News from Germany, Austria, Switzerland

[Guest oncnp]

3 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I hope I never read news like about Liam Scarlett again. It came to my mind re the sensitive Goecke, to be honest. 

 

So he gets a free behavioral pass because of what he might do as a result of his own actions? Unlike Scarlett which was never (publicly) proved

Edited February 16, 2023 by oncnp

[LinMM]

When I said “moment of madness” I didn’t mean it completely literally!!  
I meant it in the sense whether pre meditated or not this was a mad “moment” or “short period of time”

to do this as against his Life so far. 
I suppose that means figuratively speaking. 
Anyway I thought I already made it clear in my post that he had demeaned himself by this action I was not excusing him but people can do stupid things sometimes in their lives which they may later regret and is against their usual character. 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by LinMM

[NiniGabriel]

20 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

Or, perhaps she understands his work perfectly well and thinks it's very poor.

Sorry for only now responding to your reply.

 

As I said before, it can happen that someone finds a work of art "poor", i.e. someone does not understand it or does not find access to it. Or that someone doesn't like this kind of art.

 

But to assume that this critic fully understands the work and finds it "poor" would mean, on the other hand, that a large body of critics and a large audience are totally wrong and imagining the genius and depth of the artistic expression.

 

May be. Or actually rather unrealistic.

 

But in the end it is probably like a German proverb says:

Kunst liegt immer im Auge des Betrachters (Art is always in the eye of the beholder).

[LinMM]

For some reason Sabine I missed your post yesterday about the Hungarian Dance Piece so thanks for the more info on that. 
How wonderful for Shale and the other dancer Masuda that the piece was especially choreographed for them and of course they are both amazing in it. 
It could be that Goecke had chosen this music to deliberately go against its flowing sweep ….so the movement directly contrasts the music. 

But to me it appears as if the music is sort of on in the background and is somewhat irrelevant!  A bit like yoga to music classes…. They are never “to”

the music ….just doing yoga with a bit of background music on……🙄

I particularly like the no. 1 Dance (though all these particular Dances have a special association for me ..no.5 the other one I did choreography for) so was not happy to see the music seemingly sort of made irrelevant. Perhaps Goecke saw this as Life flowing by ( as the music does) against the  individuals suffering ….. I don’t know. 
Perhaps you could ask Shale when you next see him Sabine what was actually said by Goecke when creating this Piece for him and Masuda. 
 

 

I have to admit Geoff your comment about transgressive artists going around with Sh**t in their pockets in case they may need it later did make me laugh 😂 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by LinMM

[bridiem]

4 minutes ago, NiniGabriel said:

But to assume that this critic fully understands the work and finds it "poor" would mean, on the other hand, that a large body of critics and a large audience are totally wrong and imagining the genius and depth of the artistic expression.

 

May be. Or actually rather unrealistic.

 

I don't think it's unrealistic at all. Popularity doesn't necessarily equate to quality.

[NiniGabriel]

29 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I don't think it's unrealistic at all. Popularity doesn't necessarily equate to quality.

You are right in your objection.

 

At this level, however, I can also say that popularity does not exclude great art.

 

And ultimately we can argue ad infinitum whether Marco Goecke's work is great art or not. And whether said critic is right or not.

 

We will not find the only "truth".

[Angela]

5 minutes ago, bridiem said:

Popularity doesn't necessarily equate to quality.

 

Goecke was REALLY unpopular when he started, he got boos and bad reviews, because his style was so dark, so nervous. Some people liked his works from the beginning, like Stuttgart Ballet Director Reid Anderson who hired him as house choreographer, like Scapino Director Ed Wubbe who hired him as associate choreographer, like - later on - NDT director Paul Lightfoot who hired him as associate choreographer. German critics were divided, but in some four, five years he won them over, as he won over the Stuttgart audience, I could observe that in many, many performances. They dearly loved his works after a while, even if they are very modern, fidgeting, dark - definitely not the stuff that popular ballets are made of. All big companies in Germany were after him for a new work. As I said, he is regarded one of the most important dance makers now in Germany, by a huge audience and the overwhelming majority of critics. You may compare it to William Forsythe's revolution in the 1980s and 1990s, which also shocked people at first.  

