Dance Notation by Victoria Watts
"As the musician needs to record the precise and minute details of his composition to insure correct performance of his score, so the choreographer needs a notation capable of equal accuracy" George Balanchine       Ballet is an ephemeral art; its exhilarating beauty is eternally slipping from our grasp. I remember watching Van Manen's Five Tangos performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet, desperately wanting to store each moment in my head. Of all the arts, none offer so little resistance to the vagaries of memory as does the dance. For example, a visit to a gallery allows me to take my time on the exhibits I particularly like. Later in the shop I might buy a postcard or a catalogue as an aide-memoire. It's not the same as looking at the original, but it helps me to remember the encounter with the art-work more clearly. Equally, I might purchase a recording of a musical performance, or flick through the text of a play to feel again the frisson of excitement of the live event, or to discover nuances previously missed. As ever my memory failed me in preserving every detail of van Manen's predatory ballet. Amid general impressions of the mood and style of the work, the costumes and the set, I recall it as a deeply satisfying work which I would love to see again. But how? Few ballets outside of the classical repertoire are available on video, and a second visit to view the same programme would be a rare luxury. If only I could acquire some token of the work to aid its recreation in my mind's eye. This desire to preserve and prolong my pleasure drew me initially to dance notation. To read a score of Bruce's Swansong, as one might dip into Pinter, or follow Stravinsky's Rite of Spring would surely be a goal worth striving for. However, here at the close of the Twentieth century, is that a viable possibility? Is it even desirable when considered alongside the rapid technological advancements that allow us to record and playback visual images with such apparent ease. Notation versus film/video The debate refers to more than the best method available for the lay audience to 'hold on' to any ballet they especially like. The low status accorded to ballet and dance amongst the performing arts is due in part to their lack of a body of texts and paucity of literary knowledge. (More on that some other time). There is the need for preservation of past works. Moreover, the notion of authenticity raises its head once a valid blueprint exits. For the historian and scholar notation and film work best in conjunction. Neither one can replace the other in it's entirity. Film and video are excellent for giving an impression of the work as a whole while capturing it's essential style. It may capture a particular artist's interpretation, which is invaluable if it is the dancer who is the object of your attention, but misleading in getting to the dance itself. To what extent can we separate the performer's contribution from that of the choreographer? Where have the dancer's embellishments been sanctioned, or her/his omissions overlooked? On film, we do not know. It is an imperfect record of one performance by one cast of a work which may have been danced with varying interpretations at different points in time. Different companies and casts will present different attempts on the same work. Take for instance Swan Lake. The Kirov version seen in London in the summer differs greatly from that produced by The Royal Ballet. The story varies slightly and there are many differences in the choreography and the style of its presentation. Neither is the definitive Swan Lake. A film can not then be considered an authentic record of the choreography per se. Meanwhile, the score aims to record the concept of the dance, the choregraphic intention reflecting the amount of freedom given, or accuracy required of the dancer. Care is taken to record changes implemented after the first night, always clearly dated. Improvised sections are noted clearly and motivations provided where necessary. The preservation of the repertoire is not a purely academic exercise. There are practical reasons for maintaining accurate records of choreography. Ballets may fall out of repertory only to be remounted years later. It is possible for film to serve as a reminder to those who already know the work, but it can not reproduce a dance step by step. It shows only one angle at a time, flattening out floor patterns and omitting any detail not captured front on to camera. A score gives clear indications of staging, group formations, the rhythm of each enchaŻnement, the required turn of the head, or the choreographed pause. Learning from video is an arduous process. After years of mirroring the teacher, or following the movement from behind, when faced with a televised image the dancer must reverse everything from the left to the right and vice versa. Short sequences are rewound and played back endlessly in order to capture a little more detail each time and some moments prove to be impossible: not enough has been recorded - which way am I facing? where is front now? am I supporting under her hip or on her waist since I can't see under her costume? Moreover if rehearsing in a number of new cast members or an understudy for one specific variation, finding the appropriate section from a three act work on video is no fun. By contrast, a score can be opened at the right page straight away, there will be a stage plan so you know where everyone is, and it takes only a couple of minutes to check what has gone on before. Even in our technologically advanced era, for many people it is still more convenient to transport and refer to paper materials when out and about than it is to carry the most lightweight of televisual equipment. Furthermore, although not wishing to advance the Luddite cause, I am sensible of the fact that our more sophisticated technology is rendered obsolete with rapidity whilst paper and pen endure. The notator herself acts as a valuable resource within a dance company, liaising with technical staff, assisting the choreographer, often doubling as ballet mistress and preserving the authenticity of a work when the choreographer is no longer present. It is the notator and her use of the score which have allowed for such ease in transferring great works from company to company. The steps are taught, the technical requirements specified and all got ready for the choreographer to simply 'tweak' the work prior to performance. This saves a lot of the choreographer's time, which can then be put to more creative use. A contingent benefit for the choreographer is a legal copyright for his/her work. Finally dance notation acts as a valuable educational tool, but more of that some other time. Perhaps I have convinved you of some of the worth of dance notation as a complement to video recordings. Consider how surprising it is that this debate should even take place. No one would suggest handing a conductor or director a film of an opera as a starting point for his own production. It is acknowledged that the score is essential and every musician wishes to go back to it for fresh insights into the work. Why should it not be the same in ballet? Next time, I'll look at the history of dance notation and how and why we got to where we are today. Benesh Movement Notation © Rudolf Benesh 1955 Extract taken from Dances from the Classics compiled by Linda Pilkington 1967.
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www.ballet.co.uk/jan98/dance_notation_1.htm revised: 12th January 1998 Bruce Marriott email, © all rights reserved, all wrongs denied. credits written by Victoria Watts © email design by RED56