July 6, 2008 at 9:14 am · Filed under SUSAN, new york city, abt, performance, advice, audience, audiences, american balet theatre
The other night, I returned home after an evening of ballet-ing in an unusually funky mood. (Suffice it to say that the company in the seats beside me were far less pleasant than the excellent company on stage.)
Imagine my surprise, then, when I began flipping through the program a few days later to discover an interesting addition to that evening’s playbill. Because Volpe is so much more elegantly eloquent than I am—but, mainly, because I adore his graceful use of the (ghastly) “heinous”—I wanted to share his thoughts on:
I shall spare you the lengthy rant about the obvious blight of ringing cell phones or the agony of late arrivals stepping on our toes or that awkward moment when you find your orchestra seats being warmed by sheepish looking third balcony hopefuls. That said, let’s review the more obscure yet heinous crimes that might send us fleeing back to our home surround-sound and plasma-screen systems, and far from live performances that require us to be a part of a civilized communal experience.
Gentlemen, if you must snore, make sure your companion has sharp elbows.
Fanny packs are never an acceptable “Performing Arts” accoutrement, save it for the mall.
Humming is a crime that is almost forgivable as it’s committed unconsciously. Still, never, ever, hum along with the music—the musicians really don’t need your help.
Never leave a performance before intermission, unless you are injured and bleeding profusely. While you may be “bloody bored,” those around you are not.
Ladies, please do not bathe in your Clive Christian No. 1 perfume prior to a performance. Gentlemen, you might want to skip the cologne altogether; you are in close quarters, not the French Quarter.
Refrain from leaping to one’s feet, zealously clapping and shouting “Bravo,” while the rest of us are still waiting to hear the last glorious notes of the aria.
Dress Appropriately. We all know that casual attire is encouraged these days, but let’s keep casual from becoming catastrophic. Shorts and a tank top might be appropriate in Branson, Missouri, the home of country music, but not in Avery Fisher Hall, the Home of the New York Philharmonic. We must keep the concert halls alive by our patronage for the next generation. As a young man I would attend such transporting musical evenings wearing a borrowed jacket and dress pants purchased from the Salvation Army. I made an effort despite my “standing room” or “student ticket” status and rose to the occasion on limited funds while showing respect for the performers and fellow audience members.
There is no substitute for a live performance, whether it is ballet, classical, jazz or soul. Miss Aretha Franklin demands, and gets, what she literally spells out for us—R-E-S-P-E-C-T. And that’s what other audience members and the performers on stage deserve from all of us.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I am guilty of (at least!) one of the above violations. (Oof!)
I wonder if this strikes a chord with anyone else?
Am I an anomaly in thinking that being in the house for an evening’s performance is just as challenging (in different ways, of course) as being on the stage?
Recent Posts by susan kim
March 23, 2008 at 2:11 am · Filed under SLOAN, dance, speaking, advice, web, joyce soho
This Monday I’ll be joining our friends Doug Fox, Jaki Levy, and Chris Elam on a panel about Web Marketing for dance companies, moderated by Kathryn Padberg. I’m glad they’re structuring it as more of a Q&A, because this is a rich and multifaceted subject - and the “advice” is so dependent on individual companies’ circumstances - that I think it will be much more beneficial to have a discussion around the subject, as opposed to people just presenting work.
If any of you are planning on attending and already have questions or things you want to know more about, let me know now and I’ll come more prepared to try to show or talk about that subject.
:)
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
March 21, 2007 at 4:03 pm · Filed under injuries, germany, EVAN MCKIE, athletes, stuttgart ballet, advice, back injury
I have really been out of the loop here at The Winger while I have been dealing with one of the most annoying injuries my body has really been faced with.
I have two herniated/slipped discs in my lower back and nobody knows why they shifted. It’s been pretty annoying trying to rehabilitate for the last couple of months because there are so many different routes that a person can take with this particular injury. I have been so occupied with looking for my own answers that I seem to have been unable to answer all of your questions… but thanks for the support!
When I first discovered what I was facing I kind of shrugged it off and started doing lots of exercises to help my back acheive a correct balance. That often solves the problem by giving the discs the right amount of space to slip right back in where they came from. I had heavy-duty drugs and my mind was set on realizing my engagements with the Stuttgart Ballet to open the 2007 season at the Paris Opera. I wanted to give all I could to the audiences there and was eager to dance with our company that, I love so much.
Paris was super fun and because I was super motivated and super-high;) I just thought I had worked through all of my back worries….dumb:/ I came back to the studio in Stuttgart and my back had had enough. A close friend was in town at that time who had been a great dancer at Stuttgart and also suffered (and recovered) from pretty much exactly the same thing about 7 years ago. He gave me some sound advice and basically forced me to realize that I would actually just have to…stop for a while in order to save myself later.
So I did. I made my personal choice for the kind of therapy I thought would be right for me and have really come a long way. But I must say, I really feel for any athlete who has to exercise the extreme patience necessary to be held back from what they love because of a physical injury.
I am very disappointed that I will have to miss out on chanced to dance great new roles in Robbins’ “Dance at a Gathering”, Bejart’s “Gaite Parisienne”, Van Manen’s “Corps”, and a new creation by both of the Stuttgart Ballet’s wonderful resident choreographers. So I have been pretty bummed. On the other hand, I have pretty much just tried to make lemonade and taken on a multitude of new secret (and fun) projects. My physical therapy has also been a wonderful thing in that I have learned so much about my body and mind. I hate barriers and my being injured, has, in a way helped me break down walls I hadn’t even realized I was up against regarding stresses on the mind and body… The perspective I have gained has been a blessing……. but still I am really dyeing to get back to the rigour of what I really love.
Again, my heart goes out to any other injured athletes as I know it can sure be difficult. I am lucky that there are great people like Kristin Sloan who display that it is more then possible to channel the over-flow of creative energy an injured dancer has in a way that brings great things… like this site!
I wish you all the best… (the healthy people too…) and hope to be writing about a “come-back” very soon! 
Recent Posts by Evan McKie
