Street Dance, as a term, often conjures images of energetic hip-hop performances in urban settings. However, in the realm of avant-garde dance, Street Dance takes on a profoundly different and innovative meaning. Conceived by the pioneering choreographer Lucinda Childs, Street Dance is a site-specific performance piece that challenges the conventional notions of dance, audience perspective, and the very definition of performance space.
Originally created as an assignment for Robert Dunn’s workshop within the Judson Dance Theater movement, Street Dance premiered in 1964. This groundbreaking work removes the dancers from the direct performance space, positioning them on the street below while the audience observes from windows overlooking the scene. The core concept of Street Dance lies in directing the audience’s gaze towards the often-overlooked details of the urban environment. Dancers subtly highlight architectural features, signposts, and sidewalk nuances, elements typically too minute to be noticed from a distance.
A crucial element of Street Dance is a pre-recorded narration that meticulously describes each highlighted benchmark or location in real-time as the dancers interact with them. This precise synchronization is achieved through rigorous rehearsals and the use of a stopwatch during the performance, ensuring the narration aligns perfectly with the dancers’ actions and the designated points of interest.
Childs’ commentary on the revival of Street Dance in 2013 provides further insight into her original intentions and the enduring relevance of the piece. She describes the initial assignment’s constraint – a six-minute dance – and her decision to be present but removed from the performance area, visible only through a window. The pre-recorded narration served to bridge the gap between the audience’s vantage point and the subtle actions unfolding on the street. For later iterations, Childs entrusted other dancers to recreate Street Dance, tasking them with adapting the piece to new locations, such as in front of the Wells Fargo building. This process emphasized the site-specific nature of the work, requiring dancers to engage with the unique details of each urban landscape.
The performance history of Street Dance includes its premiere at the Studio of Robert and Judith Dunn in 1964 and subsequent performances at Robert Rauschenberg’s studio in 1965. These early performances, devoid of video documentation, remain a testament to the ephemeral and conceptual nature of early postmodern dance. Street Dance stands as a significant example of how dance can transcend traditional stages and engage with the everyday environment, prompting audiences to reconsider their perception of both dance and the urban landscape itself.
References:
Robert Dunn, “Judson Days.” Contact Quarterly XIV, 1 (Winter 1989): 10–12.
Steve Paxton, [drawings to accompany “Judson Days”]. Contact Quarterly XIV, 1 (Winter 1989): 10–12.
