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Prior to reading Martin’s piece on the characteristics of the modern dance, I read my classmates’ responses on the blog. Right away, I felt that my view on this critic might be equivalent to the class’ view of Ben Brantley. John Martin is overwhelmingly biased against ballet and other classical dances. Who is Martin to criticize dances that have been around for centuries. Ballet is a beautiful form of dance, as is modern dance, that is a form of self-expression by the dancer. In calling the extract “Characteristics of the modern dance,” John Martin does more than explain aspects of modern dance.
John Martin is extremely biased; he consistently praises modern dance and blasts classic and romantic dance. Dance is a form of self-expression and Martin needs to understand that some performers are more comfortable with classic or romantic styles. He claims that classic dance was too structured, and although the romantic style meant to dismantle traditional, rigid movements, “it proved to be scarcely less limited” (Martin, 297). The dancers and audiences who appreciate romantic or classic ballet certainly have a different point of view, so who is Martin to ridicule their favorite forms of self-expression? Furthermore, he writes that modern dance does not have a standard system, yet most of this chapter is about the four distinct characteristics of modern dance. I find that contradictory. Finally, Martin needs to simplify his writing; some of his readers are not intellectuals or dance experts.
-Ramandeep Singh
How can someone critic modern dance if it is an expression of personal experience, temperament, mental and emotional equipment? If a critic says that your modern style of dancing is bad isn’t that a kind of personal attack on the dancer? Isn’t similar to saying your personal experiences, temperament, mental and emotional equipment that you are portraying is flawed?
In high school i learned about a literary technique called procatalepsis, which is to propose the other side of your argument, only to refute it. this is a very strong technique because it creates the illusion of neutrality while strengthening your overarching point. Martin seems to be waist-deep in bias against classical dance, which would have never been popular if people didn’t actually like it. He advocates freedom of expression as though it is an integral purpose of dance. Why can’t dance be intended for aesthetic purposes? What if an audience cares little for someone’s point of view and attends the show to see order and graceful movement? He is rash when he condemns the classical dance: personal experience can be expressed not merely through the gestures of a dancer, but equally through the careful choreography of a classical dance and the story it reveals.
-Mariya
Jasper Cunneen: IDC1001H
Do you think that dance is more enhanced by music or is music more enhanced by dance?
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