Archive for arts
March 29, 2008 at 4:20 am · Filed under studio, media, video, teaching, TONY, dance and technology, science, space, physics, apples, computer graphics, opengl, education, performance, school, pedagogy, astronomy, learning, hermes, arts, double feature, animation
Last month I wrote a guest post on Matt Gough’s blog quodlibet titled math skills. It addressed the question of what fundamentals of physics and mathematics should be included in the dance technology curriculum.
Since dance-tech is in its infancy and still forming as a field this is an open question. This issue is not simply about inserting math and science into an arts curriculum but more so about how these two worlds partner. The action is reciprocal, math and science inform the dance and dance-tech provides new ways of knowing math and physics.
Force is one of the central landmarks of physics pedagogy. Gravity is Newton’s force.
And to use the force you must learn the force.
Simulation is a great way to learn about forces.
So is dancing.
Recent Posts by tony schultz
March 17, 2008 at 11:47 pm · Filed under dance, resources, culture, boston, news, SUSAN, research, arts funding, fundraising, issues, america, dance culture, trends, dance companies, funding, arts, future
That the dance community at large has been facing a number of worries is not really news to most of us. (’Tis unfortunate, but true.) For the most part, most of the concerns that dominate the dance headlines have been dollar-focused; the problem of finding consistent funds and finances to pay dancers, commission choreography, license works and underwrite productions is one that will likely (and, sadly) plague us for a while longer. (For those who have not yet heard, Boston Ballet is the most recent company to fall into the financial black hole.)
In order to get a better grasp of what the dance world is facing, it is probably a good idea to get a more distanced perspective of where and how dance stands in relation to its other cultural peers. Towards the end of last year (2007), LaPlaca Cohen published Culture Track 2007, a presentation in which they summarize the results of their fourth national survey of cultural audiences.
The good news: In the past two years, there’s been a slight (2-3%) increase in attendance at classical dance (ballet) and modern dance events. (Yay!)
The bad news: A hefty percentage (52-68%) of people indicated that the genre/period/style to which a “cultural activity” belonged affected their attendance. Might this mean that dance will continue to remain a “lesser attended art form”? (Bummer.)
The hope: A significant number (31-49%) of the surveyed respondents indicated that “supporting a friend or family member” is a “very important” factor in their decision to attend performances and ‘activities.’ We can make a difference! (Hurrah!)
And, just in case your invitations meet resistance, be prepared:
Recent Posts by susan kim
February 7, 2008 at 1:07 am · Filed under SLOAN, dance, culture, architecture, lincoln center, ds+r, arts, fx fowle
The main area of the Lincoln Center campus is about to get crazy, but it will be worth it.
Looking forward to a reinvigorated arts complex by the minds at Diller Scofidio + Renfro and FX Fowle.
DS+R rendering from Lincoln Center’s website.
DS+R rendering from Lincoln Center’s website.
If you are coming to a show in the future, be sure to leave a little extra time to get to where you are going!
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
February 6, 2008 at 1:48 pm · Filed under dance, music, composers, museum, art event, miki orihara, MIKI, composer, arts
I went to see Fred Sherry Plays Zorn on Monday night. It was such a great evening.
World premiere of “777″( three cellists) Discussion lead by Charles Wuorinen( composer) with Fred Sherry and John Zorn, “Amour fou(1999)” piano, violin and cello, another discussion, solo cello work title “Untitled ( for Joseph Cornell)( 1999)” and again “777″.
“777″ started very disharmony sound, but when you listened it , it was actually harmonied together. It was a long tme ago that I used to listened to one CD which had John Zorn’s work, then long time I did not hear his music. But this performance, he gave me so many different sides of music. every work sounded different from each other. It was just amazing.
“Untitled ( for Joseph Cornell)” has a very interesting story that Zorn, in his childhood, lived in Queens where Cornell lived few doors down from his place. Knowing him as a person, eating icecream at the deli, strange man on the corner… all other aspects…and of course his art work inspire Zorn to make this solo.