 

I think it's hard to judge by some trailers, maybe you should not talk about quality without having seen a single work on stage. I would never judge a choreographer by short video clips.

[Sophoife]

I don't really like much Balanchine.

 

Possibly this is because I believe his work appears to its best advantage on dancers of the "Balanchine type" and companies that are not NYCB tend to be a little less homogeneous in appearance.

 

Possibly this is because when it comes to story ballets, however short or long, I feel so many other choreographers tell a story so much better than Balanchine.

 

Possibly this is because when it comes to the sheer ecstasy of watching the perfect marriage of music and movement, for me the zenith is Ashton. I certainly don't put Balanchine at the nadir, but for me, Serenade is the only one that comes close to that state.

 

And one of AusBallet's seasons this year is the company première of the full length Jewels. I have only seen it on film and I don't mind it, hopefully seeing it live will increase my enjoyment of it.

 

I have seen his work performed live on numerous occasions so am speaking from personal experience, not "just" from watching YouTube or DVDs.

 

I shall now raise the drawbridge and retire behind the portcullis, safe in the knowledge that here on BalletCo I am highly unlikely to literally be beschmiert with Hundekot!!

[Angela]

Press release from the Opera House Hanover (rough translation)

 

Hanover State Opera is separating by mutual agreemtn and with immediate effect from ballet director Marco Goecke

 

The Hanover State Opera distinguishes between the employed ballet director and the creative choreographer Marco Goecke, whom it still appreciates artistically and whose work it will not delete from the repertoire. His works are not related to the events and remain in the repertoire of the State Ballet. This applies not only to the current pieces, but also to the pieces that were created for the house company that Marco Goecke formed. No new ballet by Marco Goecke was and is not planned for the next season, but his works will be on the program as revivals.

 

Before a decision is made on a long-term successor, the deputy ballet director Christian Blossfeld takes over the management of the company. We have agreed to work with all dancers of the Staatsballett as part of their contracts until at least summer 2024. By then they will certainly be employed at the Hanover State Opera.

 

The Opera Director Laura Berman states:

“First of all, I would like to formally apologize to Wiebke Hüster. I can't even begin to imagine what it must feel like to be humiliated like that in public.

The Hanover State Opera, my colleagues and I have a relationship with Marco Goecke on three different levels: There is the choreographer and artist Marco Goecke, whom I was able to win for Hanover in 2019. There is the manager Marco Goecke, who is not only responsible in a management position on an artistic level, but also as a department head for the entire ballet company and has always taken this responsibility seriously. And then there is the man Marco Goecke, whom we have all come to know and appreciate as a compassionate, considerate, humorous, occasionally very vulnerable person. A person who has also worked through his vulnerability artistically, for example in his work Thin Skin. A person with whom we have worked collegially, constructively and without any form of aggression on his part. That's why his behavior disturbed us all the more.

 

In view of the sometimes drastic demands from parts of the media and the public, it was a great challenge for me as artistic director and direct superior to find a solution to this situation that was justifiable from a legal, human and artistic point of view between these different levels. We took the time to find this solution and to talk to the administrative management and the works council of the Lower Saxony State Theater and our top employer, the state of Lower Saxony, and last but not least with Marco Goecke. In order to make a professional decision about a separation, a personal conversation is required. It was also essential for us to have discussions with the ballet ensemble and not suddenly present the dancers with a fait accompli. They are all here in Hanover because of Marco Goecke. The ensemble is a creation by Marco Goecke, perhaps one of his most important given the restrictions on working conditions during the pandemic. And it is a wonderful ensemble, which also proved its excellence at the premiere last Saturday in very different choreographic styles. The Staatsoper Hannover, together with the excellent team of the Staatsballett, would like to preserve and protect this special group of artists.

