Dance with poetry! An interview with choreographer Yu Yanfang: Making yourself a language for dancing

As a result of the activities of the Taipei Poetry Festival, "The Revolution of poetry", we came to the dark-eyed troupe in the lane of the Invisible Big Road. Do not say you will not find that the original busy city, there is such a small corner of the independent space-time.

But I am not waiting for a poet, Yu Yanfang, a modern dancer.

Poet Ah, in my imagination is mostly Yu Guangzhong, Xiangyang, with a bookish of intellectuals, and distinctive personal characteristics of humor. But I never thought what the dancer would look like, as stern and graceful as the "swallow" Professor, or Nina in Black Swan, a perfectionist who was overly demanding. (ballet dancer's foot rotation: when others turn two laps, you have to turn three laps, dance world No Rest day )

(Picture Source: source )

There is no spare time to put together the imagination of the dancers, my head is already occupied with tension. Perhaps it is a matter of personality that, compared with the strong sense of "modern art," there is a point of evidence that the story of a word attracts me more. People are always afraid of the unknown, fear that my "do not understand" has become a stumbling block between me and Yanfang, fearing that my fear will stop me from knowing a whole new field. Countless butterflies in the stomach, problems and anxiety in the head like Merry-go as quickly flashed over and over again.

Sorry I'm late. "The sound of a crisp, terminated the commotion in my mind. And the owner of The Voice, Yu Yanfang, Sassou short hair, wearing a white, so intrusive my vision.

Dance and jump out a history story

Photograph: Forest billion

Yanfang is a choreographer who has been very active in the theatre circles in recent years and can see her in all fields of dance and drama. The subtle and fascinating "story-telling" approach is characteristic of her. From her performances over the years, it is not difficult to see her attention to this land in Taiwan. She wants to use her way to give you a chance to rethink and to arouse public attention to social movements and social issues. (in addition to verbal expression:"They palm mirror, say their own story" Flip Gypsy Girl stereotypes )

The Taipei Poetry Festival, "The Revolution of poetry", tries to move the poem's motion as a kinetic energy, incorporating it into every life, warming life and cheering the soul. I am curious, the combination of poetry and dance, will rub out what kind of sparks, but also curious Yanfang want to through this show to give you how to feel?

Cross-field attempts, like suddenly thrown into the boundless poetry of the sea to make people afraid, Yanfang blushes to admit that he had compared to read poetry, more time to see a more solid article, like history, like fiction.

Later found that poetry and dance are "paper short and Love Long" "real contact, only to discover why they have so little to see the poem" because the dance needs more practical things as a base, and then from the refining of the spirit we want and to thickness. "Yanfang's eyes are very real, I seem to see every time before the show in the books in the carefully selected, do not pick out the most feeling, the most valuable idea will never stop insisting."

When I returned to Taiwan four years ago, I was very interested in issues related to Taiwan's mainland and Taiwan's history. I said to Hong, the founder of Black Eyes, "if you want to poem the show, Can you find a Taiwanese poet that will allow us to link and reflect the past and future of Taiwan's history through our entry into his works?" (Extended reading:"read the poet" The courage to continue fighting tomorrow!) Interview Hong: You have a pen, you need to write for people who can't speak.

So, Cao Kai into the Yanfang world.

Dance to a city march: dedicate to every living person

pen name decimal point, digital poetry, prison poetry, white terror victims are Cao Kai key words.

"Rather than through his poems, it is through his life that I have a deeper sense of" the strong pulse of life, "explained Cao after the prison experience, Yanfang's eyes were as excited as the discovery of the new world." Although he is only a small point in the history of Taiwan, but his life experience is a modern history of Taiwan! " 」

After the White terror, changed a lot of industries, from "Barefoot Fairy" to the housing business, water and electricity workers, experienced a different social strata. Under the pressure of government surveillance, repression and social exclusion, the influx of immigrants to Argentina settled. lived for two years, eventually return to the bosom of the motherland. Ten years in prison, although not dead at last, but a certain part of him is like dead, despite the distortion of society, but still strive to live.

