BDFI at The United Kingdom
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Text by Jack Reavely
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Photo by Ron Self
The ambience within the Bournemouth International Centre is great, and the seating so comfy, that it would be possible to totally relax and have a wee snooze, prior to the off, for the lecturers chosen to massage our ears and please our eyes with their thoughts on dance. David Sycamore introduced the lectures with Nicola Nordin as compere with conciseness and they are both themselves steeped in dance.
Dance Has A Common Language ... Alberto Pregnolato arrives on stage, absolutely fervent in his desire to please and also educate the audience ... some task this, in front of so many, who are full to the brim with knowledge. He tells everyone that he cannot give magic or trickery. To develop you must have a full understanding of the reason and then acquire the items you wish to possess. Encoding and decoding information is the purpose of language and there has to be a mutually accepted goal. It is a two way process. So you have a sender and a receiver of the message being sent. These are basic rules which you must adhere to. Then he introduced three lovely ladies of Latin ... dark, blonde and red haired. They sat on chairs and their body language transmitted an invitation, to all men present, to dance with them. The men arrived and each approached the lady they wished to dance with ... It was clear they were so different in demeanour, both physically and in the attitude of their demeanours, either sitting, walking, or dancing. We call it individuality and Alberto was highlighting this, as an aspect which must be considered. You need motivation to dance as a couple and a study of dance history is an asset ... Dance must be beautiful ... Can you feel yourself warming to this man of dance?
Just like the underlying facets of the lecture. The importance of wishing to be beautiful, as you dance, is an absolute essential constituent ... a common language is required and, of course, the fundamentals of each dance provides this. They showed us some beautiful dance, to some beautiful music too, which inspired the couples ... no over frenetic dance shown at all ... just lovely movement to music. Softly spoken, casually enunciated, beautifully impactive because of the gentleness, but couples with conviction that the ʻArtʼ of dance is much more important, than trying to be over-impactive ... Thank you Alberto.
Andrew Sinkinson ... Tango: Again using Natascha Karabey to be his partner on stage, on he came ... I feel a shivering anticipation, as I find this man of dance to be extraordinary ... his depth of knowledge of historical aspects, his utter fervour, his ability to grab your attention, shake you, put you down bedraggled but happy and leave you to contemplate, is way beyond the capabilities of most. He has already joined the elite and, in years to come, his intellect and deep knowledge will surely place him on the pinnacle of lecturers. He tells us of the Lost Tango ... some years ago a new style was implemented, and it caused a sensation at the time ... (I feel sure he was referring to Freddy Campsʼ appearance at Blackpool around 1934/5) Henry Jacques the superb analyst was in fact the man who was able to write down what Freddie had danced ... it was revolutionary at the time. Andrew gave us the figures and showed them by dancing with Natascha too. The hold, the action, the power in the legs, the stillness in the top line, the footwork ... for example he analysed the use of the footwork of a progressive link and, it beamed a clear message that the study of dance, to create the highest level of performance demands not just a bare knowledge, but the intimate detail of all aspects, of not only the parts of feet that are employed, but also every other part of the body too. The hold .. stand tall, and straight but lower than the swing dances. Turn body and head slightly left, develop styling of the left arm to the impeccable. The left arm and shoulder angles ... create a compact position, ensure the right arm of the girl is pointing to the floor, not upwards ... The manʼs right arm is further round the ladyʼs spine ... the information is like being at a high society wedding ... confetti is being sprinkled all around, which actually is the bones of dance ... In Scotland, we always collect the confetti after a wedding, put it in a large box, and then use it again ... it is called Scottish frugality ... you have the opportunity now to collect dance confetti, put it into your brain and then try to create the dance, as explained by Andrew, so wonderfully well. You must keep at the same level in Tango ...
I remind you right now that a DVD will be available from Studio Himawari of Tokyo, Japan ... a company which produces so many wonderful DVDs, available to everyone, for mere money ... The entire lectures of today have been filmed, as has also the Audience with Rudi Trautz ... look out for the adverts, check the internet and you too can participate, in your armchair, and drool over the information being given so beautifully.
Use a small base in Tango, no rise and fall, power in the legs and a still top ... There was silence in the hall ... the Silence of the Lambs of Dance, wishing to become lions ... Andrew is showing everyone the way to become a tiger of Tango dance ... Tradition is a springboard for future progress says Andrew ... Have we progressed? Yes, but you must remember our historical background, it is precious, so very precious ... so letʼs go back to the future ... Magnificently staggering ʻSinkinsimplicityʼ to explain ... but only ʻapparentlyʼ simple ... easy to explain as the famed Benny Tolmeyer once told me, but it takes 15 years to be able to do it properly. Och Andrew I wait with relish, to see and hear, your next lecture ...
