When you are a dedicated follower of this blog, you might know that now and then I am guiding a tour in the center of Antwerp (Belgium). The goal is, by visiting some parts of the city specifically, to learn my guests to discover the city in a different way. After a while you look in wonder to some old storehouse apparently having been build originaly as a dance hall. The trouble with this kind of specialised tour is the time investement required to develop one. The Antwerp version of the tour is based on the research project I was involved in during the creation of the museum Vleeshuis. Nice and inspiring times, especially for passionate archive and museum rats like me.

Lets >>>> FFW >>>>. Anno 2013 I am living in Leuven. My native town and the place where I grew up for some time. In fact I don’t know a damn about dance history in this town. Not a nice conclusion for a blogger specialised in dance history to be honest.The few things I do know, I picked up from the rather excellent publications of the impressive Mr. Gilbert Huybens. And of course one dreams from time tot time about the possibilities. What I can do in Antwerp could easily be repeated in Leuven. Or not?

Of course, this kind of plans are far less evident than you think. I didn’t compare for nothing with my Antwerp research projects. It is quite something when you can freely explore the archives of an entire city for about two years. On the other hand: you can learn from your mistakes and by continuing research in smaller towns like Aalst en Sint-Niklaas I finetuned my technique and insights quite thouroughly.

Most interesting in that respect are the notable differences between a (originaly) market village (Sint-Niklaas), a small province town (Aalst) and a port town of some importance (like Antwerp used to be). Also interesting to note that Leuven – more or less as it is the case today – is drifting more or less in between this towns. It is a provincial town – no doubt about that – but is it is also lying in the shadow of court town Brussels. It sports a university of age and an important beer industry as well. In some respect, it might be comparable to Lier, another town the ancien city walls of wich remained intact until today. It sports a beer industry as well and lacks the university. But even then, it’s still so different. Is it the university or the lack of it? Is it culture, identity? One can discuss for ages of course, but nonetheless, it’s quite interesting to pause a while on these thoughts.

Meanwhile, I spent another two half days in the city archives of Leuven. And what did I discover? Nothing special realy. Most trends are very similar elsewhere I must say. Which didn’t come as a surpise to me of course. The city enforced national legislation on balls, dancehalls and the like and the situation evolved slowly from centralist legislation towards more local legal initiatives. Nonetheless, some parrallels are too good to be true. One of the first posts on this blog (from 2009 for that matter – only in Dutch currently) was about the relation between lanterns and dance halls in Borgerhout (Antwerp). My research at that time, focussed on a local city law from 1853 reenforcing an old rule from the 18th century that obliged pub owners to keep an oil lamp lit above the entry of their pubs from down until dusk. One century before 1853 this was a sound idea, considered necessary for the safety in the streets after dark. Streetlights didn’t exist systematicaly at that time so the decision was popular to some degree.

Nevertheless, the new law caused a storm of protest among Antwerp pub owners. This is not so curious as it seems at first sight too. In the 18th century, starting a new pub was quite an affair. One had to be rich in some respect, to be able to surmount longer periodes of necessity. Beerbrewers were all united in some specific ‘beerguild’ and didn’t sell beer to anyone either. So you better had to be well connected too. All this changed dramaticaly with the French taking over after the French revolution here in Belgium (around 1795). The economical boost Antwerp experienced by the ruling out of the ancient trade laws, was considerable. From 1795 till Waterloo the number of pubs rose with no less than 900 %. As a new economical power this industry became quite potent.

And having power, one better uses it sometimes. In the new economical context, this new law, enforcing the lanterns, was considered a direct attack on enterpreneurship and consequently withdrawn after a while. The funny thing is, that the same thing happened in Leuven some time earlier. On the 8th of may 1841 a comparable law was voted by the community counsel. After a long series of disputes with the central governement (the province and even the King himself intervened), it was withdrawn as well two years later. The law was technicaly unfeasable. You can check out for yourself (text in French). Perhaps it is too much about the gasconducts and the height of the flame burning, etc. One can image a GAS-agent (pun intended) climbing ladders in the middle of the street checking the height of the flame, melancholically observed by some old drunkard behind his next pint of the day.
 

