The content and thematic materials of dance is, of itself, like boxing. You play tennis and baseball. But boxing is not a sport you play: you stand up and do it.
Interpretation
Dance, like boxing, requires engagement and presence rather than just playfulness.
In this quote, Twyla Tharp draws a parallel between dance and boxing, highlighting that both art forms require a profound level of engagement and commitment. Unlike traditional sports that may be experienced in a playful manner, dance, similar to boxing, demands a fully present and active participation, emphasizing the deeper emotional and physical investment involved in the art of movement.
In practice
During a dance workshop, the instructor referenced this quote to emphasize the seriousness of engaging with the art form.
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.
People regard CGI as a gimmick; they almost blame CGI for a bad story or a bad script. They talk about CGI as if it's responsible for a drop in standards.
I think that you certainly don't have to be aged and travel the world to write a poem.
The spirit of the drum is something that you feel but cannot put your hands on,_x000D_ It does something to you from the inside out . . ._x000D_ It hits people in so many different ways._x000D_ But the feeling is one that is satisfying and joyful._x000D_ It is a feeling that makes you say to yourself, '_x000D_ I'm glad to be alive today! I'm glad to be part of this world!
We talk so abstractly about poetry because all of us are usually bad poets.
As far as the filmmaking process is concerned, stars are essentially worthless - and absolutely essential.
To direct actors is difficult. To direct actors in another language is more difficult, but directing non-actors in another language is one of the craziest things that I have done and one of the most rewarding experiences I have had.
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