 

I think it's important and right that we took this time. It was clear to us very early on that ballet director Marco Goecke was no longer acceptable as a manager due to his misconduct. A trusting cooperation is currently difficult to imagine for the Hanover State Opera as well as for me personally. This thoughtless attack on the journalist and the person Wiebke Hüster violated too many principles of the State Theater, massively damaged the reputation of the house and last but not least has criminal consequences. Marco Goecke can understand that too. Therefore, in a detailed personal conversation, we agreed to terminate his contract as ballet director by mutual consent and with immediate effect.

 

However, we still appreciate the choreographer Marco Goecke and will keep his works in the repertoire. This applies not only to the running pieces, but also to the pieces that were created especially for the Staatsballett Hannover, such as B. his masterpiece The Lover. We do not believe that an artist's work should be completely condemned for a single act of ill-considered, however disgusting. The choreographies are never the work of just one person, they are brought to life in every performance by an ensemble and many people backstage.

We are all concerned about Marco Goecke as a person, but I am particularly concerned as my direct superior and friend. Of course we know the interviews he gave. We were surprised at their content. But they only show one side of him. Yesterday I met a Marco Goecke in a personal conversation who was devastated. We are now in contact with him and hope that we can help him through this time despite this break.

 

Finally, I would like to address two other topics that concern me as artistic director. Criticism is important for the creation and further development of art, because it reflects the artist, what art does to people, what emotions, what thoughts are evoked. In today's society there is less and less serious interest in professional, differentiated reflection on art. Good, responsible criticism is at risk because polarizing statements attract more attention and more clicks. I believe we are all called upon to solve these problems.

 

As artistic director, I also think about how I can protect artists. The criticism that an artist is exposed to today is not only the professional criticism in the established media. At a time when everyone can and is allowed to express their opinion on a wide variety of channels - partly anonymously and often without any sense of responsibility - a pressure is built up that an individual can hardly bear. Of course, this does not excuse or justify abuse of any kind.

We will still need time to fully process what has happened. That can only happen if we work together and we hope that the audience will also be by our side.”

[bridiem]

3 hours ago, Angela said:

I think it's hard to judge by some trailers, maybe you should not talk about quality without having seen a single work on stage. I would never judge a choreographer by short video clips.

 

Neither would I. I wasn't talking specifically about Goecke - it was a more general response to the previous comment implying that if a work is popular it must be good. (But I also agree with the comment that being popular doesn't automatically mean it is NOT good! Far from it.)

[Vanartus]

A wonderful statement - from State Opera House - on every possible level. Spot on!

Edited February 16, 2023 by Vanartus
Clarity

[Sabine0308]

I really like this statement. Laura Berman had a tough job to do, and she found the appropriate words, imo.

[Sabine0308]

7 hours ago, oncnp said:

 

So he gets a free behavioral pass because of what he might do as a result of his own actions? Unlike Scarlett which was never (publicly) proved

Where did I say that?? I am "just" concerned about his well-being (as is his former employer, when you read her statement), that's all. And I stand by it. We all know how Liam Scarlett ended up...I do not wish that for Marco Goecke.

[Sabine0308]

6 hours ago, LinMM said:

For some reason Sabine I missed your post yesterday about the Hungarian Dance Piece so thanks for the more info on that. 
How wonderful for Shale and the other dancer Masuda that the piece was especially choreographed for them and of course they are both amazing in it. 
It could be that Goecke had chosen this music to deliberately go against its flowing sweep ….so the movement directly contrasts the music. 

