[中][ENG]就把它當成是舞蹈生涯的悠長假期 A long vacation in the journey of dance
[中]就把它當成是舞蹈生涯的悠長假期
文：肥力
原本文章旨在訪問不同獨立舞者及教室，在疫情影響而全面停工之下，有否新奇方法去維持舞蹈工作及場地營運。然而，當訪問過幾位不同相關人士[1]，包括舞者、兒童教室導師、編舞、老師，及與街舞和健身有關的舞蹈人士，便發現現實還是相當殘酷。不同於擁有資源、地方、人手及政府全力補助的大型舞團，能夠有心有力去開創新的營運模式，獨立舞者及中小型教室在停業之下，並沒有什麼自救方法。事實是所謂創意，特別是需要科技及市場支援的網上系統，還是需要一定資本。但反過來看，正如受訪舞蹈老師何蕤渟慨嘆不同於其他學科，舞蹈需要同時傳授美感與技術，單靠網上教學並不適宜。或更坦白說，在二十一世紀，直播流行，網上學習成為潮流（但不代表有一定成效），可是即使VR或AR技術如何先進，表演藝術仍然沒辦法被任何科技取代，因為其人與人置身同一空間接觸的即時性及獨特情感交往，並不能被完全複製及虛擬化。
有趣的是，受疫情影響而賦閒在家的一些舞者的想法，與著名日劇《悠長假期》中瀨名對同時失婚、失業、失家的小南說的不約而同，既然沒辦法改變現實，那就把空檔期當做人生的一次長假期，好好地修練，整理自己的創作及享受生活。例如何蕤渟有邀約同樣空閒的幾位舞者，編作舞蹈，並嘗試拍成影片，準備寄去外國尋求演出機會。他們說一直以來都想整理自己的作品，甚至學習影片剪接，但之前工作太忙，難以抽空學習錄影及剪片，現在正好趁此機會一併完成。另一邊邱加希及她邀請的舞者開始創作及互相訪問，搜集資料及身體研究，為下一個演出做更多的準備。兩位舞者都說，或者這是一個好好的機會給自己休息，及有更多時間準備下一次的創作。他們均於CCDC舞蹈中心完成他們的工作，並說如沒有中心提供場地及資源，即使有閒暇也不一定能完成作品，故此很擔心將來中心搬遷對舞蹈業界發展的影響。
另一方面，身兼舞者與舞蹈老師的麥卓鴻說，不少中小型芭蕾舞或當代舞教室正面臨財政危機，很擔心它們能否撐得住，但反過來一些主打Hip Hop及其他統稱「街舞」或健身舞步的教室，人潮反而逆流而上。麥認為主要原因有二：其一是不像芭蕾及當代舞課，由小孩到成人不同年紀的學生組成，街舞或健身舞在文化及體能上都集中吸引年輕人學習，始終身體是比較健康的一群，受疫情影響比較少，而在概念上將舞蹈與健身融合，在疫情之時反倒成為一個促進健康的潮流；其二，這些舞種較重視體能鍛鍊，其訓練及表演方式也促進大量的體能消耗，也容易激起熱情及投入感，尤其這些舞蹈都很追求完美的合拍及節奏，群體訓練能令人更能令人忘我及集中，故此令學員不易放棄。
無論學習哪一種舞蹈，都在渴求與人互動及溝通。在身體美學的追求上，還得要直接接觸，才能產生化學作用。正如美國哲學家瑪莎‧納思邦（Martha Nussbaum）提到表演藝術能激發人的同理心，緩解仇恨及冷漠。疫症當前，當香港由搶口罩、搶廁紙，到經歷各種寂寞、歧視，編舞及舞者在當下最可以做到的，唯有整理自己，在未知時限的假期裡，為將來埋下種籽，準備表達美及自由。
[1] 受訪舞者及資料提供︰
何蕤渟、黎德威、麥卓鴻、邱加希、流白之間
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文：肥力
藝評人，劇場人，插畫人。 個人網站：www.felixism.com。
[ENG] A Long Vacation in the journey of dance
Original Text: Felix Chan
This article sets out to look at how different dance artists and studios have been exploring ways to keep their work and venues running in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus. A grim reality soon emerged after interviewing a number of dance artists, tutors working with children, choreographers, dance instructors, and other practitioners working in areas like street dance and fitness[1]. Independent and medium-to-small-sized studios have it hard as maintaining their programmes translates into additional costs. Their situation cannot be compared to large dance companies which possess greater resources in terms of finance, space and staffing or government subsidies and have the capacity to explore various online solutions that require special technological and market support. Unlike other fields of study which can easily be transferred to an online environment, the grace, alignments and techniques of dance cannot be conveyed in the same way through a screen as in the studio, dance teacher Julianna Ho explains. In the 21st century where everything is streamed online, e-learning has become the preference for many even though it isn’t always the most effective method. Despite the introduction of virtual or augmented reality technology, the spontaneity of human touch and the exchange of emotions expressed in an artistic performance that brings the performers and audience together in the same space, still cannot be fully replicated in the virtual world.
