Wicked Chaos and a Euphony of Movement

Chaoscope in motion

For the layperson whose only prior experience concerning ballet was that of the tale of self-discovery in Billy Elliot and the parable of inner turmoil and shattering madness in Black Swan, the reputation of ballet certainly precedes the actual experiencing of its medium in the realm of popular culture. I would say this is for good reason: the witnessing of professional ballet is absolutely transcendental.

Ironically, when the term “ballet” is mentioned in the vicinity, what immediately comes to mind for me is not the physics-defying performance of titans among mortals witnessed at the Lincoln center, but rather, the image of your average elementary-aged school girl claiming she wants to grow up to be a Disney princess, Halloween tutu and all. The permeation of ballet and dance into the cultural diaspora, from young adolescent kids to professional football players, lends commentary to the arresting, visceral quality of movement as a concept fully ingrained into the human psyche. Evolutionarily, scientists believe that music itself as an art form could have evolved from the ability of our ancestors to discern emotion from motion. From square-dancing to the robot, from the Charleston to the Harlem shake, there is no denying that sometimes, as human beings wishing to express ourselves through ways that words can’t capture, we just have to move.

What the ballet gave me was the opportunity to see, with practice, refinement, and peak physical perfection, just what we can make our bodies do. The ballet showcases an absolutely incredible feat undertaken by titanic beings walking among the earthly. The organization of each and every dancer, the synchronized movements providing a sense of order in what would otherwise be chaos.

Let’s magnify onto the idea of chaos–commentary on art often likes to concern both the artist’s ability to control and hone his/her technique, yet also the artist’s ability to express the chaos of their flowing, creative energy. For me, the best art is art that makes chaos beautiful, art that you can identify with on the most wicked, visceral level. With that in mind, I would have to say that Piano Concerto #1 definitely was the shining performance of the night. Of all the performances, Concerto was the one that stole me. From the elegance of the background set of stars and crests, to the minimalist design of the dancer’s costumes celebrating the perfection of the human figure, Concerto was the dance of the most wicked chaos, striking that perfect balance between the cacophony and euphony of movement in which the dancers just let go. I feel compelled to say that during the performance, I did too. I let go, found myself lost, and honestly I’m not quite sure if I’ve ever found the way back.