But to me it appears as if the music is sort of on in the background and is somewhat irrelevant!  A bit like yoga to music classes…. They are never “to”

the music ….just doing yoga with a bit of background music on……🙄

I particularly like the no. 1 Dance (though all these particular Dances have a special association for me ..no.5 the other one I did choreography for) so was not happy to see the music seemingly sort of made irrelevant. Perhaps Goecke saw this as Life flowing by ( as the music does) against the  individuals suffering ….. I don’t know. 
Perhaps you could ask Shale when you next see him Sabine what was actually said by Goecke when creating this Piece for him and Masuda. 

 

I asked Shale last year about it, and he said it's "for the art", so no story behind. Which is what I assumed.

Linda, we should probably watch it together and you tell me where you see "yoga".😁 There are so many movements spot on the music...ah well I just love it, and I do see some meaning/content. E.g. the "stop talking to me" scene (Shale), can you figure out which pose/scene I mean? 

[Emeralds]

I saw one of Goecke’s pieces when the Stuttgart Ballet came on tour to London-it was a pas de deux danced by Elisa Badenes and Daniel Camargo....it was ok, neither terrible nor spectacular and the performance was brilliant but then Badenes and Camargo could make anything look brilliant. Must admit I was shocked- what was he thinking?! That’s assault. If he was furious or at the end of his tether, far better to respond to it in words- so many platforms online to do it for free.

 

The thing is that if he’d not approached her at all, but simply commented in print or online, “I see Ms X hates my work as usual”, he would probably get more sympathy and support. Has he damaged his chances of getting future commissions or having his works mounted? He might have. There are lots of other choreographers out there, and companies might prefer to use someone without negative baggage.

 

PS. I do agree with Laura Berman that it can be more pressurised on artists nowadays- with the criticism (or trolling) now not limited to newspapers or journals but possibly 24 hours a day and being tagged on social media, it can be too much. (Not that it excuses what he did.) Glad to see she has said that support is being given.

Edited February 16, 2023 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

In all choreographers’ and dance companies’ defence, there are a number of critics out there who seem to believe their job is to get paid for venting their personal reactions, biases and prejudices while occasionally showing off with a few witty/cruel jibes, while not writing much that is actually of useful information for the audience or patrons considering whether to buy tickets. I don’t read German and don't plan to read her review, but if she had been constructive and informative it probably wouldn’t have provoked an overreaction.

 

There are very good critics who can balance fair and constructive criticism, useful information about a production, and even while saying they didn’t like a work, give enough useful detail that is written well, such that the people who like that sort of work can be encouraged to see it and enjoy it. And of course, critics should be able to take criticism since they’re dishing it out -not assault, but a discussion, with someone else saying they don’t agree with him/her and why.

Edited February 16, 2023 by Emeralds

[Scheherezade]

8 hours ago, bridiem said:

I don't think it's unrealistic at all. Popularity doesn't necessarily equate to quality.

 

The emperor's new clothes and all that.

 

8 hours ago, NiniGabriel said:

At this level, however, I can also say that popularity does not exclude great art.

 

And, no, popularity should not suggest absence of quality.

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Scheherezade

[Angela]

18 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

The emperor's new clothes and all that.

 

I'm sure you don't want to suggest by remote diagnosis that 90 percent of Germany's ballet critics and at least half of the dance audience have fallen for a bluff.

[Angela]

Bavarian State Ballet will continue to work with Goecke (only German at the moment, I hope they'll translate it)

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/presse/presseinfo-statement-marco-goecke

[Angela]

Berlin State Ballet will also keep Goecke's Petrushka on the schedule in June, together with Pina Bausch's Sacre.

[Scheherezade]

1 hour ago, Angela said:

 

I'm sure you don't want to suggest by remote diagnosis that 90 percent of Germany's ballet critics and at least half of the dance audience have fallen for a bluff.

 

I wasn't actually, but having said that, the power of suggestion, with the concomitant insinuation that those who buck the trend may lack a certain enlightenment, can be very potent. Equally, of course, there are those who will deliberately resist the popular view purely because it is popular.

[Angela]

25 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

there are those who will deliberately resist the popular view purely because it is popular.

 

Voilà, that's how Mrs Hüster works.

