The World of Dance Tries Out New Moves on the Web VS. The World Tries Out New Dance Moves on the Web

[Georg Hobmeier]

Johannes was so generous to post this article on the dance tech list:
"The World of Dance Tries Out New Moves on the Web"
(by Julie Bloom, 29 December 07)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/29/arts/dance/29danc.html

Being a more frequent reader of the Vice mag then the NYT, I somehow missed out that dance has discovered the web as written by Miss Julie Bloom, but stumbled over a miraculous example how the web discovered dance. Or, to be more precise, how the prison king Byron F. Garcia discovered the art of choreography: http://youtube.com/profile?user=byronfgarcia

I have to ask the rather nasty question: does the web need dance artists in order to enjoy the pleasures of moving and choreography? If views are taken as the blunt answer to such a blunt questions, the answer would be no. The work by Ohad Narin is seen by a few thousands. The hands of an unknown user by millions: http://youtube.com/watch?v=K2cYWfq--Nw

Why is there so much interest in the most banal "see my sugar glider eat a piece of mango" videos on youtube, while art projects that took month in developement by professionals are attracting so little attention? I hope there will be some complex answers to this rather naive question....
oh and of course: happy new year.

Georg

[Paola tognazzi]

About the answer to the question, i can't say anything right now though i'm busy with the same. But what I can say is that the hands video is being used right now from a big telecomunication brand for their reclame on tv. That alone means it sells, and already is an answer to the question. So maybe the question is how to market dance. The video in question is a nice idea unpretencious made with the only purpose of entertain, simple and efficient.