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YO YO YO what is up? Lets burn those bridges... These past two weeks we have been talking about folk dances and concert/ritual dances. One of the many concerns about this topic is whether or not these traditional dances should be put on stage. If it were to be put on stage, questions among the topics of accuracy, adjustments, and values within these cultures will be put to the test. We also talked about the audience’s expectations within viewing a performance of a culture that they are unfamiliar with. This brought attention to what can we do as artists to make sure all dance is valued and honored. I think one of many solutions to this issue could simply be informing others and pushing what they know to be true.
The first form of Japanese traditional dance that our class investigated was Bugaku. This dance was viewed by nobility and important guests. It also included the unison of 2 - 4 dancers, dramatic aspects, specific characters, and storylines. This brings up the comparison of the relationship between artistic freedom and audience control. If rich and powerful people view and fund the art, then the could potentially have full control on what is being created and how. I think that the rich and powerful nobilities of Japan controlled women not being able to perform. So who is to say that they didn’t fully control these performances.
The next traditional Japanese dance that was introduced was called noh. Noh combined dance, music and acting. This could be considered theatre dance. With the unique way that the play slowly unfolds and the use of symbolism, noh started to push the audience’s expectation of how things could be told. Noh eventually became entertainment for the elite samurai. This then brings up the topic of artistic creation and innovation. The higher ranked people didn’t want to see the system to be questioned which then cuts off a certain inspiration for artists during this time.
Next, Kabuki was introduced. Kabuki started as a rebellious and irreverent theatrical form that was for the merchant class. This opened up the possibilities of being able to question and innovate and be able to put that in front of an audience that would most likely agree with that line of questioning. This art form is very detail oriented and encourages the audience to pay close attention and creates a sense of intimacy.
Last but CERTAINLY not the least is Butoh. Butoh is a subversive dance genre that occurred in reaction to postwar Japan in the 1950s. Butoh is deals with many things including; nudity, grotesque imagery, taboo, and other heavy topics. This clearly shakes the audience and challenges the audience’s views on increasingly heavy topics. This art form breaks boundaries in radical and innovative ways. Not only does this challenge the audience but also the artists. The artists can find new and interesting ways to present an idea in an abstract way.
Any-who, thanks for reading :-)