Expressions

Just finished watching a tape of Tuesday night’s (9/11/12) finale of So You Think You Can Dance?  They are down to the final four contestants, two women and two men. All are fabulous dancers and performers. So what could I possibly say?

Several things actually. For starters one of the women is classically trained and superb in several highly different and taxing dance genres, She is so good in every presentation it is hard to believe she is not already a professional dancer; and: personable, approachable, on stage and on TV; good conversationalist, reacts well to unrehearsed situations.

The main thing is her ability to express emotion, personality and concept through body movement and accompanying music. Lighting, too, I guess. But the overall package is pure poetry in motion. It states clearly what the dancer wants to say, what the choreographer creates and what the music communicates.

Her name is Eliana. One of the finalists of the 2012 season’s SYTYCD program.

The other woman contestant is Tiffany. She is a smaller package, very athletic and reminiscent of gymnastic wizardry. She is personable. She has impeccable technique and controlled movement. She synchronizes to the music and to partner and to choreographer direction. She is superb in ways Eliana isn’t, yet doesn’t quite measure up to Eliana. Still, Tiffany expresses emotion and storyline eloquently.

Eliana will likely be named the champion female dancer of the competition during next Tuesday’s show (Fox TV, 9/18/12). Luminosity of expression will be the strength that wins her the title.

As to the male dancers, we have Cheon and Cyrus. Both are so different. Which will win the crown is very much in the air. Here’s why.

Cheon is a classically trained ballet performer. He started while very young, before 6 years of age as I recall. He has worked hard all these years and has a body honed to the art. His dance skills are perfection. His lines are fluid and matched to the music in ways not thought possible. He performs flawlessly. He projects feeling and emotion in ways that transport the audience to unheard of destinations. He is magic. His ability to switch between and among dance and music genres is stunning. He entertains, yes; but he changes your perspective with abandon because he can through his art. Wow!

Cyrus is a self taught street dancer of hip hop style and robotic movement. And I mean robotic – the mimicry of body movements performed by machines complete with the sound effects. The result is mesmerizing. He is a complete performer in this genre. Masterful.

But wait. He is also a quick study for every dance genre he was asked to perform throughout the 17 weeks of the program. Every genre. And almost perfectly. And when not perfect, Cyrus extended his personality and emotion to the audience regardless. He danced with partners and ensembles. He danced with women and with men. He flawlessly adapted to every situation. He is magical.

Because he is self taught and not a student for 12 or more long years of tutelage, I think he will come in second. Yes. I think Cheon will win the top spot for male dancer this year.

Presenting these four young people in today’s blog is not an exercise in selecting winners or second place contestants. No. Rather I wanted to report to you two primary facts.

First, all of the finalists of this year’s So You Think You Can Dance? are miraculously gifted dancers. Each one of them is. Plus each demonstrates strengths that blow their fellow dancers away without diminishing anyone at the same time.

Second, dance is not about athletic ability, nor is it about mathematical precision of learned dance steps, choreography or keeping time with music. Of course it is all of that. But no, dance is about expressing emotion.

Anger, love, hate, wistfulness, nervousness, fear – whatever. Greed, envy, loss. You name it; it can be expressed in art. That’s an obvious statement, I know; but please, take the time to know it is expressible in dance, music, song, painting, drawing, sculpture, jewelry, ceramic and glass arts. And in dozens of other mediums, too ~ fashion, fabric, paper, construction arts, etc. The list is endless. But the need to feel emotions is primal. They are there in our lives. They need to be experienced, seen, felt and performed.

This is art. It is all around us. Often we don’t allow ourselves to be aware of it. Don’t let that happen to you.

Be enriched.

September 13, 2012