The Secret Lives Of Dancers

Over the years I’ve worked with many dance companies, producing and marketing seasons from ballet to modern dance. One of the things I always wanted to do but could not (so far) was create an end of season annual report that not only covered operations and finances but also covered the year from the point of view of the various creative and technical departments, showing a glimpse of the hard work it takes to create a season of dance. 

Dancers train like Olympic athletes, with none of the endorsements and all of the injuries. They have the musicality of the best classically trained musicians. They can perform complex space-time computiations in their minds while contorting their bodies, to the beat. And then when they get on stage they can move you with extraordinary expresions of joy or sorrow. 

A side anecdote: while working for Ballet Hispanico, I watched and heard endless rehearsals for a particular piece. I had heard the choreographer explain the very moving scene, heard the music over and over and over for days on end, watched the dancers work at mastering and perfecting the moves. In essence I felt like I knew the routine as well as an outsider could. Then on opening night, after all the commotion of starting a new season, I finally sat down in the theater next to my colleagues and when this particular section started I found myself crying almost uncontrollably, surrounded by other company staff that were also crying, the audience was crying. The dancers had taken something that I had seen completely deconstructed and analyzed and were able to strip away all of it and instead infuse the performance with profound humanity and beauty.

It is becuase of this love of dance and the complexities of creating dance that I am excited about two ventures started by two major international ballet companies. 

The Australian Ballet, Australia’s national ballet company, is profiling a year in the life of two of the company’s dancers, senior artist Amy Harris and corps de ballet dancer Jake Mangakahia. The ten-part web series begins in January as the company returns from the Christmas break and prepares for the year ahead. Part 1 is below. Subscribe on YouTube to see the following 9 parts as they are released through the year. 

(via couriermail.com.au & YouTube)

New Zealand’s TV3 has just concluded the second season of The Secret Lives of Dancers, a prime time show that goes behind the scenes at the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Though video of the show is hard to find if you can get your hands on it you should check it out. The second season focused on famous New York dancer Ethan Stiefel becoming their new Artistic Director, with all the interesting cultural juxtapositions that implies, as the company stages their biggest production so far. It is compelling television to watch how the lives of the dancers affect the productions, and how some dancers make it and some do not despite all the hard work.  

Think of all of the work that you do, all the design, all the technology, all the user interactions and constant pushing forward, dancers do that and more. They could be your source of inspiration, your source of entertainment, they could spark your next great idea. You really should go see live dance. 

Authenticity in Pop Music: Computer Generated Miku Hatsune vs. Marketing Generated Lana Del Rey

Earlier in the week I tweeted a truly fascinating The New Yorker article exploring how urban pop music is constructed. Let’s continue looking at this theme with the latest PBS Idea Channel episode, which asks the question: is Miku Hatsune a more authentic Pop Star than Lana Del Rey?

Lana Del Rey might be The Girl Who Launched a Thousand Blog Posts but we think there might be something else really interesting here. How is it that she, a REAL PERSON, pales in Pop Star Comparison to a computer program?

Lana Del Rey might be “The Girl Who Launched a Thousand Blog Posts” but we think there might be something else really interesting here. How is it that she, a real person, pales in Pop Star Comparison to a computer program? With the rise of Miku Hatsune, a computer generated pop star from Japan, and the recent kerfuffle surrounding Lana Del Rey’s album release, we take a look at what it means to be authentic in today’s music world. Is Miku Hatsune, a piece of software, more authentic than human being Lana Del Rey?

Hosted by Mike Rugnetta
Made by Kornhaber Brown 

Previously on the Idea Channel:

Super Mario Brothers Is The World’s Greatest Piece Of Surrealist Art

Art In The Era Of The Internet: The Impact of Kickstarter, Creative Commons & Creators Project

The internet has intensified connections between people across the planet. In this episode we take a look at the impact of this new interconnectivity on the art world. Traditional funding models are dissolving, new forms of expressing ownership have arisen to accomodate for remix culture, and artists are finding ways to connect physical art experiences and traditions to the internet.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am loving what PBS is doing with their online series. And here is episode two of the second season of Off Book. 

The internet has intensified connections between people across the planet. In this episode they take a look at the impact of this new interconnectivity on the art world. Traditional funding models are dissolving, new forms of expressing ownership have arisen to accomodate for remix culture, and artists are finding ways to connect physical art experiences and traditions to the internet. In the digital era, the experience of art from the perspective of the artist and the art audience is shifting rapidly, and bringing more people into the creative process. 

Featuring:

Yancey Strickler, Co-Founder of Kickstarter
Lawrence Lessig, Co-Founder of Creative Commons
Ciel Hunter, Creative Director of Creators Project
Julia Kaganskiy, Editor of Creators Project

Previously:

Animated GIFs: The Birth of a Medium
Off Book Series One: The Complete Series

Fish: The Best App/Essay/Manifesto I've Seen In Years

Fish: A Tap Essay

Writer Robin Sloan has created one of my new favorites, one of those things that enter your life and fit like they’ve been there forever. 

He has created something truly marvelous that is in essence, well, here is how he describes it: “a short but heartfelt manifesto about the difference between liking something on the internet and loving something on the internet.”

I won’t say much more, no spoilers here, just go download it, it’s free, and take in what he has to say and how he has expressed it. 

I’ve already read it more than once. 

Animated GIFs: The Birth of a Medium - PBS Arts: Off Book

GIFs are one of the oldest image formats used on the web. Throughout their history, they have served a huge variety of purposes, from functional to entertainment. Now, 25 years after the first GIF was created, they are experiencing an explosion of interest and innovation that is pushing them into the terrain of art.

Recently I shared the complete first series of PBS Arts: Off Book. They’ve returned with a second series and the first episode explores the history of the GIF. I have to admit I find the Cinemagraphs shown and the whole concept behind them to be clever visual art. 

GIFs are one of the oldest image formats used on the web. Throughout their history, they have served a huge variety of purposes, from functional to entertainment. Now, 25 years after the first GIF was created, they are experiencing an explosion of interest and innovation that is pushing them into the terrain of art. In this episode of Off Book, they chart their history, explore the hotbed of GIF creativity on Tumblr, and talk to two teams of GIF artists who are evolving the form into powerful new visual experiences.

Featuring:

Patrick Davison, MemeFactory

Topher Chris, Tumblr

Pamela Reed and Matthew Rader, Reed+Rader

Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg, Cinemagraphs

 

(via Off Book)