Dance education for 21st Century

Learning Ability to Handle Complexity 

Some thoughts on dance education after Stolzenhagen

 The first question is; can we talk about the future of contemporary dance or are we just  observing tendencies that dance education will go. Dance education is one of the rare fields that is not strictly determined by national currriculum, but yet by the preferences of a certain dance community. Considering Stolzenhagen meeting there are some general thoughts to discuss. Too much contemporaneity in the field of dance education seems to build higher wall of dihotomy on two different fields, which are highly connected:

-          between dance practice and dance education

-          between dance education and dance creation

 It is a question of circlering, where there circle itself is longer fully active. It is also the question of special relationship between teacher and pupil; where seams to be no graspable connection in »bridging« dance education (of the teacher) to the dance creation (of the pupil) and dance practice (of the teacher) to the dance education (of the teacher). In solving that question all theory seems to be dead. Useless. There is just practice & experience and implementing practical tools seems to be useful. We are faced with different kind of processuality, where things have to be converted; no more concepts first, dance second, but dance first, concepts second. Some things never change.

There are tree direct consequences of »shift« in contemporary dance in 21st Century: 

1) The death of Choreography

2) The end of dance techniques

3) The birth of »new collective deal«; NCD

1) After the death of Choreography:

»I can not start this performance.«

This opening sentence is undermined by my very act of writing it. Nevertheless, I have changed the word chapter with the world performance. Yet that opening sentence describes a possible state of affairs.« Contingent sentences that behave like contradictions or tautologies are by Augustine called pragmatic paradoxes. Unlike traditional paradoxes that are normaly cited in attacs against established beliefs pragmatic paradoxes are normally cited in defense of established beliefs.  These starting words can also describe some paradoxes in the sphere of contemporary dance, which sometimes find itself in front of the impossible or, paradoxal tasks, such as building another »new piece.« How? Why? Do I have to? Do I need to? Unless you believe, you will not understand.

1. NO MORE  DIHOTOMY

Every performance requires two groups of people. The »doers« and the »onlookers,« who are to assemble at a certain time and place in order to share this situation, which arises out of their encounter, says Erika Fisher Lichte. That means performance is no longer an artwork as an object of obseravtion; it becomes the event of interaction, the platform of/for communication or the field of  common investigation . Besides that the performer has to implement the »double« position of the »third« as discoursive strategy

while spectator has to train his/her senses for the investigating of the negativity.  The central instance of investigation is no longer »doers« nor »onlookers,« but relationship between them as a constantly shifting perspective of the »third view.« Namely, the ability to grasp strings that lie between and construct and deconstruct holes that arise upon.  On the other hand, specator has to implement some »new« strategies how to »read« performance differently – after choreography is no longer a dominant architectual strategy of the dance performance.  The only focus which stays is a focus on human body (as the only positive semiotic element of performativity), which is also the only »positivity« after the death of choreography. 

2. SHIFTING PERSPECTIVITY

In order to catch the »conjunction« between a certain performer, we have to start with switch; by shifting position: from the act of answering to the act of questioning, from the notion of claiming to the notion of (re)searching, from character of irreversible to quality of reversibility. In multiple purposes and functions of a certain performance its communicative potentiality many times stays hidden, non-visible or non-recognisible. The question is, who is responsible is that; performer's, who's performance was not communicative enough, or spectator's, who is partly trained watcher, bad observer or just non-communicative enough. Probably the responisibility arises from the performer's side.  In that point a real »research« beginns (as an inverted-pyramide perspectivity). The final question is – how to approach / investigate the choreography under conditions of constantly changing »performative« community.  That »loop« is strongly connected to the role of aestetical transformation of performativity and the role of the role of observer, previously known as dramaturge, as such.

3. THE OBSERVER

As the function of certain performance is constantly changing  the role of »the  observer« is transfering as well. It is no longer dramaturge, but experienced, multi-disciplinary oriented and vivid investigators of human expression, with a task to “catch the tiny red line” of an »aristic thought« and be able to communicate it. In front of »the observer« are standing new demands in order to overcome its domestic artistic sphere and constantly grow. There is no non-participative role of the observer. In order to catch the »real conjunction«, also observers have to implement new critical perspective, which is structurally the same as - performing perspective. Nevertheless, they have to become an extra performers by choreographical structure of their thoughts while desribing it. According that we have to implement the »double observing position of the third « as a describing strategy of investigating performativity – after the death of choreography.

2) After the End of Dance techniques:

Manifesto DANCE PLUS

No more forced sharing .  

No necessity to teach,

nor necessity to learn.

Yes to deep language.

Yes to skeleton.

Yes to bones.

Art stayes.

Bones stay.

What to teach?

Younger are against techniques,

Older are against youngers,

What is a technique?

Who to talk to?

What's the grade?

Dancing Queen,

Young and sweet, only seventeen,

Doesn't want to dance ballet,

Really wants to dance hip hop.

What have ballet and hip hop in common?

Jump. Jump.

Another structure.

Work yourself out

With or without

Sharing, thinking, hurting,

Creative tasks

Doesn't have to be creative

Just focused on

Focus, focus, focus

Here and there.

Why they are not listening me?

What is wrong?

Dance techniques are dead,

Welcome personal experiment,

Good morning feedback,

Hello talking

About everything.

Documenation – without documents.

Conceptualization – without concepts.

Dancing – without techniques.

We need some answers.

Which teacher is bad and why?

Some things never change.

Do you want to be acrobat or what?

No more forced sharing.

3. The birth of »new collective deal«; NCD

… coming soon …