As the World Turns: Knick’s City Dancers Audition Edition

Being managing editor of Bourgeon I’ve gotten on a whole bunch of press lists, and I just received an email from the folks who publicize the Knick’s City Dancers. That would be the National Basketball Association’s New York Knicks cheerleading squad. Bourgeon – and I – are really more focused on fine arts, and community arts, but I was curious. In the email there was a link to a photogallery from their recent audition, and I’m sharing a few photos just cause the subtitles are classic/horrific.

This one is titled: Gill Asking the Dancers for More Attitude. On the court that means “push your bosom together.”

This one is titled: Gill Mentoring the Dancers. Having been in a few auditions I’m sure the dancers were feeling the mentorship.

This one is titled Gill Showing the Dancers Some New Moves, which could also be subtitled “Gill explaining how the Knick’s City Dancers flip off their opponents.”

To see the entire slideshow, click here. All respect to Gill, and the dancers, who are just making a living, and even to the PR folks who – let’s face it – got me to blog about this.

ALL PHOTOS CREDIT: Chris Batka and MSG

Sidewalk Art-making on 17th St.

Here are a few pictures from an installation performance by the Picasso Extended Collective in October, 2009. Franklin Wassmer created the basic score for this inspired by our host — the Picasso Gallery and Frame Store on 17th Street NW in Washington, D.C. As we planned this event the focus was quite open, but my impression is that we were all excited by the chance to enliven the ordinary experience of walking down the street; to capture people into the world of art. The physical presence of the frames, and the invitations to participate with the frames, encouraged people to see the world in a slightly different, playful, way.

There were a few projects within the basic concept. Andrea and others made lists of actions which participants could pick to do – like fortune cookies. The last image in this group is one of them – go across the street and purchase something while wearing a frame. Rogelio created a focus within the evening by arriving decked in balloons, a boombox, and frames; the artist arriving.

This was not intended as a “powerful” or “deep” experience and we didn’t take ourselves too seriously planning it or executing it. I wonder how many planned “powerful” and “deep” art experiences really end up being that way for participants – audience or performers? I see how people really enjoyed the experience in many of the pictures. It was even something they could do together. I don’t think we could call this “high art”, and I’m not even certain if I’d call it “art” at all, but I think the project worked in a simple, joyful way, outside of those judgments and boundaries. Click here to see a post about another project I performed with this group.

Will Online Participation Save Classical Arts? – A Note About the New NEA Report on Online Arts Participation

The NEA just released a new report about how Americans use electronic media to participate in the arts. The substantive research is marshaled to highlight a positive trend. The press release states,

“When compared with non-media participants, Americans who participate in the arts through technology and electronic media — using the Internet, television, radio, computers, and handheld devices — are nearly three times more likely to attend live arts events; attend twice as many live arts events; and attend a greater variety of genres of live arts events.”

The study is really worth a look. What the headline can’t address is how online arts participation trends in terms of certain art forms. For instance, how does online participation affect classical arts participation?

When I started Bourgeon, we were a print publication. I noticed when we moved online (in 2007) that the articles which got the most reads were amongst the briefest articles we published. Noticing that, I encourage writers to create pieces between 500 and 800 words. Online reading, actually online viewing of all types, tends toward exposure as opposed to comprehensive experience. While New Yorker.com readers might enjoy longer reads, most online audiences do not. I connect this to an NEA study from 1997, which showed that:

  • The classical music audience is aging faster than the population as a whole. In 1982 those under thirty years of age comprised 26.9 percent of the audience and by 1997 comprised just 13.2 percent of the audience. Over this same span of years, those over sixty years of age rose from 15.6 percent to 30.3 percent of the classical music audience.
  • In 1982 those under thirty years of age comprised just 17.8 percent of the opera audience and by 1997 comprised only 13.3 percent of the audience for opera. Over this same span of years, audience members over sixty rose from 16.6 percent to 23.5 percent of the opera audience.

    • While the new report is positive for my industry in terms of showing overall arts participation, it should be considered within the value structure of the arts. Should we laud a video-game model of arts participation? Does this serve our arts values? Will any arts do? Is all arts participation equal?

    I believe that there are certain values uniquely embedded in what can be called The Patient Arts (classical music, ballet, and opera.) My appreciation for the technique and craft of classical arts is really only exposed in time; I can only experience it with patience. It is not a gymnastics routine. Part of classical arts appreciation is learning to perceive with patience. A Mozart symphony rarely comes in under 25 minutes, and to appreciate a Beethoven symphony you have to be able to listen for 45 minutes. Online participation in the arts is an immensely positive trend, but within it there are real challenges to the values embedded in The Patient Arts.

    image in this post is of Galileo’s clock.

    [The issue of “is all arts participation equal” is peripherally raised in the suggestions for further research section of the new report – pg. 96.]