Art criticism on dance for the blind and visually impaired
Search for new aesthetic dance forms for blind, visually impaired, and sighted people.
The eyes are the windows to your soul.
William Shakespeare
Marina Abramovic
The image of the crying Abramovic is burned into the retina of every art historian. Her beautiful performance at MoMa attracted a large crowd. Her artistic idea was very simple and art with a capital A. What happened:
She sits at a table, with random people being given the chance to look deeply into her eyes without speaking, touching, or moving in the broad sense. The focus is solely on looking at each other. Looking as a discovery of the person, the eyes, the soul. The person behind….
Scientific research has shown that couples in love make eye contact much more often than when non-lovers look at each other. Laughing, crying, being angry, disappointed, or fearful — everything can be read in the eyes.
Eyes are powerful tools to express emotion. A little longer stare, eyes drifting away, eyes lifting. As an actor, you can make the face dance. When Abramovic burst into tears while seeing her former partner again, it was an extraordinarily beautiful artistic performance for art lovers. But what happens now when this important sensation is gone?
Note 2024: In 2021, when I first wrote this article, I asked myself if there were equivalent substitutes. Back then, I wrote no. Now, three years later and immersed in the world of blind and visually impaired people, I turn away from that statement and say a resounding yes.
But back then,
I would be lying if I didn't question the idea of equivalent substitutes.
And that is what this website is about: “The search for similar substitutes, possibly equivalent substitutes within dance.”
Note: Regarding dance and dance as an aesthetic value, this remains a lasting challenge even in 2024.
Imagine a ballet performance during an evening out at the theater. You step into a beautiful building with a romantic setting (lighting, beautiful images, woodwork, warm tones, and well-dressed people looking at an impressive stage, decor, dancers....)
No matter how hard I try to imagine things, I can't shake the idea that blind and visually impaired people will not experience the same pleasure as sighted visitors. The question must be asked of them, but in my opinion, it should be critically evaluated from the art perspective.
What might happen, I think, is that it could evoke the feeling and focus on things like sliding legs over the wooden floor, dance pauses, audible jumps... but whether that truly gives valuable aesthetic pleasure, I still have serious doubts about. I could be completely wrong, and I want to see that disproven, evaluated, and the world judge it by digging deep into the dark.
Note 2024: I now aim to approach this more nuanced in favor of the blind and visually impaired spectator.
Visual Impairment: In all descriptions of blind or visually impaired people, the term "visual impairment" is used, and I conclude from that: the word “impairment” remains and is engraved in the retina. Should there be a replacement word? Should it not be named? No, I think it should remain used. To “show” when we name the problem, address it, and shape it towards an autonomous aesthetic. “Disability is not a problem in need of correction but a positive resource, especially as it pertains to aesthetics” — Alex S. Porco
“The social limitation” is established, and now it is our absolute task, sighted and non-sighted people, to figure out how it stands with “aesthetic limitation.” Does it exist? Or does it not?
In this regard, we must seek:
1. What falls away
2. What can be simultaneously improved
3. What is stronger
These are, in my opinion, the dance-technical questions we must ask ourselves. And that is why the name “Danceorientation.eu” was chosen. Cultural criticism for sighted and visually impaired people in dance: “How do we orient ourselves toward the question of whether there is an aesthetic limitation?”
Note 2024: I still stand behind these thoughts and questions. Research must continue.
In this regard, I propose a four-part framework for all dancers:
Orientation of the blind and visually impaired towards classical basic dance techniques formed within a visual frame (inclusive)
Orientation of the blind and visually impaired towards new basic dance techniques within a kinetic frame (exclusive)
Orientation of the sighted towards classical basic techniques within a visual frame (inclusive)
Orientation of the sighted towards new basic dance techniques within a kinetic frame (inclusive) With the last one as the task for sighted dance enthusiasts to step into the world of the non-sighted dancer.
I would like to refer to the findings of Piet Devos (art researcher) and Saïd Gharbi (dancer and performer), both blind.
Conclusion of this introduction: We must ask ourselves whether multisensory knowledge among blind and visually impaired people can express and develop new aesthetic dance forms in relation to the existing visual dance aesthetics and dance techniques for sighted people. In my absolute opinion, we must conduct research into dance forms and dance orientation for blind and visually impaired people with alternative aesthetic value at the highest level, just like a fine perfume.
Text description of the photo
photo 1: Abramovic sits at a wooden table in a long red dress. Directly opposite her sits a woman. They are staring into each other's eyes.
