Finding this very challenging to come up with thoughts that I don't understand... I guess it is because the whole part of understanding is by learning from your experiences, and finding whatever you are figuring out as you go along.
There are so many things that I know I don't understand about life, dance, people, politics, the world, history etc. where the list can go on and on and on. I think that it is the whole learning process through life that will make me understand what I didn't understand before. In order to distinguish this, I feel I will need to previously understand the unknown.
Reading Eve Butterfly's post on inquiry, she mentioned the issue about opportunities taken away and "the respect for dance being neglected by the ones in power." This is something that I often wonder about, and a concept I just don't understand!
The fact that it entitles sheer strength/determination and is probably one of the toughest professions physically and mentally, it would make sense to be rewarded and praised a lot for our efforts. But unfortunately it is one of the least respected, and least paid jobs world wide! Then I think of a spectators perspective, and a lot of the time they don't understand this art form. That is probably why there is not so much demand to see ballet/dance companies. At the end of the day they want to enjoy and understand what they pay to be entertained. The easy examplt to extract from is football- they get paid loads! Yes they are challenged physically and are true athletes, with very specialised skills. But the game is so popular globally where it only makes sense how much funding and sponsoring they receive plus huge amounts of income!
As Eve stated, arts funds such as in the U.K are constantly being cut making it excrutiatingly frustrating! Less contracts are available, more students are jobless after graduating where companies want more experienced as it is less risk taking- more secure. There is less money to put on productions and keep ballet/ dance companies alive, especially the new upcoming ones that initiate and develop ideas suited to the present generation's interests.
It thus gets me thinking how we as dancers and artists can convey this message to the world and share the beauty of this art form. To make it popular is the true challenge!
However, with the help of technology today, movies such as Black Swan has intrigued great numbers of non-ballet audiences as the twisted ideas (mainly taken from the negative sides of ballet) were able to relate to today's society. Here is an interesting article/review about this thriller-horror movie starring Natalie Portman.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/arts/dance/10swan.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
It even states at the end that after the release of this movie, Swan Lake was being performed all over because its enthusiasm spread like wild fire!
Other films like first position, documenting a few lives of Youth American Grand Prix contestants, allows public to have an insight on how much dancers work and hopefully inspire and see how beautiful and expressive dance is.
My favourite inspiration towards this topic so far, is the new documentation by Sarah Jessica Parker on the in-depth life of New York City Ballet. Since she is such a wonderful person and has millions upon millions of fans, hopefully her enthusiasm about ballet will reach out to the public more to be able to see a new side- passion/hard work/ disciplin/ pain... beauty!
http://on.aol.com/show/cityballet-517887470/episode/517995310
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