Sophia Levine, Dance 360, Reading Response 9

Contexts and Comparisons: The Anthropological Approach to Dance

Though this article gave a nice foundation to the questions of art, it is difficult for me to know how to apply it to my own work. My immediate response is to realize that esthetic values only go so far and that by judging a work of art solely based on what we see is naïve. This is an important reminder for me right now as I am struggling to fulfill myself artistically through process while attempting to adhere to the structure of work imposed upon me by showings and deadlines. While I realize the merit of schedule, it is hard for me to come to terms with it. But I think that what this article has to say goes deeper than that.
I was not really a fan of how the author divided cultures in terms of “complexity”, however, through his/her exploration of these different levels, the author reaches a very important conclusion, “… culture is itself an art form.” He/she goes on to say that art should be thought of as “the production of a human being”. And sometimes, I think we forget that. Though we assume universal esthetic standards, there is no way of knowing that they really exist. But we can always be reassured by the fact that art is human. It is this very humanistic nature that so interests me in the world of dance. What way to express our humanness than with our bodies?
The author then goes on to describe that art is made up of its esthetic content and cultural context, which he/she then divides into craftsmanship and meaning. As far as craftsmanship, I am not working with the most technically experienced dancers, and it has been a struggle to figure out exactly what their skill sets provide opportunity for me to do. However, through the work that I am doing with them, I am slowly beginning to piece together their strengths and learn how to use them to my advantage. Once I have harnessed those skills, the meaning will be able to become much clearer.
Meaning is divided into five categories by the author. All are important, but I find it hard to be intentional about their use in my work. Yes, I am working with certain themes, but I don’t always know in advanced is they will be conveyed through iconology or metaphor. Even so, I have really tapped into the final aspect of meaning, ambiguity. Because my personal work with movement (and increasingly that which I am working on with my dancers) relies on subtlety and nuance, ambiguity is an idea that frequently plays into my work.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about whether or not to “glue” my piece together with repeated movement phrases, but have decided that I really like that the movement ideas I am working with are like slightly misshapen puzzle pieces. While they are woven together, they don’t always transition into each other gracefully. I like how that quality leaves a lot to the imagination and doesn’t force a beginning or end but instead gives the idea of a continuing motion, a sort of ripple that travels outward forever.