Saturday, April 09, 2005
Dancers are instruments, like a piano the choreographer plays.
- George Balanchine
In dance, there is nothing else but the body which could be utilised for the channel of performance of a masterpiece. (I absolutely cannot think of any other ways.) Drawing out the actions? No, that would be too lifeless and unreal. Creating puppets and making them dance? No, that would not display your passions or emotions. What about describing the actions? No, that would be dance talking. I remember how my previous dance instructor educated us on dance and dancing. She said our bodies are the instruments to the choreography. I found it to be true. I had never given any thought nor drew comparisons between different ideas regarding dance before. Not until I joined dance and realised how big its impact can be on our life, our personalities, our emotions and perspectives of dance. Although she has left us, I will always remember her words. Who said instruments are only objects with no feelings, or a word used to express an idea figuratively? On the contrary, humans can be instruments, and also a mass which possesses rich emotions. Isn't it interesting?