Today, in Ondrej’s class, it struck me how movement can influence us in so many ways, it almost feels as if it can manipulate us. We all, immediately, started following the pattern that the first leader had settled in terms of form and style of movements; we all immediately started following the pattern of going around the circle in the same direction, no change at all. We knew that we had to switch leaders, but even when we did, the leaders didn’t even think of changing the dynamics or style of movement/direction. It is  quite amazing how movement and dance in this particular situation managed to naturally homogenize a small group.

I was really intrigued by Trajal’s two categories he had made up out of a greek ancient drama. It was funny at first to picture the drag queens out of “Paris is burning” wearing Medeea inspired costumes and more precisely, running for “Medeea in the morning, mourning, ready to slay” category. I bet it would indeed strike up a huge competition and crazy imagination for those fabulous designers. It’s very interesting to think of the attitude that one can take from such an old text and put it in the context of a modern concept such as vogueing, especially ever since drag queens are indeed man and the theater piece has been written to be interpreted by man back then. I am really looking forward to Trajal’s interpretation. Maybe history does indeed always repeat.:)

 

Our last talk made me think even more about the artist world and how there is no such thing as equality in the artist world. When Ondrej said that choreographers will always analyze you by your looks in order to use you as “material” for their piece, it struck me that maybe, sometimes, no matter how good you might be at what you are doing, if you are not born in a certain body, you won’t always be assured to get the role you deserve. At the same time it is quite fair and understandable that certain dance pieces need a certain appearance to fulfill the character, but should that mater in postmodern dancing? Wasn’t the idea of the postmodernism totally the contrary? To prove that there is neutrality? Did Ondrej refer strictly to other dance currents? It would be interesting to develop this subject.