancers do is walk. What do you learn from the exercise?

PT: Walks are like fingerprints – none of them are the same. An individual’s walk can reveal a lot about a person.

DA: What other attributes (aside from great skill and technical ability) are essential in the dancers you choose?

PT: Passion and commitment to one’s chosen profession. Company morale is as important as the dance steps, if not more so.

DA: The legacy of modern dance is that we try to avoid doing what our predecessors have done and push the art form in new directions. Many of your dancers have gone on to choreography. In what new directions do you see them trailblazing?

PT: A lot of my dancers have gone on to do interesting things and are trailblazers. Twyla Tharp was one of a pioneer in making dances that combined jazz, modern and ballet. Laura Dean created dances with a lot of repetition, choreographed to Phillip Glass, which was very innovative. Pina Bausch introduced a harsh theatricality in her work that had not been done before.

DA: You’ve seen so much, what (if anything) surprises you about the 21st century.

PT: I’m constantly surprised by the advancement of technology, especially the invention of computers and cell phones.

DA: You’ve received numerous awards and you will soon be honored again with a Nelson A. Rockefeller award at Purchase College School of the Arts. What does this award mean to you?

PT: One always likes to be appreciated and I’m especially grateful that my friend Carol Walker, who has had the Company perform at Purchase College many times, will be presenting me with this prestigious award.

“Purchase College is honored to present the Nelson A. Rockefeller Award to Paul Taylor at the School of the Arts Gala on March 15, 2009. Paul Taylor is selected for this prestigious award because of his lifetime of achievements as a dancer, a choreographer, an author, an artist and the epitome of a creative role model. We are honoring his prolific and powerful body of work, his engagement with other art forms, and the long time association that the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance has enjoyed with Mr. Taylor and his company.” — Carol K. Walker, Dean of Dance 1984 – 2007

Learn more by clicking the image above

Proceeds from the Purchase College School of the Arts Gala will create the first permanent endowment expressly for the School of the Arts. Reserve tickets

More Paul Taylor Links and Resources

Sunday Arts Profile — Thirteen.org: A profile of the company featuring archival performance footage of Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor & Patrick Corbin in Conversation: PTDC alum and choreographer, Corbin sits down with Paul Taylor

Return of Beloved Renegade: Recent NYTimes retrospective by Alastair Macaulay on PTDC’s return to City Center

Paul Taylor Dance Company Website: Articles, Dancer Profiles, Company History, and News

Special thanks to Paul Taylor, Carol K. Walker, Purchase College School of the Arts, and Karen Apablaza.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, History of Dance, Interviews, Modern/Contemporary, News and Events | Who's talking about this article?

Get free updates PLUS access to additional content, tips, and more. Get Subscriber PLUS.

Dance Advantage » History of Dance

“Black or White” to Black and White: Dance History and the Music Video

“The only thing new in dance is you.”

Where might this lead you?

The First Film To Tell The Joffrey Ballet Story — Autographed DVD

The Giveaway

Lakeview Films and Hybrid Cinema would like to give away ONE signed copy and TWO unsigned copies of Joffrey: Mavericks Of American Dance on DVD to Dance Advantage readers.

The Joffrey Movie giveaway is open worldwide to those 18 and up and closes at Midnight EST on Thursday, February 23.

How To Enter

This giveaway is closed but you can find DVD copies of the film, podcasts, video, and much, much more at www.joffreymovie.com

History Moves: Using the Creative Process to Explore Dance History

The history of dance is far from dull and including dance history in your classes doesn’t have to be either.

To recap:

Let’s draw on those same ten ideas to outline two ways to practically include dance history lessons while going about the usual business of making dances:

1. Choosing Content.

2. Choosing Genre.

3. Choosing Movement.

4. Choosing structure.

5. Choosing sound.

6. and 7. Choosing alternate methods for coaching ideas and movement within rehearsal.

7. Choosing production elements.

8. and 9. Choosing your value system and Choosing your method for reflection.

How do you explore dance history in your classes? What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

Tap Classics: Paddle and Roll Heroes, Lon Chaney & Bunny Briggs

Lon Chaney and Dr. Bunny Briggs did not invent the paddle and roll, but instead developed the step to its maximum potential.

No other dancer is identified more with the paddle and roll than another tap icon, Lon Chaney.

Tap Classics: Frank Condos and 5-Count Wings

More Tap Classics:

Tap Classic: Jimmy Slyde and his Signature Sliding

What Do They Mean By ‘Contemporary’ On SYTYCD?

What is contemporary dance?

How is it different from modern dance, or jazz dance?

I’ll start with my Bottom Line first…

Labels suck but we kind of need them.

Expand Your Library or Horizons: 13 Books on Dance and Culture

GENERAL INTEREST

Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement

International Encyclopedia of Dance

Past and Present Pillow at Your Fingertips

The Desegregation of Dance and the Pioneers Who Made It Possible

Segregation in Dance

Preparing Little Dancers For The World of Clara and Beyond

The First Act – The Synopsis

The Party:

The Toy Breaks:

The Nutcracker Comes to Life and Battles with the Mouse King:

The Second Act – A Synopsis

Explore how the characters from Act II could dance for Clara.

It is never too early to teach children about the art of choreography or creating dance.

Bringing Native American Dance into the Classroom for Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, there is no better time to bring cultural dance into the classroom or Native American culture into the studio!

Investigating

Native American Hoop Dance:

Nakotah LaRance – 6 time World Champion Hoop Dancer

The hoop dance can also represent the beauty of the world and nature. Some symbols that are depicted in the hoops are the butterfly, eagle, flower, and mother earth or world.

Discovering

Ask:

Don’t try to copy the dances but explore the elements of the dance.

Exploring

Share a Native American legend or story with the class.

I would love to hear your thoughts about bringing various cultural experiences into your classroom and studio!

Guest Post: The What, When, Why, and How of Clogging

Clogging? What Is Clogging?

A Little History

21st Century Clogging

Why Clogging?

More Clogging…

Today Is National Tap Dance Day!

When was the bill passed?

Who was involved?

Why May 25th?

Who is Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson?

More on Bojangles:

How do tap dancers celebrate National Tap Dance Day?

National Tap Dance Day has evolved into an international celebration

How can YOU celebrate National Tap Dance Day?

Profile of an American Icon: A Few Words With Paul Taylor

An Unignorable Hunch

An Unequivocal Talent

Celebrating 80

How do you explore dance history in your classes?
What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

Why May 25^th?