Of course it is interesting to see that the law was quickly withdrawn. It is, IMHO, even more interesting to find out that lights and pubs have a far more ancient intertwined history than one could possibly imagine. And for different reasons as today as well. Because of the light pollution on citycenters, having a neon on your pub is merely the only way to attract attention in the cacaphony of light surrounding you. And there are camera’s to guard our safety.

(With gratefull thanks to the city archives of Leuven to permit me the use of these (self made) pictures. (Ref: SAL MA 8883)

This blogpost is dedicated to all readers involved in folkdancing. And as the title states: it is not the aim to make a monody, on the contrary. Some weeks ago I ordered via the local FNAC store the DVD of ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, an all time classic from the sixties. A childrens’ movie produced with an astronomical budget, unthinkable or unwanted to remake by today standards. Of course the film is more or less old – fashioned. Exactly the reason why I ordered it. And of course, also because of the dance scenes I remembered so well from a previous viewing. This film holds some of the best dance scenes in the music hall genre I ever saw. Period.

Which is no coïncidence of course. The scenes were filmed when the music hall business was on it’s peak. Trained ballet dancers more often made carreers in this business than in official operahouses. The producer or choreographer could choose form a crowd of male and female dancers and the professional level of performance they were used to, is probably unatainable today. Moreover producers hired the best crew of choreographers, composers, conductors or arrangers availble: The Sherman Brothers for the music and Dee Dee Wood & Marc Breaux for the choreography. The last two were responsible for a gallery of some of the most important dance scènes in American filmhistory: “Mary Poppins”, “The Sound of Music” and of course “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”.

To have the scenes shot, rehearsals could last for days. Actor Dick Van Dyke (Caracatus Pots, the father-inventor in the film) remembered that some of the most daring scenes had to be repeated a dozen or more times to have them perfect. There always was one dancer tipping over his stick or just turned out of a routine at the wrong moment. A sense of perfection which came not without risks. He remember to end up injured for some weeks, because he didn’t properly warm up like the professional dancers.

“But what has this to do with folkdancing?” you could possibly be asking yourself. Well, about everything. Just remember the ländler scene from the sound of music. All ingredients in this choreography are based on traditional dancing. Of course the whole impression is different, as are the actors or dancers bringing them to life. The attention to detail, variation, humor, etc. is unbelievable. It’s all there. Just take a look at his particular dance scene called “Me ‘Ol Bamboo” from Chitty:

The style is unmistable drawn on the traditional South English morrisdances. But the overall impression is very special. The traditional dancing is lifted to a new level of performance and the result is astounding. Of course most folkdancing ensembles are not used to work with professionals on this level or even ready for the experience, but I surely want to hold a plea for optimism and boundless ambition. Just try it, because it is worth a try all the same. You are working with tradition aren’t you? And for tradition only the best is good enough.

Dear readers,

We received recently a nice announcement in our mailbox, we happily share with you:

"Good afternoon,

On this winterday, I gladly invite you for our contradance lessons,organised by 'Stichting Klassieke Dans' (Classic Dance Association) this spring on our castle d'Ursel.

Lessons are on Saturdays 9th of March, 13th of April, 4th of May,from 10 AM to 5 PM and com at the cost of 100 euro's (drinks and lunches included).

For further information and submission of your form, pray,reach Mr. Johan Goessens of the association on time via info@stichtingklassiekedans.be or mobile phone ++32/(0)498 36 61 71.

Kind regards and best wishes to all of you,

Koen"

So, don’t hesitate, it is a bargain. The castle is superb and the lessons are a pleasure.

Last week I was participating in a highly inspiring congress about theater history , taking place in the city theater of Courtrai (Belgium). One would never dream of going to Courtrai for any other reason of course. And a good reason, why this congress took the stage there, I assume, was the discovery in 2008, by Prof. Bruno Forment (UGENT/VUB), in the catacombs of the very same city theater of an extensive collection with all kinds of untouched stage screens, -sets and – effects.

