From what I’ve learned form my life experiences, I couldn’t agree any more with Martha Nussbaum in her article on “Democratic Citizenship and the Narrative Imagination”. Even though she focuses on literature, I have the same feelings towards dance which is a big passion on mine.
In a single performance, there are two perspectives present: the audience’s and the performer’s. The audience assembles around the stage and perceives nothing less than an illusion, an escape to a different world, a real life fantasy. As the story continues, the audience is left in awe. Focused on a single spotlight, the viewers are left not only amused or entertained but inspired. Inspired to have their heads in the clouds and inspired to imagine. On the other hand, in the performer’s eyes as the audience fill up the seats, every eye pointed manufactures a sense of nervousness, almost nauseous. But as the stage dims, the spotlight shining represents more than a focus but a chance to escape. Every count stands for the seconds lost in tears, every move represents every moment experienced and every step symbolizes every struggle that has passed by. As the performer drowns in the applause, he is accepted, he is pleased and he is free.
“When we perform as performers, we’re just giving ourselves to everyone, people don’t really know and that is scary. When they accept you when you’re very real with people, it’s very humbling.” – Ian Eastwood
Dance by itself has always been a huge part of my life. Having to be surrounded by dancers in my family, dance has always been something that was just ‘there’. But as I grew up, dance started to mean a lot more to me. Dance was an escape and most importantly, dance was an expression. Dance, just like medicine, has got me through my worst. Dance today, in my opinion, can be taken for granted. As entertaining as it is, it can be classified as just that, “entertainment”. A lot of people, these days, have a lot to express to the world or even to express just to let something out in a personal level.
Everybody has their past, everyone has done something they are not proud of and everyone, at some point of their lifetime, wants the chance to erase and start again.
“You take all the anger that you’ve ever had, you take your daily activity, whatever makes you feel a certain way and you put into your movement. When I create my dance, in my consciousness, I’m going to have my pain, my frustration, my anger and my insecurities.” John M. Chu