[LinMM]

Ha ha Sabine you are determined that I love his Hungarian Dance piece!! 
The thing is there’s nothing wrong with the choreography …in itself I thing it’s extraordinary!! And of course there are moments when the rhthym of the movements and music will concur. I suppose I’m saying that perhaps it doesn’t concur with the spirit of the music ….but will now need to investigate because back in my 20’s I suppose I didn’t investigate much what the composer was on about ….the music either touched me or it didn’t!! Perhaps Goecke knows something I don’t lol!! 
I love the Piece from the dancers point of view ….in other words to watch it ……but they could equally have done this to silence with NO music. 
The yoga comment is not relevant to this Piece in particular but a general comment on when music is used but not necessarily connected strongly with the movements being performed! 
I’d love to watch it together we can have a friendly old ding dong about it lol!!! And promise you won’t smear me with dog sh**t and it’s a deal. 
 

On a more serious note I think the tone of the Hannover post is absolutely right…well done to that person. 
Perhaps Marco Goecke could do with a couple of years away from Germany at present Im sure other Companies would be interested to have him and he has I’m pretty sure learned his lesson in just how far he can go when annoyed with critics! 

Edited February 16, 2023 by LinMM

[Sabine0308]

@LinMM deal😀

[NiniGabriel]

6 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I saw one of Goecke’s pieces when the Stuttgart Ballet came on tour to London-it was a pas de deux danced by Elisa Badenes and Daniel Camargo....it was ok, neither terrible nor spectacular and the performance was brilliant but then Badenes and Camargo could make anything look brilliant.

 

 

 

Sorry, I really don't want to sound like a know-it-all, but I'm pretty sure the pas de deux you're referring to wasn't a Marco Goecke piece. It sounds a lot like "Little Monsters" by Demis Volpi, another former resident choreographer at the Stuttgart Ballet.

 

At the Stuttgart guest performance in London in 2013, if I remember correctly, two solos by Marco Goecke were shown, namely "Fancy Goods" and "Äffi", danced by Friedemann Vogel and Marijn Rademaker respectively. "Äffi" is danced to the music of Johnny Cash, in "Fancy Goods", premiered at the birthday gala for Reid Anderson in 2009, several giant pink feathers are very prominent...

 

As for the pas de deux with Badenes and Camargo, I see it the same way. A nice little piece, but far from a masterpiece...

Edited February 17, 2023 by NiniGabriel

[FionaM]

19 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

I hope I never read news like about Liam Scarlett again. It came to my mind re the sensitive Goecke, to be honest. 

relating to this thought (which I also had knowing he would likely be fired) … I am pleased to read in the  Hannover Opera House that they are looking out for him.   He clearly needs help.  

[FionaM]

3 hours ago, LinMM said:

Ha ha Sabine you are determined that I love his Hungarian Dance piece!! 
The thing is there’s nothing wrong with the choreography …in itself I thing it’s extraordinary!! And of course there are moments when the rhthym of the movements and music will concur. I suppose I’m saying that perhaps it doesn’t concur with the spirit of the music ….but will now need to investigate because back in my 20’s I suppose I didn’t investigate much what the composer was on about ….the music either touched me or it didn’t!! Perhaps Goecke knows something I don’t lol!! 
I love the Piece from the dancers point of view ….in other words to watch it ……but they could equally have done this to silence with NO music. 
 

oh my … such different reactions.  I loved Goecke’s choreography precisely because it made me hear the music differently!   He emphasised different parts of it.

[Sophoife]

5 hours ago, NiniGabriel said:

Sorry, I really don't want to sound like a know-it-all, but I'm pretty sure the pas de deux you're referring to wasn't a Marco Goecke piece. It sounds a lot like "Little Monsters" by Demis Volpi, another former resident choreographer at the Stuttgart Ballet.

 

Exactly what I thought.

