I'm not one who divides music, dance or art into various categories. Either something works, or it doesn't.
Interpretation
Art should not be confined to strict categories; its effectiveness is what truly matters.
This quote by Twyla Tharp emphasizes a holistic approach to the arts, suggesting that the impact and emotional resonance of music, dance, or art should take precedence over traditional categorization. Tharp argues that the value of artistic expression lies in its ability to connect with audiences, regardless of the labels that may be imposed upon it.
In practice
This quote could be shared during an art workshop to inspire creativity without limitations.
Do I watch dancers as people? Yes, absolutely. Do I watch really good dancers for specifically who they are? Absolutely, because how they move best and how they look best is going to be most familiar to them, and not necessarily to me.
I am still pushing the edge of what my body can do.
No one is born with skill. It is developed through exercise, through repetition, through a blend of learning and reflection that's both painstaking and rewarding. And it takes time.
Without passion, all the skill in the world won't lift you above craft. Without skill, all the passion in the world will leave you eager but floundering. Combining the two is the essence of the creative life.
I grew up in a drive-in theater, from the time I was 8, working in a snack bar watching four features every week. It was silent theater in the sense that this was a drive-in, which meant that I often saw the films going with no sound. But I learned to tell stories through action.
Without passion, all the skill in the world won't lift you above craft.
When I'm writing a book, you can't think about your audience. You're going to be in big trouble if you think about it. You're got to write from deep inside.
The technique of 35mm photography appears simple. One is beguiled by the quick viewing and operation, and by the very questionable inclination to make many pictures with the hope that some will be good.
Rewriting isn't just about dialogue; it's the order of the scenes, how you finish a scene, how you get into a scene.
When I write something, I can't remember in the end if this is a memory or if it's not - I'm talking about fiction. So for me, it's the same thing.
Media gatekeepers - editors, publishers, film studios and the like - need to begin investing in talent behind the scenes, developing and resourcing marginalized voices to tell their own stories. At the end of the day, it's about the story and what will enable the audience to truly see, understand, and know the life and times of the subject.
I was pirouette and flourish, I was filigree and flame. How could I count my blessings when I didn't know their names?
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