I love this “works & process” at Guggenheim. You get to know the artist!and we came out after this performance, they were putting new exhibition. Interesting to see how they were putting this cars up in the air…
Recent Posts by miki orihara
December 6, 2007 at 9:58 pm · Filed under dance, blogs, directors, germany, new york city, director, modern dance, choreography, contemporary dance, arts, KRISTIN O, staatstheater kassel
There began a small investigation here in Kassel about the origin of an idea. Johannes Wieland, Director and Choreographer of the Tanztheater in Kassel built his version of “Le Sacre du Printemps” around seven human-sized tanks, each filled with at least 500 Liters of lukewarm water. The idea stemmed from a piece he created and premiered in New York City (2001) called “Tomorrow;” which has become one of Johannes’ signature works. In our rendition of “Sacre,” water ends up converting the entire opera house stage into a slippery sea comprised of splashed water, buckets full of water and quite literally, hair loads of tossed water.
After our premiere, a writer for the “Süd Deutscher” Newspaper wrote a positive review of the work but inferred that Johannes “copied” a piece by Sasha Waltz, a famous European choreographer whose company is based in Berlin. The reviewer attributed the originality of the tank idea to Ms. Waltz and her work “Dido and Aeneas,” which premiered in 2005. Chronologically, the tanks of water appeared first in Johannes’ “Tomorrow” nearly eight years ago. The writer of the review failed to research Johannes’ repertory and made a false claim based on her performance-going experience.
So, where did the idea of tanks of water on a stage originate? And does it matter? Can ideas really be claimed? It seems to me (and several of my colleagues with whom I’ve spoken much with about this issue) that both choreographers found reason to use the same not-so-commonly-used prop as tools to achieve separate visions. And perhaps tanks of water have been used on stage in several other occasions, perhaps prior to both of the aforementioned pieces.
Which brings me to another issue: the writing of a review. What is going on? I was taught to write as objectively as possible when reviewing performance art, and though I did not go to Journalism school, isn’t the point of it all to educate the public? How can we expect the public to gain an interest in dance if we make assumptions without researching the facts we claim or telling the public what “I” like and “I” think about the work. Thank goodness for blogs…
Recent Posts by kristin osler
December 2, 2007 at 4:48 pm · Filed under dance, culture, graffiti, ny times, arts, philanthropy, support, theaters
The Graffiti of the Philanthropic Class.
Thought this was a clever way of titling and framing this NY Times article.
Just for the sake of comparison, here is a screenshot of the first row of images that appear when you do a Google Image Search for TAGGING…
Supporters of arts organizations have long had their own method for “tagging” places that are important to them. The article brings up some interesting points…
Arts institutions in the United States, unlike those in most European countries, receive sparse support from the government, so they cannot be blamed for selling the naming rights to expensive new buildings brick by brick. And it is of course only human to desire acknowledgment of one’s good deeds.
But once upon a time a discreet collective plaque or a name in the program seemed to suffice. We live now in a different age. Celebrity has become a luxury product like any other, and the wealthy can purchase a tasteful morsel of the respectable kind through charitable largess.
I would imagine most artists and arts organizations are incredibly grateful for those individuals or organizations generous enough to support their pursuits, and are happy to have a method for recognizing those supporters in a permanent, significant and aesthetically neutral way. I’d also imagine that the increase in this practice has more to do with social and business trends in giving (and a growing need for contributions), and less to do with supporters direct desire for a certain kind of celebrity, as the article suggests. If this method is a la mode, than so be it… until the trend changes or organizations find an entirely new way of acknowledging their donors.
These possessory tags subtly convey the message that culture belongs, first and foremost, to the rich, that artists serve at the behest of an elite privileged class.
This statement makes me think of the Russians submersing their flagin the water under the ice of the North Pole, staking their claim for the land when global warming melts the ice caps. I hope everyone doesn’t feel that way about this standard for thanking supporters. I think it’s just one of the only ways to acknowledge that scale of support that currently exists.
What do you all think?
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
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