The process of knowing the world of
performing arts especially in the big city of New York is not an easy task.
What more New York where it is the center of the performing arts ranging from
dance, musical theatre, broadway, theatre, visual art music and many more.
Usually when someone pursues their studies in this metropolitan city, for sure
their future is bright. The dance field is a field that needs to go through
specific phrases and takes a long time to acquire it. Indeed, perhaps initially
it seems easy when begin at the diploma level and thereafter the Bachelor’s
degree.
Nevertheless,
when opportunity is given to further studies at a higher level such as Masters
or PhD, it is necessary to be more vigilant particularly a lot has to be
thought through from the viewpoint of mental as well as physical. The way to
indicate self-maturity as an artiste nor artist whom focuses oneself in this
field is extremely different comparing to the normal society, lawyer, doctor,
regardless of any kind of occupation. Whatever is seen by the artiste either
the pedestrians, people cooking, eating, sleeping, drinking or any daily
activity as a performance. By virtue of an experience in a Graduate Seminar
class by Jamie absolutely being agreed by me as a student. In the aspect of
performance, in actual fact there are two kinds of performances which are “is”
performance and “as” performance. Both of these performances can be proven
based on my own experience in a class led by Phillis Lamhut whereby we were
instructed to watch the pedestrians and attempt to imitate them in the studio.
Two contradicting zones had happened. One on the street and another in the
studio. Looked alike but not the same.
In a performance there need to have a primary purpose which is to stage it and
to show it to the audience. Yet the pedestrian for example has a purpose too,
for instance what is the reason they walk? And where are they heading to? All
that has a purpose. It is clearly demonstrated that the first example which is
stage performance can be defined as “is” performance and the pedestrian as “as”
performance. Jamie also gave an example – “basketball player is also part of a
performance, how they perform their game to the public and their coach.” That
example is a very strong example for the “as” performance theory by Richard
Schecner.
Every
performance that has a purpose to present it to the audience is in the category
of “is” performance. For every student including myself in Tisch for example,
we go through the process or offer in getting ourselves involved in the
performance series Showing 1, Showing 2, faculty performance and so on, only
the realization towards the intention of a specific performance made by the
dancers is different. Nevertheless what
is certainly sure is that it is for the purpose of viewing for the public. I
have my personal opinion for my own understanding whereby the performance that
has a purpose must have a two-way relation which is the audience need to have a
specific intention which is to watch the performance and the performer as well
must have the same intention which is to be presented for the audience. That
connection will indirectly meet in the middle and elicit a new space which is
called performance.
When
we or I myself interpret the performance which involves two parties, this would
mean that it has connection with the space of how these two parties feel in
their space. One space is between the
dancer and the stage and the other space is how the audience feel their space
between them and the dancer. Unquestionably this aspect of space has been
discussed in the class conducted by Jamie. Feeling a kind of space or
experience in a particular space. There are several aspects of space that have
been applied in various forms of arts primarily dance. Feeling of one space by
way of sensation of touch, sight, sound, smell as well as thoughts and
emotions. I went through this experience of space based on a manifold of my own
observations and experiences. My first observation was during a ballet
partnering class and male ballet Jim Martin. Whenever he does a movement in
nearly all of his explanation he would use the word space. How a specific movement like “Port der bras”
can afford to be explained as controlling the space. “Feel the space, show the
universe with one movement”- Jim Martin.
Evidently
it is shown that the space has slithered to numerous categories, space in
between oneself, space in between another person, negative space, positive
space, stage space, thinking space and variety of others. By virtue of that
every time I move and begin to do the movement I will think of space mastery in
which I have to conquer and why that space is important for me to experience
and feel it. Secondly, based on my own experience when I am at home. I try
closing my eyes and walk towards the kitchen, the space onto myself feels small
due to the deficiency of one vital sensory which is sight. Nevertheless, the
touch sensory becomes the prime important sensory to feel the space in
realizing the purpose of the mind in going to the kitchen. Every space is being
felt, touched and obviously it is more detailed, hence various other sensory
will be alerted in order to be aware of the surroundings so as to reach the
objective. However, what has become the utmost supremacy is the mediation
between the purpose and the body that is going through the experience has
created various new encounters (space in between). In this aspect of space and
performance, often it is applied in producing a dance choreography. Space and
spacing is a two different thing. The question towards space and spacing in
which what the differences are has yet to be answered. Nonetheless, I have my
own evaluation on the differences between space and spacing.
