Lingo: the controversy continues!

After having a conversation with KT Niehoff and also reading Jeremy M. Barker's thoughtful article on Sunbreak, I realize that my own take on "Glimmer" wasn't much on substance. I think that's alright though, its a young blog yet!

The article is here

This is what I'm posting in the comments :

"Does the dance community deserve better from its reviewers?

I was intrigued by your (Jeremy's) quote from Joan Acocella, the idea that space in the paper is really determined by the "is there any news here?' question. Clearly a lot has changed in 18 years!

Wonderfully, in this case the "news" has been KT herself putting her opinion out there. Admittedly she has had to survive a certain amount of abuse, (where do you buy a thick skin in Seattle?), and it might be difficult to convince her or any other choreographer to speak out because of it, but I loved that she did speak, and that the Stranger printed it. Even the more mean spirited comments are to me an indication that people have an opinion. The dance audience has a reaction to something they read! About dance!

Back to the old idea of space: A print reviewer must build authority, gain some kind of respect, answering "what is this show?" in order to succeed in building an audience and keeping some space to write in. The critic (really this is likely to be the same person eh?) perhaps was trying to place art in a context and thus assign value "Was it any good and why not?"

The flip style of the Stranger (is "quip" the new "flip?") is I think, derived from blogs and emails, the competition that is driving print media out of business. The value of the blog is measured not in space, but in views, hits, and visits. The audience is as varied as the writers; the only required motivation is interest in a topic. The writing is casual, low on Expertise and Authority, high on impressions and thoughts. This kind of writing does not require the same level of education and knowledge about the work that say, a dancer has, or an art historian. Point is - going out and seeing the show has a similar lack of requirements.

Does the dance community deserve better from its reviewers? I say "No." My own review was ignorant, impressionistic and dismissive too. I hear and acknowledge however, that perhaps a reviewer who takes the space, discloses intention and perspective, and does the work of becoming more qualified to speak about the art, will both elevate the discussion and find an audience that craves that."

Note - I am not saying a blog can't be educated and knowledgable :) Still, I wonder what you think...