Lecture as Part of a Workshop for Dance Educators, 2010

Before we begin with questions, I would like to challenge the notion that a dancer is like a mayfly, whose life ends shortly after birth.

Perhaps this applies to some high-performance ballet artists, but in all other areas of dance—especially contemporary dance—it simply does not. A professional life does not end when one leaves the stage for early retirement. This idea still occasionally appears, but it is laughable—a cliché that persists. A true professional finds their meaningful role in society at every stage of life, along with a sense of usefulness and personal fulfilment.

It would have been very sad if the impulse given to our society by the political changes of 1989 had not also shaped the development of dance. Contemporary dance finally received the opportunity for professional education only after that. Looking back, it almost seems unbelievable—but it is true. Due to political decisions after the 1948 coup, the dance profession was reduced to classical ballet training, occasionally extended by specialization in folk dance, primarily for the purpose of representing our culture abroad. I view this sharply. We lost a lot of time and are still catching up with countries that were half a century ahead of us.

It was only after the Velvet Revolution that professional schools focused on dance, in the broad and necessary sense of the word, could finally emerge. Gradually, several contemporary dance groups, choreographers, and civic associations organizing contemporary dance performances began to operate. They could apply for grants, and a whole range of activities gained momentum. At last, we could exchange experiences internationally, present our art and pedagogical methods wherever invited—simply amazing. We finally have the opportunity to educate dance teachers with a new, open-minded approach. The chance has been given, but the road ahead is long because society, even when acknowledging art as an important part of a fulfilling life, still sees dance as marginal. This applies to both audiences and institutions. Here, too, we feel the loss of those forty years.

Moreover, we are still negotiating our place in the sun with certain entrenched individuals accustomed to their privileged status in the previous era. A major drawback is the absence of educated and open-minded dance criticism and the omnipresence of new “clever” people who commercialize art. They often have poor taste and measure everything by money, trends, and popularity. This is a modern danger, as it misleads through temptation.

Weighing everything generally, however, the positives clearly outweigh the negatives.

After twenty years of living intensely with the Duncan Centre Conservatory almost 24 hours a day, I decided to step down as its director. I count twenty years because, in addition to the seventeen years I led the school, I include the years I spent preparing its program and advocating for it. Success followed: the Duncan Centre Conservatory was officially registered within the network of state schools and began teaching in September 1992. Minister Piťha personally cut the ribbon, admitting a large number of guests who came to celebrate with us. Over the years, the conservatory has grown extensively, attracting many applicants, yet one pair of hands could no longer manage everything. I decided to release myself from the administrative responsibilities and requested to step down as director. Fortunately, the competition was won by Michal Záhora, a graduate of the Duncan Centre Conservatory and my student. I emphasize “student” because I consider a student not only someone who has received an education but also someone who shares the teacher’s value system. Michal Záhora is not alone—there are many such personalities at the conservatory, allowing me to leave without concern for the school’s future.

This allows me to focus on other important tasks closely connected to our vision but not directly part of the school’s program. Additionally, I still teach Didactics and Methodology, Improvisation, and Creation at “Duncan,” as the conservatory is affectionately called.

Among the younger generation, I have many true friends—they have ideals, are neither indifferent nor easily swayed by the prevailing winds. They are self-aware yet capable of humility.

I believe the most important achievement of founding the school was breaking down the absurd boundary between so-called professional dance, which meant performances in brick-and-mortar theatres for payment, and what happened elsewhere without remuneration, often pushed into the shadows and regarded with “professional” condescension. The Duncan Centre Conservatory, as a state institution, was officially able to break this boundary for the first time through a professional education program in contemporary dance. The successes of its graduates—both in performance and, most notably, choreography—are documented evidence that this important mission has succeeded.

 The conservatory was invited to share its “know-how” and collaborate on creating the Performing Arts department program at Bilgi University in Istanbul. Our teachers regularly lecture and teach enthusiastic students there in the Duncan method.

 The conservatory provides pedagogical education to senior students, and I am proud that many graduates are already developing in this direction during their studies. One of the great successes has been motivating students toward pedagogical work in the dance field.

 By founding the Duncan Centre Conservatory and expanding it with additional entities and activities, I gradually achieved my goal: creating a dedicated space for contemporary dance in the Czech Republic.

 In addition to its formal educational program, the conservatory provides space for the Society for Dance and Musical Education, whose dramaturgy presents the Con tempo program at the Duncan Centre Theatre, focusing on contemporary Czech and international dance. This program fosters targeted collaboration between young composers and choreographers. For twelve years, young choreographers from Central and Eastern Europe have competed for the Jarmila Jeřábková Prize at the Duncan Centre Theatre as part of the New Europe International Festival.

 Importantly, the conservatory has also gathered a group of teachers who operate on a kind of “self-cleaning” principle. Those who do not align with the school’s value system eventually leave, removing the need to resolve fundamental conflicts. I recently confirmed this internal harmony while preparing the Špalíček [The Chapbook] project.

 I was invited to the Špalíček project by Aleš Březina from the Bohuslav Martinů Institute.

I accepted without hesitation, as it gave me the opportunity to publicly share what I have learned from a lifetime of experience: dance can profoundly and positively influence a person’s life. The two-year experience was remarkable for all participating groups. There is no need to write more—anyone who attended, saw the performance, or watched Olga Sommerová’s documentary on the preparation process knows what I mean. Moreover, we verified that children’s potential is not fully utilized; they are rarely challenged enough by their adult environment, both in following communal boundaries and pushing themselves to their individual maximum. While children are offered incredible opportunities, they are rarely genuinely motivated by adults. Yet it can be done. It requires great effort, but it is possible. It was an extraordinary experience.

 These are all reasons why I advocate for making Dance and Movement Education a subject in general schooling. The idea that engaging in artistic activity cultivates and develops the participant’s personality is indisputable. Dance, uniquely among the arts, encompasses the whole human being—physical, mental, and spiritual—and precisely through this, it holds incredible educational potential.

 We created the Characteristics of Dance and Movement Education, which defines the goals and focus of this field for basic education, including its contribution to the development of key student competencies. The Pedagogical Research Institute oversees and implements the project. Pilot programs have been running for several years in four Prague schools and one outside the city, and these schools have incorporated Dance and Movement Education into their curricula. Public discussions on the Pedagogical Research Institute portal have received overwhelmingly positive feedback. Everything seems on the right path. A major task remains: educating competent and properly motivated dance teachers. The societal impact of introducing dance and movement education is simple: a cultivated society is formed by cultivated individuals.

 Eva Blažíčková, March 2010