In this modern
world, most of the dance creators primarily in the contemporary area
specifically, are constantly searching for something new to be showcased to or
viewed by the public. Yet, it is not as easy as it is expected to be. In
producing an excellent dance piece in the contemporary area does not
necessarily need to see who in the audience are coming to watch the show or for
who the performance is being showcased to. When we have that kind of thinking,
indirectly the control of external element will begin to shroud the mind and
creativity of a choreographer. Why do we produce a choreography? Why do we have
the desire to produce it? This question seems to be as easy as A B C, yet it is
formidable and intricate like answering a million dollar question. In producing
a piece needs a very long time, it even requires a high level of concentration.
Nonetheless not all choreographers need all of that, there are some
choreographers who are fortunate enough to produce a piece within a short time
and procure excellent outcome. These are all probabilities and we as
choreographers cannot sit and wait for that probability as hope in producing a
magnificent choreography.
What is an
outstanding choreography? This question becomes a booby trap for every
choreographer because it can possibly consume the role of the choreographer
itself in producing a choreography. Choreography is also used to arrange ice
skating, cheerleading,
synchronized swimming, and a variety of other performance
arts. Someone who composes choreographed pieces is known as a choreographer; typically, a choreographer works as a performer
before becoming a composer, so that he or she will have a deeper understanding
of the art. The practice of choreography is ancient; the word itself
comes from the Ancient Greek, and it literally means “dance writing,” a
reference to the notation used to record choreography. Over time, people came
to use the word “dance notation” to describe the specific style of language
used to create a written record of a choreographed composition, and
“choreography” to describe the process of developing and directing that
composition in performance.
I took an
example from Sacred Monsters by Akram Khan. Monstres Sacres. The term was used
for the first time in France in the 19th century as a nickname for the big
stars of the theatre, such as Sarah Bernhardt. It marks the birth of
contemporary stardom in which the icons of the arts and sports world are given
divine status by their audience and the media. Sacred Monsters is first and
foremost the meeting and exchange of two such 'stars' of the present day dance
world: Sylvie Guillem and Akram Khan, but there is also a flip side to stardom.
Having to live up to the expectations of your audience to be perfect, positive,
good (at), … There is no more room for failure, imperfection, to express one's
real feelings and emotions. The divine status becomes inhuman, monstrous.
If we look at
Akram Khan who uses a lot of approach and conducts numerous research towards
his choreography. This choreography was presented in 2006 and took a long time
for it to be completed. What attracted me to write about the product of the choreography
according to evolution of time is because many Generation ”Y” choreographers
often adopt to produce a specific choreography. Making YouTube as reference is
an atrocious preference and that choice I can say is a dead end’s meet. A lot of
the recommendations that we hear amongst the senior choreographers is by
watching other performances and make that as reference. Yes, it is perhaps
appropriate and I cannot say that it is not precise or impossible. Yet it also
encourages me to applaud the same thing to other choreographers. Back to
watching YouTube as reference. It is not a good commendation as watching 2
dimensional performances has several limitations which is space. The difference
in watching a form of 3 dimensional performance and a 2 dimensional one is highly
significant whereby the 2 dimension is more towards viewing from the frontal
angle whereas 3 dimensional is more towards various different perspectives.
Choreographer
supposedly should produce a piece that can make it become everlasting in
conversation or permanently ingrained in another person’s mind for a durable
time. Therefore, the choreographer can make the past choreographer as reference
but producing a present choreography as a reference for the future. By
producing current choreography there exist dance and multimedia, pilobulous,
dance for camera and others. What I meant is that choreographers Y have to be
more alert towards the present time so that the current society that watches
does not feel that they are left behind nor does the choreographer himself.
Most of the
choreographers from the old generation produce avan-gard creation, has it ever
occurred to us the reason we whom are born and exist at this present time are
not capable of producing such choreography. Comprehensively, choreographers ought
to be more vigilant in producing a choreography so that it does not falter.
Make the past as the reference for the present and producing a present
choreography for future reference. Perhaps my thinking is not as precise but
this is my observation and citation which I recently ordained.
