I went to see a wonderful dance performance yesterday. My sister's - but that is irrelevant. She trained in one of the old classical dance forms of our country with the legendary Master of that discipline.
From the time when we were very young she wanted to be a dancer. It was instinctive. She was absolutely driven. Nothing else had priority. Tough choices had to be made, but she always knew which way to roll the dice.
As she matured as a dancer she brought the same intensity to the pieces that she then began to choreograph.
What makes her work so splendid to watch is her knowledge of the tradition and the grasp she has on the vocabulary of that particular school of dance.
Her research on the subject of her productions is relentless, - so each item is grounded.
She uses as inspiration all of the life of the state that the dance originates from. From the various performing arts, the games that the children play, to the stories that the people tell, she weaves them all into her dance.
She takes tales from our mythology and turns them on their heads to give them interpretations that feel right - characters are given dimensions that mythology never has room for.
She has a repertory of dancers who are each fluid in their art and expressions. When in a group their talents come together seamlessly to a supportive presentation.
She is clever - my sister. She knows her own strengths and her weaknesses. She knows her time and her place. She picks and chooses and she is seldom wrong. She is constantly searching, questioning herself. Apparently secure in her knowledge of the medium, her abilities, technique and her choreography, she relentlessly pursues excellence. When she teaches she holds back nothing, so the dance form can continue beyond her.
Without wanting to be the Prima Donna - she is.
Oh ... did I mention she is beautiful?
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