Merilyn Jackson, dance critic, to present paper at Venice Biennale arts conference
The Dance Journal, January 22, 2009
This announcement has already catalyzed a cheeky, caustic, critical response from trailerpilot, who's basically tired of the topic.
I'm a little tired of the topic, too, since I think that the significance of singular, imposing critical voices--across the board, not just in dance--is obviously a thing of the past. We're buffeted by a sea of voices, freed by technology and more empowered than ever to inform ourselves, and the consuming public no longer shows much interest in navigating by the North Star of any particular authority. We have choices aplenty!
Is this loosening up a good thing or a problem? Well, I still seek out my personal North Star writers on politics, science, spirit and the arts, but I notice that those arts--sorry to say--no longer include the art of dance.
At the same time, I have personally never encountered so many "civilians" fervently willing to share their opinions on dance. Where are the people who--it seems like yesterday--would clam up for virtue of not knowing where to start or what the right thing to say might be when talking to a professional dance writer? They have been replaced by iPod-people who think nothing of openly disagreeing with you to your face! Hooray!
Yes, this might be a good thing. More people are thinking hard about dance and feeling entitled to air their views. But it also suggests that the heyday of the critic who thinks of himself or herself as the learned arbiter of taste--I wanted to write "as the shit"--is over. Sure, knock yourself out. But who gives a damn? There are billions of viewpoints out there.
Add that to the death by a thousand cuts to staff and freelance dance writing positions, and it's really over. Bye-bye.
Or you can get a blog and hang out here with the cool kids. Jump right in. The water's fine.
The Dance Journal, January 22, 2009
This announcement has already catalyzed a cheeky, caustic, critical response from trailerpilot, who's basically tired of the topic.
I'm a little tired of the topic, too, since I think that the significance of singular, imposing critical voices--across the board, not just in dance--is obviously a thing of the past. We're buffeted by a sea of voices, freed by technology and more empowered than ever to inform ourselves, and the consuming public no longer shows much interest in navigating by the North Star of any particular authority. We have choices aplenty!
Is this loosening up a good thing or a problem? Well, I still seek out my personal North Star writers on politics, science, spirit and the arts, but I notice that those arts--sorry to say--no longer include the art of dance.
At the same time, I have personally never encountered so many "civilians" fervently willing to share their opinions on dance. Where are the people who--it seems like yesterday--would clam up for virtue of not knowing where to start or what the right thing to say might be when talking to a professional dance writer? They have been replaced by iPod-people who think nothing of openly disagreeing with you to your face! Hooray!
Yes, this might be a good thing. More people are thinking hard about dance and feeling entitled to air their views. But it also suggests that the heyday of the critic who thinks of himself or herself as the learned arbiter of taste--I wanted to write "as the shit"--is over. Sure, knock yourself out. But who gives a damn? There are billions of viewpoints out there.
Add that to the death by a thousand cuts to staff and freelance dance writing positions, and it's really over. Bye-bye.
Or you can get a blog and hang out here with the cool kids. Jump right in. The water's fine.
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