Not
only on stage but also in filming (dance film) for example often observing
space as the cardinal subject as to how it functions from the angle perspective
and camera positioning. Indeed choreography is one essential factor in a
particular dance, theatre, music and others. Choreography is an arrangement
that encompasses various aspects. In dance it touches the question of space,
movement, arrangement via calculation, ideology, theme concept and so on. The
elements in producing this choreography have evolved into a debate in the Dance
Seminar class whereby I myself have established a statement of my disagreement
towards the use of the word choreography in a film that was shown recently “
Kramer v Kramer” and proposed to use the word arrangement, how they arrange it. A Choreographer has to create a sequence of
movements that will be linked in shape and form leading towards a final
product- a dance. There are a number of standard methods and simple techniques
that can be used by the choreographer to create these sequences and
subsequently develop and arrange these phrases in terms of structure, length
and so forth. It must be noted that books and individual choreographers may use
varying terminology to express the following ideas.
These
are generally accepted methods of development and expansion of phrases and
sequences that should be explored in composition and choreography class for the
student and budding choreographer. Recently I participated in becoming a Crew
and had the opportunity in watching a performance which uses the theatrical
aspect as the primary theme. The usage of text, space, acting and many others.
By virtue of that observation I should say I have to agree that is
choreography. The initial statement in watching the video in the graduate
seminar class I profess and agree with the usage of the term “choreography” on
the premise of my observation and brief research through annotation. All these
explanation and evaluation towards understanding how “performance arts” work are
very difficult to comprehend yet it is worth to know because for example me, I
need all these materials to ensure my stability in my career. Obviously it is
very hard nowadays to find a good job especially in the dance world, the
easiest and closest would be to become a teacher in school etc, but all this is
really killing our passion. A look at the professional dance environment in New
York City in this write up is the hope to give the potential dancer/choreographer
a clearer idea of what lies ahead should he choose this path.
Those
with an interest and a harboring desire, need to understand what it takes to
become a dancer and enter the profession with their eyes wide open. Knowledge
of the professional dance environment will better prepare the dancers to deal with
the challenges that they will certainly face. Popular public perception is that
it is glitzy, glamorous and reserved for the air-head. In New York we have a
bunch of dance companies which are struggling and fighting to establish
themselves in the industries. These companies are generally not very large,
employing approximately twenty dancers and some musicians. The largest
professional dance companies in New York City are perhaps ABT and NY City
Ballet. All these aforementioned companies focus on Classical repertoire since
a decade ago. What about others? What
about others who are majoring in a different style? What about those people who
have already studied for several years? Where can they place themselves? All
these questions often appear in my head since I came to New York and look at
this problem. These recent years there have been seen to be a growing number of
opportunities for contemporary dancers to audition in the professional contemporary
dance company.
The
doors have been opened for us, the marginalized and under-dog artists, and all
these people are merely waiting for the open festival and working on project
base. With such festival creates opportunities for performance that would
otherwise be difficult for fledgling companies. Most of the dancers in the
festival and performances consider themselves fortunate if they receive an
allowance that covers their expenses during the period of rehearsals. Like the
dancers world over- they do it for LOVE! Funding and thus employment, is on a
project-to-project basis and extremely difficult to obtain. Many dancers have
day jobs unrelated to dance. This factor too, has an impact on the progress of
the dance profession as it effects the rehearsal time and scheduling is always
a nightmare. Many more contemporary dance companies will
grow and appear in dance industry maps and give a lot of opportunities for
people who have already finished their studies in future.
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