Tanzrecherche NRW: Classical Tradition / Modern Society by Mirjam Otten

On the other end of the spectrum, recent years have seen a large increase in
interest and initiatives in heritage preservation. Different tools of documentation,
often linked to technological advancements such new video technology, have
facilitated dance documentation and distribution (Johnson and Snyder, 1999). It is
suggested that today, modern web technologies and multimedial approaches to
documentation have overcome the above described time/space dichotomy that
callenges dance preservation (Johnson and Snyder, 1999). Using the example of
Indian dance, Mallik et al. demonstrate how digital ontologies that link resources
and cultural knowledge artifacts by concept recognition can build an intelligent
contextual system of heritage preservation (Mallik et al., 2011). Such tools have
become a key feature in reconstructing and reviving past works (Johnson and
Snyder, 1999). Given the importance of preservation by means of documentation
and archival work, the American Dance Heritage Coalition’s project manager Smith
(2012), calls for increased funding for archival staff, space and projects. She
believes that combined with the DHC’s education initiatives and expanding
collaborations with academic scholars as well as digital collections, they are key to
the survival of the classical tradition. Andrew McNicol believes in the value of this
kind of preservation because he sees paticularly traditional repertory as an
important source informing the future of ballet by way of reflection. To him, ‘some
of the heritage works are really important in helping us understand what has come
before and how we can build on that or evolve that, or move in a different direction
to that. The importance of having those reference points is key.’ Documentation
work can help such referential preservation efforts.
The following report does not take a stand on which take on preservation is or
should be preferred. It does value archival work and documentation as much as
spontaneity and the momentary nature of performance art. It therefore wants to
encourage companies and creators to reflect on their own view on the interplay of
relevance and preservation by offering a range of ideas as described above.
A WORD ON CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Many participants picked up on the common notion of seeing younger, more
contemporary dance styles as ‘the modern’ and ballet as ‘the old-fashioned’, as
Madeleine Onne put it. This research is based on a parralel appreciation of both
forms as advocated by several interviewees. Whilst it explores topics of crossfertilisation,
collaboration and modernisation, it does not see ballet eventually
evolving into, or being replaced by contemporary dance, and the thought and tools
offered hereafter do not aim at that purpose. Rather, they want to evolve ballet and
its industry in its own way and right.
Classical Tradition // Modern Society 14