"Our national character, social structure from such a survivor's life story and the transformation of the regime, we can see some clues." This is the most interesting place for me to find. "The return to Taiwan issue, Yanfang's hearty, a little more responsibility." (Recommended to you: when nudity becomes a social responsibility: a woman's fitness proclaims a strong soul )

Being Cao Kai by the story, I asked Yanfang, what do you want to bring to the audience through Cao Kai's life? "If you can, if you can," said the little shy Yanfang humbly, "I would like to use a fast and heavy rhythm to give people the strength to live." "The key to life's washing is not the conclusion, but the process." If we can show the pulse of the city from the dance, convey the "We are all for the life of the people", even if the pain is bright.

The beauty of Cao Kai's story is that even though it is faint, it is worth continuing to work as long as life is still beating. Everyone is hard, no one has the right to blame another person's mode of life. Yanfang may just want to pay tribute to the city people through such stories, giving everyone who is still trying to live, a little warm and moved. (You have worked hard!) a few meters of the moon forgotten: The most lonely time, the warmest companionship

About dancing, feeling is more important than "understanding"

As if I had to listen to the story and have a preliminary understanding, I began to feel secure in this field. Yanfang's directness and hearty, let a person can't help to listen to her story to listen to again outside, also can let a person want to empty to her. Before I learned more about the field, I confessed to Yanfang that I was nervous because I was unknown and didn't understand. "Don't think like that!" The Yu Yanfang in the opposite direction hastily waved, trying to reverse the stereotype of "modern art" in my mind.

Yanfang's hand began to draw a circle, and snapped three dots in the air. "The dancer is in other words the locator." I'm not going to tell you what I'm drawing, I'm going to give you a different location, just try to pull out a chunk of space. You are the one who wants to make the circle perfect. 」

With Yanfang's hand, the space is endowed with a larger pattern: You may be a small concentric circle, or you may not be a circle. Each choreographer's presentation is different, some people are accustomed to the random layout in the space, someone will give you a little more hint guidance. Different ways, but all the same: "The answer you have to find yourself."

"There is not too much creative art, no audience can not understand, only the creators of the expression is not clear." 」

A sentence will be so obvious to the wrong cut, so assured and forceful, completely subversion of my previous creator impression. Whether it is based on aesthetic "teleology", or the lack of aesthetic literacy, are the Taiwanese people refused to go to the Performing Arts hall, two halls, the performance center to sit down to appreciate the reasons for performing Arts. Sitting under the table, we are afraid of less understanding of what to inferior, afraid to let us stop, or even resistance, so even the door of communication are unwilling to open, let alone appreciate. (not the same as what?) "Tedxtaipei @ womany" Dancer: Not Afraid of me and the world is not the same Xu Fang appropriate )

"But I didn't want you to understand!" Yanfang smiled and said, "the most important thing is to participate in the" present ", rather than to learn. 」

Perhaps the "learning teleology" really in the heart of the root, hair bud, has been to grow up are not willing to let us go. But unexpectedly, Yanfang Booth threw, in the face of the problem that has plagued me for a long time she did not have a trace of resistance, but it is hoped that more than one person can know the sincere: "I really hope you do not be afraid, stepping into the right!" Whether you like it or not, whatever you feel, it is the most important thing. "To keep the audience's feelings in mind is her only insistence on the road to performing Arts."

Yanfang's words suddenly the audience of me and the dancer to pull her to the same position, small and equal only in a read, we are all exist in the same time, the same space two people.

I dance not dance, is a person's cultural background

English poet Dryden said: "Dance is the footsteps of poetry." The essence of dance and poetry seems to be the same, are expressed in abstract artistic conception of the voice of the heart, but also different display techniques, or move or static.

Poetry is different, the disadvantage and advantage of dance is its "no language." Can not point to the core, but also because of the lack of language restrictions and there is more room for development. Another difference is the dynamic and static conversion, "The dance is unconditional dynamic, but the poem is" written in person "(with people)

Yanfang winked naughty eyes, and shared with us the example of two poets "Xiayu's poetry is very clever, is a kind of dynamic flow, will let people follow his words to feel the pulse of poetry" side said, hand also painted in the sky beautiful arc. "Cao Kai's poetry is a static description." "Put the hand into a small circle" I give you a circle, the rest of you find a way. 」

As a choreographer and dancer, she is now unable to use the "audience" angle to appreciate the dance. "If the performance is not well constructed, I seem to be unable to concentrate on the direction the director hopes to go, but will start to pay attention to the details, layout, choreography." "Slanting head, thin thinking of the Yanfang in an instant out of the straightforward, but is to look at the overall situation of leaders thinking, each link is thoughtful." Immediately, and then said "so there will be a lot of" Ah! What the hell was that show doing? "The moment of collapse, that's the natural look that they don't have to say" clearly "without parole, just like every real confession we've had at the stage.

