They were the 60s rebels with a grand cause: to revolutionise the stuffy world of American dance. Now celebrated in Mikhail Baryshnikov’s PASTFORWARD, the Judson Dance Theater did all that and more. ‘.'.or:ls' Kelly Apter
merica. July I962: a test ll-bomb lights up the night sky from Hawaii to New '/.ealand; Martin Luther King is jailed for leading an illegal march in (ieorgia: 5000 soldiers are sent to Siam to counter a
military offensive. And in a small corner of
New York's Greenwich Village. Judson Dance Theater gives the world's first post-modern dance performance.
Earlier that year. a group of visual artists. musicians. writers. filmmakers. theatre directors and dancers had found a creative home in the Village‘s Judson Memorial Church. Working as a collaborative group. the young artists launched a backlash against the American establishment; rejecting the formal theatrical structures of the 50s and commenting on the social and political llux. ‘Judson Church already had a tradition of doing avant—garde things.~ says co-founder of Judson Dance Theater. Yvonne Rainer. ‘There was a gallery. a poets' theatre. draft and abortion counselling services. So it seemed like a natural place to go. And it was also free — free to us and free to the public.’
The company‘s outside influences were impressive to say the least. Movers and shakers in the fields of dance. music and visual art such as Merce Cunningham. John Cage and Robert Rauschenberg played a part in shaping these bright young things. ‘We were all studying and/or performing with Merce Cunningham at the time.‘ says Rainer. ‘And Merce used to say that we were more John Cage‘s children than
his. in the way we followed John‘s ideas of
using sounds from the real world and letting chance procedures influence our work.‘
Although most of the Judson dancers had received formal training. they neglected it in favour of raw physicality. Walking. running. sitting. standing still — such basic movements became their stock-in-trade. They shunned any semblance of character or plot. and keenly avoided performance-enhancing costumes. sets or lighting. Pure. unadulterated dance was all that remained. Most importantly. they opened up dance to the community. with a programme of outreach work that resulted in ordinary people joining them on stage for the more simple pieces.
Which is exactly what will happen at the Edinburgh Playhouse this week. when work created by the Judsonites is once again shown the light of day. Part of the International Festival. PASTFtn'n-unl celebrates the achievements of Rainer and her fellow choreographers Trisha Brown. Lucinda Childs. Simone Forti. David Gordon. Deborah Hay and Steve Paxton. In preparation for the event. local volunteers have spent the past two weekends honing their walking skills (because. as Rainer says. ‘it’s very different to watching people walk in the street. there's a formality about it') before stepping out on stage with professionals from New York‘s White Oak Dance Project. One of whom just happens to be ex-ballet superstar Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Having enjoyed his status as the pre- eminent male classical dancer of the l97()s and 80s. Misha (as he's affectionately known) made the second defection of his life at the age
of .12. when be swapped ballet for contemporary. In 1990. White Oak was born. parented by Baryshnikov and that viz/km! terrible of the modern dance world. Mark Morris. Their offspring has proved to be quite a chip off the old block. touring the world with adventurous. exciting works. .-\nd I’AS'I‘I‘Uru‘urtl Is 00 L‘\L‘Cplltm. RC-Vislllllg‘ post-modern dance is almost as courageous as creating it in the first place. ‘His commitment to this is quite moving.‘ says Rainer of Baryslmikov. ‘lle really puts his money where his interests are.‘
And when you‘re dealing with works which represent an integral era in IS history. presentation is everything. Put on stage without context. the pieces would most likely confuse and dumbfound. White ()ak's multi-media solution has been to provide audiences with extensive programme notes. and video footage shown prior to the performances. Moreover. works created by the choreographers over the past 30 years. including brand new dances from 3000. are set alongside those original pieces -- forming an artistic curve documenting their careers. But. as Rainer points out. ‘it should be kept in mind that it’s a very special kind of event and you can‘t expect it to replicate exactly the way it was — times have changed.’
So too have the choreographers. (ireat things stemmed from those humble beginnings in Judson Church. a place where the group was forced to assemble having ‘been turned down by the establishment.~ as Rainer says. Despite being in their ()IlS and 70s. all the artists connected with PAS'I'l'in'wu/zl continue to create new and challenging work. Rainer has gone on to become an award-wimiing filmmaker; Deborah Hay is both a university professor and runs her own dance company: the Trisha Brown Dance Company. founded in |‘)70. continues to be one of the most successful contemporary outfits in the CS: Steve Paxton. the man behind the dance technique known as Contact Improvisation. still cuts a dash on stage today; Lucinda Childs regularly choreographs and directs for companies such as Paris Opera Ballet and the Martha Graham Dance Co: Simone I5orti teaches and performs around the world: and theatre director David (iordon has been instrumental in helping bring PAS'l‘l-brn'un/ to the stage.
Despite this role-call of high achievers. it would be fooliin to imagine that the work is the only thing drawng an audience. But maybe those who have come out simply to ‘star-spot Misha' as Hay puts it. will discover more than a 53-year-old (albeit captivatingl ex-ballet star. As Rainer says. P.»\S'I‘l'brwunl ‘can be seen now as a kind of a museum — fragments stored for the future.’
PASTForward is at the Edinburgh Playhouse, 13-16 Aug, 7.30pm.
Exclusive Merce Cunningham interview next issue. Out Thursday 16 August.
.' THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 17