About to read T. Csordas “Embodiment as a Paradigm for Anthropology.”

Ref: Csordas, T. J. (1990). “Embodiment as a Paradigm for Anthropology.”

This article at a quick glance seems to discuss many of the theoretical aspects I am considering for my ballet research.

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As a full-time professional #dancer what consumes your thoughts during the day?

I would especially like to hear from ballet dancers about this, but other professional dancers’ experiences would be valuable.

I am trying to get a focus on what consumes professional dancers in their normal day. Please share with us what often goes through your mind during a typical day of classes, rehearsals and performances. For my research I am interested in anything and everything that runs through your thoughts from waking until sleep. Nothing is inconsequential since I am trying to establish a focus for eventual fieldwork. If you feel there is something other dancers may relate to, share it by way of comment. Also, respond to other comments so that we may get an active discussion going. If you are shy but happy to discuss privately, message me through my contact page.

Some things you may like to talk about are:

• How my body works and feels;
• What motivates me to dance;
• What makes it worth the hard work;
• The aesthetics of dancing as a performer;
• How I engage with space and movement.

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Should we be thinking about “process” when we talk about the “creative process”?

I have always thought the term creative process as being something of an oxymoron. According to Wikipedia, process means:

Process or processing (verb) typically describes the action of taking something through an established and usually routine set of procedures or steps to convert it from one form to another… A process involves steps and decisions in the way work is accomplished, and may involve a sequence of events.

I have just read a blog post Creative Process: 10 Ideas for Moving Beyond the Steps which I found interesting and certainly did what the title suggests, that is, listed steps for moving beyond the steps. I am not writing this as a critique of that article, which serves a useful purpose. However, the article did prompt me to think about how we use language. Language can direct you to thinking in a fashion that may be intended but often has other consequences. I am not saying that in creative pursuits such as dance and choreography that there is no process. I am suggesting that we should be careful not to privilege thinking about the task over the creative output that we are trying to achieve.

For example, a simple device such as listing steps of a process rather than describing the “how to” in narrative form immediately places the brain in a structured context. Is this what we want when describing how to be creative? Maybe it is, but I suspect more would be achieved creatively if the reader is asked to think about what is gained by behaving in a particular fashion. This is not easy, it takes quite a leap to move from a report type / how to style to a narrative analytical style that is still accessible to the intended audience. In fact, my posts on this blog attempt to achieve these ends – and they are not always successful.

Background:

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Q from a contributor: what makes a performance authentic?

“Question from a contributor” is a series of posts with topics posed by readers of this blog. Ask your question here. ps: I need more contributions!!

From Susan:

…what about the role experience plays in the effectiveness and authenticity of a performance when the dancer has not “lived out” the life of a character s/he represents?

For example, I rehearse and perform various Chinese ethnic minority dances. I have never been to, much less lived the life of someone in, Inner Mongolia. Nor have I visited the home of the Yi people in the Yunnan province. (I fully intend to do so someday.) I conduct a great deal of research – the cultural and social history of the region, daily life, the effects of Chinese unification, etc. in order to more richly convey the culture of these peoples. Otherwise, the product is merely a series of steps and movements with no spirit.

That said, does the lack of ‘relevant life experience’ make this kind of performance inauthentic? What does ‘authentic’ really mean, and how does experience play a role in this?

What do dancers reading here think?

I would like to address the notion of authenticity. To say that anything is authentic has been debated by academics and others for a long time. In our particular context we could just ask, for example, are we talking about the authenticity of the dance genre itself (classical ballet and its various schools of technique, or as Susan asks – a particular ethnic form of dance)? Or are we exploring the authenticity of the story that is being told through the dance?

From an anthropological viewpoint, I would like to identify two scenarios in which authenticity is often claimed. The first scenario considers assertions of authenticity in the domain of political power and associated political identity formation. This area is relevant to ballet however, strays from Susan’s question too far. The second scenario examines authenticity claims to tradition in the roles that they play in establishing value and worth in the commercial system of consumption. This is perhaps a more manageable discussion for this post.

Because of the high cost of presenting large scale ballet productions, it is safe to say that ballet has to exist in the world commodity system. In the commodity system there are many actors including the commodities producer (ballet companies, dancers, choreographer, and the rest); its consumer (audiences, critics, media); and the marketing and ticketing agents in the supply chain (Appadurai 1986:42-43). Each of these actors have an affect on the interpretation of knowledge that accompanies the commodity with regard to its origin, quality and any other attributes considered important. Both the producer and the supply chain agents usually determine the knowledge that accompanies this information and they do this bearing in mind what they think the market wants. However the consumer has a significant role in re-interpreting this data at the point of consumption (Spooner 1986:198). The commodity emerges as an object that appears as a ‘sign in a system of signs of status’ (Appadurai 1986:45).