In the famous Japanese TV series, Long Vacation, after experiencing the loss of his marriage, job and family, the protagonist reflects that while he cannot change reality, he can see this chapter of his life as a long vacation, one that offers him a chance to better manage and work on his creativity and to enjoy life. The same kind of feeling is shared among some dancers who are facing the fallout brought by Covid-19, and left at home without work. Ho has been taking advantage of this enforced long vacation to devise choreography with a few other dancers. They are also videoing their work and sending it to presenters abroad to seek overseas performance opportunities. For a long time, they have wanted to reorganize their work, and even learn how to edit film themselves so they can produce their own footage but their busy schedules meant it was all but impossible to find time to do so -- until now. Another dancer, Yau Ka Hei and two fellow dancers have started creating together and interviewing each other, gathering information and studying their bodies in order to better prepare themselves for moving forward when the time comes. Ho and Yau have heeded the old saying that when life gives you lemons, you should turn them into lemonade by giving themselves a well-deserved rest and readying themselves for a more successful future. While both have finished their recent work with CCDC Dance Centre, they both say that they would not have been able to complete their pieces had it not been for the venue and resources provided by the Dance Centre. Both express concerns about the impact the Centre’s relocation will have on the industry in the future.
Dancer and instructor Kelvin Mak reveals that many medium-to-small-sized ballet and contemporary dance studios are facing financial trouble and worries whether they will be able to ride out the storm. However, he also notes that studios providing lessons on hip hop and other kinds of “street dance,” as well as fitness dance, are seeing more participants coming through their doors. There are two possible explanations for this phenomenon:
First, unlike ballet and contemporary dance classes that are made up of students of different ages from children to adults, the stamina required and the culture of street or fitness dance are more aligned with the younger generation who are from a healthier segment of the population and less vulnerable to the virus. Conceptually, street and fitness dance are also seen as a form of exercise which in turn makes them easier for people to accept as a healthy choice in this time of health turbulence.
Second, the emphasis that these styles of dance put into combining training and performance makes it possible to burn a great deal of energy and help dancers to commit to them with passion. Matching steps to rhythms heightens the dancers’ attention and collectivism, drawing them in even more.
Regardless of the kind of dance one practices, the goal is to connect and communicate with others. Setting body aesthetics aside, one must be able to have that human contact to ignite the spark. American philosopher Martha Nussbaum once said that performance can inspire empathy and iron out hatred and apathy. Against the backdrop of an epidemic, without knowing when we will find ourselves at the end of the tunnel, and with people fighting for toilet rolls and experiencing solitude and discrimination, what choreographers and dance performers can do is to prepare themselves and sow the seeds for a future expression of beauty and freedom.
[1] Interviewees:
Julianna Ho, Lai Tak-wai, Kelvin Mak, Yau Ka-hei and Blank Space Studio
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(English Translation by Billy Leung)
Text：Felix Chan
is an art critic, theatre creator and illustrator. Personal website: www.felixism.com.