The collection was lying where it used to be originally, in the backstage and attic. Dating form the belle-époque and interwar period, some pieces where recently restored by the students of the Antwerp Academy. One of the sets stood shining in all its carousing beauty on the stage of the small theater where we were joining the lecturers for the day. The living proof that after all this ages gathering dust, they didn’t lose any of their colorful magic.

The first lecture of the day, told us the whole story of course, but the other lectures were at least as interesting as the first. As was the public, being very international and widely interested. Lucky enough there was ample room for discussions. Some of the lecturers impressed me more than averagely, like Jed Wentz from the Amsterdam Concervatory for i.e. , demonstrating some 19th century annotation systems used to teach expressive declamation of texts (as Chironomia). Wentz talked not only about the systems, but also demonstrated what we can learn about something as ephemeral as historical acting styles.

The performance was impressive and Wentz dedication to his research incredible. At some point it seemed that he was even a little bit disturbed. The ‘text’ of notation systems can be so dense – indications for the movement and position of hands, feet, arms or the requiered energy of certain gestures are printed above, under and intermingled between the words of the text, along with suggestions for the volume of the speech delivered, tonal register, etc. etc. Making it quite impossible to perform the annotation without any background bias.

With the somewhat vague term of ‘bias’ I mean the kind of cerebral preoccupation caused by the complexity of the text interfering with the acting, making it very hard for an actor to concentrate fully on the performance. Some brain functions seam to work rather against than along with each other in practice. Compare it to the combination of making a phonecall whilst driving, a combination of activities considered potentially dangerous even by lawmakers. This has to do with the difficulty our human brain has with multitasking. Multitasking can be trained. Astronauts or fighter-jet pilots are known to be trained especially to develop the ability, but it is far from common or natural behaviour for most of us.

I’am not suggesting that Wentz’ performance was really deteriorating by this effect, but one could observe it all the same. It made me think of what you often see with folk-dancers concentrating too hard on the difficult choreography instead of the rendering of the dance and contact with the public. On perceives a kind of inward oriented gaze. Wentz was quite exhausted afterwards and had to catch his breath before he could answer the many questions coming from the audience.

Another parrallel with dancehistory I imagined is the impossible fascination for notation systems at the start of the 19th century like Chironomia. Around the same time 18th century notation systems where seriously altered, to gain a more radical control of all aspects of dancing style. The difficulty today is the quite impossible interpretation of this systems and the importance of personal interpretation. Exactly the point Wentz made and showed us. Fascinating.

 

A second lecture catching my attention was the one from Jiri Blaha, a Cech restauration manager, having been involved in the restauration of the Cesky Krumlov and Litomisl Theater. Both are exeptional well preserverd historical Theaters, comparable to Drottingholm near Stockholm, where Mozart’s Enchanted Flute was filmed by Ingmar Bergman. Both Cech theaters are completely preserved along with their rigs, machinery, backcloths, side panels, etc.

The inspiring aspect of Blaha’s approach is that he endeavours to retro-act on previous restauration trials, delivering new information about the potential for use of the pieces on stage. He even went so far as to acknowledge the fact that even after half a century of research and practice, one is never entirely sure of the exact use of some of the machinery and stage- effects. Which made me again think of my own experiences with dance history. Interpretation in both cases is theoretical. One can fine elements that look logical when combined, but often it is a mere process of trial and error to discover meaning.

The nice thing about this congress was the fact that professionals from staging and scenography were participating along with academics and performers. The experience was truly multidisciplinary in the good sense of that word. Leading quite naturally to interesting exchange and crossovers. I can imagine Timothy De Paepe (UA) visiting Cesky Krumlow for a frank appraisal of the theater and it’s functioninng with his extensive knowledge of 3D modeling approach in analysing theater machines from the past. Alas, I couldn’t attend the second day, because of some planned archive work in Leuven (Belgium). I promise to come back on that one, though. As I will probably come back on this congress and the experiences following from it as well.

Picture above: the dance-hall of the Courtrai theater ca 1920. This theater disposed of a movable parterre floor. An invention dating back to early 18th century examples like the one that used to exist in the Opera of the Louvre Palace in Paris. The use of this kind of machinery is quite exceptional for 19th century theaters. Copyright Fam. Sandra