With the consumer in view we can see how the criteria of authenticity enters into the debate. Different consumers at different levels of the market question authenticity depending on their perceived needs for the genuine article and their own drive for ‘becoming an aficionado’ in its consumption (Spooner 1986:197). In this system, value and exchange become linked through politics of authenticity (Appadurai 1986:57). Consumers seek authenticity that is projected onto objects as a form of expression and for security in the grounding that this provides. The process of authenticity takes on an ascribed existentialist role in as far as it satisfies the need for individuality in a complex world (Spooner 1986:226-228).

In summary, the producers and others in the market draw on the symbols of past traditions to construct consumer products with images that consumers reinterpret as genuine, thereby ascribing authenticity on the objects of their gaze (Spooner 1986:199-201, 219).

I think this goes some way to answering Susan’s question “What does ‘authentic’ really mean”. With the idea then that tradition and authenticity is culturally constructed, I would answer Susan’s other questions “does the lack of ‘relevant life experience’ make this kind of performance inauthentic?” and “how does experience play a role in this?” depends very much on who the audience is and what their expectations and understanding of authentic are.

References:

Appadurai, Arjun 1986, ‘Introduction: commodities and the politics of value’, Arjun Appadurai (ed.) The social life of things: Commodities in cultural perspective, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Spooner, Brian 1986, ‘Weavers and dealers: the authenticity of an oriental carpet’, Arjun Appadurai (ed.) The social life of things: Commodities in cultural perspective, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

 

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What ever happened to the impromptu in flash mobs?

It seems every time humans devise something novel and outside the box, others contrive to reign it in and leverage it. I noticed it first with the Thriller flash mobs that appeared around the world and on youtube. Many looked like they were impromptu, that is prompted by the occasion and exhibiting little or no preparation. Polished they weren’t but fun to watch. Then others appeared looking like a lot of rehearsal had been done and using experienced dancers. They look great and are still a lot of fun. But is the idea of flash mob becoming a little too commercialised and being taken away from the everyday novel experience? Take for example this fantastic “flash mob” of West Side Story which has clearly been rehearsed by good dancers. It is a great performance and I enjoyed it, but can we really call it a flash mob?

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Q from a contributor: can you truly be a convincing Ballet performer until you have experienced all those feelings in real life?

“Question from a contributor” is a series of posts with topics posed by readers of this blog. Ask your question here. ps: I need more contributions!!

From Nerida:

A question to ponder….. can you truly be a convincing Ballet performer until you have experienced all those feelings in real life? Can a Juliet be convincing in portraying that role until she has experienced a broken heart? I guess Actors have the same issues – with ballet I guess the older you become emotionally you are a better performer, but physically you are less able? Double edged sword no doubt!

What do dancers reading here think?

I would imagine that this is an important issue in any type of performing as Nerida points out with acting. But maybe the relative young age of ballet dancers in their physical peak should not really be an issue. After all, if I remember correctly, most of my experience of life and angst happened at a young age and Romeo and Juliet is a story of young, teenage lovers. This is not to say as we get older we do not get more life experience, but is it a kind of experience that translates through dance to a powerful performance?

 

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Neuroscience on movement cf. Mauss’ on habitus

This is fascinating. It is an accessible 20 minute neuroscience talk (first 5 minutes is enough to get the idea) that explains the complexities of the brain related to movement. It pretty much compliments social science/humanities explanations including: anthropology on habitus (Mauss, Bourdieu), human evolution (Darwin), and phenomenology (Merleau-Ponty). Its relevance to any form of dance is self evident.

Daniel Wolpert: The real reason for brains

www.youtube.com

http://www.ted.com/ Neuroscientist Daniel Wolpert starts from a surprising premise: the brain evolved, not to think or feel, but to control movement.

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What is the artistic process?

In this multimedia presentation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sophie Andersen explores connections between dance and art. She asks “what is the artistic process” and proceeds from there to show movement in art works.

Where do my readers see the artistic process in ballet being expressed?

Thank you Kate Harding for bringing this to our attention via a retweet.

Sofie Andersen. Metropolitan Museum of Art

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Survey on being an understudy

On twitter, Devin Alberda from the NYCB commented…

dalberda Devin Alberda:  ”I hate understudying. The bitterness corrodes my soul like Coke does a penny.”

I retweeted with: “Do other #dancers feel this way?”

The only response I have received is from Devin:  ”I could take an informal survey. I think most dancers would rather spend their time dancing than standing in the back.”

So let me try a survey here…

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Q from a contributor: artistic influence in the ballet class

“Question from a contributor” is a series of posts with topics posed by readers of this blog. Ask your question here.

From Magdalena:

How much artistic influence should be used in the ballet class, and how much should be saved for rehearsal.  I have studied with some people who think of the classroom as someplace to focus, and I have worked with some people who view the class as a place to explore and experiment with what the body can do.  Anyway, I would like to know how others feel on the subject.

I have come across the idea of ballet class as a place to focus before. So, it would appear that this is an interesting idea to explore. What do others think? In your comments, please indicate if you are answering as a dancer, teacher, or from another perspective.

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