Photograph: Tang Jianjie

"One of the things that I've really realized recently," was a little serious. "The choreographer, or the director, is to let the actors into the imaginary canvas, let them play freely, the imagination stack into a mountain." Dancers are like soldiers, must unconditionally believe that your leader, the mountain after building up in accordance with the instructions to decorate, arrange, and finally draw a guide to the audience to climb the road. As to whether to climb the road or the barren path, it has to be decided by the Director. 」

Yanfang, who has always been a second-grade teacher, has found his blind spot after reading the works of Suzuki's loyal teachers. Because it is the director, some things will be seen more clearly than others, in the process of building the mountain as a choreographer to decorate the mountain. Too clever, but lose a little fun and creativity. The relationship between dancers and choreographers is more than imagined: "Trust" is the biggest key. The actor has to believe that the director will take you to the space, you can play the most. 」

Does the relationship between people need to be trusted as a base to complement each other? The simple truth is not taken for granted from her mouth, but should be cared for, but easily overlooked by everyone. (Recommended to you: interview p&g Communication and PR director Liang: Innovation, trust, Agile Successful party program )

It is the vocation of performing art to communicate in universal language.

There are too many issues in Taiwan, such as "Environmental protection, capitalism, class, feminist movement, prostitution, comrades, disadvantaged groups ... Too much can be discussed "Yanfang in the heart of the topic, but found that want to do too much, can do too little." Not as angry as the general, she does not complain that Taiwanese do not think deeply and don't care about the edge of the corner, "rather than thinking about it, how to turn the art, in a universal language so that people are willing to listen to, willing to deep communication, willing to discuss the lack of discussion but need to be discussed issues." (Song sung softly: comfort women are not just three words in history textbook: Song of the Reed sings the flexible life of Grandma )

Oh, words, don't blame me for borrowing the heavy words,

And to make them seem easy. -poetess Wislawa Szymborska "under a little Star"

poetess Wislawa Szymborska is Yanfang's favorite poet, like poetry, pushing Yanfang forward is the hope that the easy way to bring you a little reflection of the power.

Face the indifference of the society, Yanfang appear very calm "do what we can do!" "And give me a very powerful smile." Many people say: "Do what we can do is good", behind the representative of the muscle, helpless. But Yanfang's smile came with a force that ran out of his full sprint. Steve Prefontaine, a well-known runner, once said: "It is a waste of talent not to try your best." 」

Perhaps it is such a perception that she spares no effort in conveying the art of performance.

Bury a seed of art with dancing, waiting to sprout

This afternoon, I talked with Yanfang about poetry, dancing, and talking about Taiwan. Every time I dance, we bury an art seed in the audience's heart, and I think what she is looking forward to is the day the seeds germinate. She is not anxious not to Xu, do not force you must grow a flower or a tree. Like a diligent farmer who kept sowing and rolling in the mud, he was able to make a white coat without being contaminated with mud.

"To master one's own brush, not to accept it completely" Yanfang brings a different perspective on contemporary art.

Photograph: Tang Jianjie

Yanfang talking about the sparkle in the eyes and every gestures of the strength, it will make people naturally want to better understand this mysterious field, with another perspective, to understand the full force and beauty of the country. Yanfang's charm comes not only from increasing the verbal pulsation of the body movements, but her words can extend your imagination to a canvas that is full of imagination and can play, just as her performance. (Do not be limited to the framework:"Play work" with the imagination decorate life reporter Ropeu )

"Do not hold the" learning "mood come in, do not think you have any place than we understand a little bit. Even if our feelings do not intersect, it is important that we share the moving of the present. 」

If you, like me, refuse to approach the performing arts because you do not understand and dare not, I hope you will know more about the "Dance" field after you have a better understanding of Yanfang. I hope you can also be inspired by this phrase, willing to give yourself a chance to listen to the story.

(a poem: reading Poems and reading poets )