The Commuter Blues

I do like London so please believe me, my view of the city is more positive and rounded than these grey London-based posts suggest! When speaking to friends who have moved to London from elsewhere they have often grown hugely attached and fond of the city too. But the hardest adjustment?...it always comes down to riding on the tube. Here is a little ode to that...

The Commuter Blues

Noiseless, joyless,

blank pale moons,

eyes averted.

Making connections costs, apparently.

You can glance,

but when the other pair of eyes feel the glare and turn to meet you,

turn away.

Fight or flight.

Sometimes we want to chuck the balance,

throw in a spanner, see what happens.

Why are people so afraid of each other?

We all feel the urge to cut through the silence,

laugh hysterically on the platform,

ask a name,

stare at a stranger,

ask if someone wants to swap shoes.

See what unfolds,

carry the unknown like a trusted lover over the threshold into the known.

But I am the same too,

the risk of too many people,

of a fight, or worse,

of falling in love.

The risk of losing precious power,

of a disruption to our distraction.

Letter from Martha Graham to Agnes De Mille

I want to share the best piece of creative wisdom I have ever come across...

There is a famous letter that the influential dancer/choreographer Martha Graham (1894 - 1991) wrote to her friend Agnes De Mille (1905 - 1993), also a perpetual figure in the twentieth century dance world. This letter is often passed along in creative circles across every sphere of the art world, and no wander. I think it captures the essence of creativity perfectly. These are words to encourage everyone to develop their creative side; artist or amateur. I don't think this letter is exclusive to the art world either, the words can also be applied to how we live our lives. They struck me the first time I read them and I return to them everytime I feel lazy, bored or restless for a little kick up the bum.

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all Time, this expression is unique.

And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine: how good it is; nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares with other expressions.

It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.

You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open … no artist is pleased…there is no satisfaction whatever at any time.

There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction; a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."

We only need to watch Martha Graham's dance works to appreciate her words all the more. Much of her choreography could easily be described as frightening, angular, and even uncomfortable. For example, her pivotal piece Lamentation (1930) expresses grief and inner turmoil. Graham performs alone dressed in a purple tube of material. Her movements are tortured and self-conscious, a far-cry from the classical ballet style typical of the 1930s dance world. The piano accompaniment is harsh and dis-jointed and adds to the morbid, drained tone of the movement. There is no averting ones attention though or gliding over the aesthetics, we are gripped by Graham. She has us completely in her possession for these few minutes. Many find her style ridiculous, pointless, ugly - 'that's not dance' is a popular reaction. There is no technical prowess or talent displayed in her movements it could be argued.

I would, however, agree with the opinion that Martha Graham was very much the founder and 'Mother' of Contemporary dance in America. She bared herself unflinchingly through her love for movement. Her work was true to herself and therefore could speak to others who understood the movements and emotions she conveyed. I am not a big fan of the style itself but I admire Graham's approach to her art and determination to stay true to herself through her dance.