 

11 years ago at the Australian Ballet 50th anniversary gala, among the guest artists were Elisa Badenes and Daniel Camargo, both then very young, and I kid you not, 100% of the audience fell in love or lust with him during that piece. They also performed the wedding pdd from Don Quixote (replacing Dorothée Gilbert and Stéphane Bullion of POB) but, good as it was, it was the Volpi that was the hit of the evening. This in a programme that included Julie Kent in the bedroom pdd from Manon and Damian Smith in Wheeldon's After the Rain pdd.

 

At the party afterwards Little Monsters was the hot topic and poor Mr Camargo (young, shy, and not exactly fluent in English) was absolutely mobbed. I didn't even try to speak with him, went and chatted up Sofiane Sylve (who'd danced the White Swan pdd) instead.

 

Incidentally if one cares to Google the gala and its reviews, the range of opinions is enormous. No Hundekot was beschmiert however.

 

Edited February 17, 2023 by Sophoife
Added reviews para.

[Emeralds]

8 hours ago, NiniGabriel said:

 

Sorry, I really don't want to sound like a know-it-all, but I'm pretty sure the pas de deux you're referring to wasn't a Marco Goecke piece. It sounds a lot like "Little Monsters" by Demis Volpi, another former resident choreographer at the Stuttgart Ballet.

 

At the Stuttgart guest performance in London in 2013, if I remember correctly, two solos by Marco Goecke were shown, namely "Fancy Goods" and "Äffi", danced by Friedemann Vogel and Marijn Rademaker respectively. "Äffi" is danced to the music of Johnny Cash, in "Fancy Goods", premiered at the birthday gala for Reid Anderson in 2009, several giant pink feathers are very prominent...

 

As for the pas de deux with Badenes and Camargo, I see it the same way. A nice little piece, but far from a masterpiece...

Thanks for correcting the error, NiniGabriel! Yes, that should be the solos Fancy Goods and Affi by Goecke, not the pas de deux which is actually by Volpi. 3 pieces all spotlit on a dark stage and set to popular music....easy to muddle up! My impression of the two Goecke solos were the same as for the pas de deux- ok, not terrible, not spectacular. I’ve seen worse!

 

All three pieces were danced brilliantly. I did feel the solos relied a lot on the artistry, virtuosity and charisma of Vogel and Rademaker to succeed. If they were intended only ever to be performed by Vogel and Rademaker respectively, then I’d say they’re a great success. But if not, then the pieces aren’t so good as they could fall flat with less experienced or masterful performers. They’re useful pieces for filling up a show if the dancer has an injury and can’t do jetes or double tours, though! - hardly any classical jumps in the solos (actually not much classical dance at all).

 

As it is impossible to assess the skill and output of a choreographer on the basis of just 2 solos, I’m not going to say whether the critic was wrong or right; clearly, many enjoy his work (as they continue to buy tickets and attend his ballets) while some don’t. 

[NiniGabriel]

@Emeralds

 

Marco Goecke's style of choreography is probably not immediately and easily accessible when looking at dance from the perspective of the very leg-oriented classical ballet. Because in his choreographies the arms and hands and the upper body and the face play a main role, they move quickly in a multitude of small and sometimes broken gestures and postures and facial expressions, so that the mind practically cannot keep up with intellectually processing them. If you allow yourself to feel the dance moves more like a flow of "moving thoughts", like human reactions to the emotions inherent in the music, then they can hit you deep in non-verbal awareness. This is how I see (or rather feel) and appreciate Marco Goecke's pieces.

 

And yes, it takes outstanding virtuosity to dance Goecke's pieces. During his time as resident choreographer in Stuttgart, he often chose dancers for a new creation who had never worked with him before, and there were differences to be seen in the extent to which the dancers were able to implement the requirements of the choreography. But nothing changed for me in the genius of his work.

Edited February 17, 2023 by NiniGabriel
typo

[LinMM]

Thankyou NiniGabriel for your above post. It’s probably impossible to compare Goecke’s style of choreography with classical ballet …they are just so different so can just appreciate Goecke for himself. 