Graham Oswick ... Call Me Old Fashioned ... On he comes, a man of dance who is so enthusiastic and so full of knowledge too and his Latin lectures are always eagerly looked forward to. Graham tells us that light and shade used to be thought of as keeping your eyes on the balcony and not hitting other couples and that most couples now of course, wish to be different, and also special. He then says, that if the attenders think this is going to be a lecture on technique, then they are absolutely right. Two young men Latin exponents then dance in formation a Cha Cha Cha, just for us, and the music played was full of joy and rhythm too ... “What makes it look beautiful?” asks Graham and then he tells us ... “Pressure through the feet to the floor”. You must have ankle flexion and shape, which is so very necessary and you should shape from the back of the leg, to the inside of the ankle or, of course, also to the outside edge, especially when the foot is not weight bearing and can therefore be shaped even more beautifully. If you just walk properly, you find no problems in doing so ... It is all ʻNaturalʼ ... then, if you change to the leads, it is also natural ... He tells us that Hazel Fletcher always showed this and that she is so very clever ... Hazel lushed within the audience ... with pleasure of course. If you use knees and feet, you donʼt need to concentrate on hip use, as this becomes natural too. Calm shoulders are also natural ... Was this a good lecture do you think? ... ʻNaturallyʼ, of course it was ... and that was the wonderfully chosen theme throughout. Problems, however, as everyone knows, occur when trying to acquire that wonderful asset of naturality ... it is a practised art indeed. The feet have pressure to the floor when required ... beautiful ankles please and the upper back reflects the lower base. Graham then asked the two men to dance what was natural to them ... The song played was so relevant “Relaxivous”. A flexible body and all the other items are so necessary, but energy changes and individuality, becomes clear to see. You have to make some of our choreography ʻFunkyʼ to add flavour. Posture comes from the foot, ... it all comes from there. It should be simple and come from fundamental understanding of your tasks, which are multi faceted, as shown by Graham. The information given was free ... hence the enormous crowd of Scots who attended ... ʻnaturallyʼ ... The wizard of ʻOzʼ hath spoken ... Lions, Scarecrows, Tinmen and Dorothy whom we call Judy will send him a ʻGarlandʼ of roses as they seek him out, to cure their problems of dance ... The lastsong played was titled ʻTake It Easy” Graham showed the way ... so why not follow his advice, given so freely, and with such fervour
David Sycamore takes to the stage and introduces Peter Eggleton ... The crowd claps and claps and then cheers ... This man of dance has the status of a God ... He is softly spoken, he is wise, he is steeped in the use of technique, not just taught to him by the Pioneers, but amplified by his mind within dance.
He encompasses the knowledge of a Dictionary of Dance ... and today he is going to sprinkle amongst the attenders, thrown away almost casually but, if you pick up what he says from the air, whip it into your inside pocket, to protect it from Fagans within, and then release it in the confines of your dance space ... you could amplify your own dance performances, by adopting the ʻPrinciplesʼ ... It is a bit like Peter owning a very large gold mine ... he retains the large nuggets, mashes them up and then sprinkles those who listen with the dust, which can be used to purchase extra dance expertise ...
Hazel Newberry is to show just how good she is, as she assists Peter in his lecture ... this young lady is so light to dance with, so able to follow nuances of lead and follow, and with her weight so beautifully placed over her feet, that Peter tells us he has chosen her, because she is able to ʻhold him upʼ ...
The elder statesman of dance ... with authority and personal experience beyond most, of the ʻArtʼ of Ballroom dance. Peter tells us that musical awareness is so essential and most unfortunately, he does not see this in so many couples. Movement is not the only thing ... casually enunciated by Peter ... but deeply important to acquire. Some seem to wonder what the peculiar noise is in the background, which is the orchestra and it should be listened to intently, as it provides the entire basis for Ballroom dancing.
Men are even able to hold the lady close to them, and dance into the bargain too ... how fortunate can good dancers be, if they are in demand by ladies of elegance and sophistication, as is Peter. It was all written down by the great Pioneers ... what they saw being danced to the music. When asked to dance a lady may say yes but, after the dance, she may well be utterly unavailable next time you ask, if you didnʼt make her feel lovely and cherished too ...
The very first dance developed was Waltz ... You should wish to interpret the music. You must ʻhearʼ it from the orchestra, listen to the beats, swing when the music invites you to ... accent the beats which are strongest. Donʼt be disturbed as you compete, and donʼt disturb others either.
Tango ... a promenade danced 2341 ... “no thank you” says Peter. Music can be interpreted if the body keeps moving, but if it stops it canʼt. The body doesnʼt stop ... backward mover must get out of forward movers way ... Casually, nonchalantly, the great one sprays those who listen with information. A shoulder lead in Foxtrot has almost disappeared but it is essential.
The audience know of Peterʼs background, many of them have been coached at one time or another by him ... they know that he knows, and that he still chooses to educate those who listen, is rather more marvellous ... Thank you so much Peter and also Hazel because, without ladies to dance with, it would never be the same ... and, if you can make your lady feel as Peter would wish you to, then life in dance will take on new meaning ... comfort, pliability and beauty ...
Jun 30, 2010
Following the AGM in Blackpool this year. The accounts for 2009-2010 are now available. Click here... for details. |
Mar 26, 2010
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