 

I have to say though that classical ballet is not just about the legs even if some modern ballet choreographers can give that impression with their works on occasions! 
Everything comes from the body in classical dance in both the use of the arms and the legs. Beautiful arms for example …as in Swan Lake say ….don’t come from the arms so much but from the use of the back and head. Good classical dancers engage with their eyes and facial expression too. 
So the whole body and soul are engaged when dancing …..but it’s in a completely different way to Goecke ….who in some ways has some similarities to a particular style of Street Dance where the movement of very small parts of the body sort of flows around the body ( sorry not a brilliant way of expressing what I mean). Of course Goecke has taken this to a whole other artistic level but that’s what it reminds me of. 
I’ve seen some wonderful Street Dance performers who have also used the music brilliantly too and told good stories in their Dance Pieces. 

When I see them performing I don’t expect them to be like ballet dancers though! 
 

Unfortunately there has been a sort of snobbishness in the Dance World ….from both sides Classical- Contemporary…..with each claiming “their Art form” to be superior etc etc. Although I think this has improved a lot in more recent years and regular Dance goers have moved on from what can be these rather entrenched positions. 
Dance has a wide umbrella and it’s great to celebrate this. 
Having said that it doesn’t mean you have to like every single Piece a Choreographer creates …whatever the style…including Mr. Goecke! 

 

 

 

 

[OnePigeon]

It’s all about what you’re aesthetically drawn to at the end of the day and how the piece speaks to your soul.  Personally, I’m generally drawn to lyricism, grace and beauty, though I’m not averse to being challenged.  I think Macmillan, for example, was an interesting choreographer because he could present disturbing themes and challenging choreography, but still within the tradition of more classical ballet.  I find the the small, jerky movements and body popping too frantic from what I’ve seen of Goecke’s work: the dancer will hit a beautiful line and then be back to looking like they’re having a fit.  I find what I’ve seen to be quite stressful viewing and would not be remotely tempted to go and see a live performance.  This is just my opinion, however, based on my taste.  His work is clearly well crafted, if you like that style, and technically challenging and danced incredibly well.

[NiniGabriel]

Thank you LinMM for your kind reply to my post!

 

I really didn't intend to pit classical ballet and modern dance against each other. On the contrary, I am very fond of the diversity of people's very different ways of expressing themselves through dance - and I couldn't have found a better word than "umbrella" to describe exactly the connection between this diversity.

 

You're absolutely right, it's a bit unfair to reduce classical ballet to just legs. That wasn't what I actually wanted to say either. I love the way the ballerina plays with her arms in the Adagio and, being a dance fanatic who grew up with John Cranko's pieces, of course the dramatic expression of the face and body. But there are certain steps in classical ballet, such as entrechat or pas de chat or even some grand jete, in which the position of the arms is less important for expression than for stabilization, at least that's my impression. I'm happy to be improved, especially since I only did ballet for a year or two when I was a little girl.

 

Marco Goecke on the other hand - and I actually wanted to make this difference clear - emphasizes the movements of hands, arms, upper body and face in his choreographies as an essential means of expressing emotions and actions. Nevertheless, I can also make out references to the steps and movements of classical ballet in his work.

 

Last but not least, I'm with you - and I already wrote this yesterday - that tastes differ and that it's absolutely fine with me if someone doesn't like a certain style or a certain work. In fact, with my post, I just wanted to explain a little what I, as a German, love about Goecke's works and how I perceive them. That's all.

 

 

 

And while I'm at it, I would also like to thank the operators of this forum from the bottom of my heart! I found it on recommendation a few years ago. And even if I was just a silent reader for a long time, the many writers enriched me a lot with their comments and reviews and also carried me through the pandemic with all the references to dance performances that were available online at this time. Otherwise it would have been a terrible drought without all the usual theatrical moments on site.