Yesterday was the official end of Lyon’s 2008 Biennale de la Danse (the twenty-fifth Biennale of all time). Due to that fact, we no longer have mandatory performances to attend each evening, and I can’t help but to feel a little lost. You see, the Biennale was one of the main reasons we all chose to come to France. I mean, almost all of us are dancers. Of course we jumped at the opportunity to experience such an intense and unique display of our chosen art form. However, now that’s it’s over, I can’t tell if Lyon has lost some of its appeal to me. It definitely doesn’t look any different or sound any different, and a black hole hasn’t just opened up in the middle of the city and started sucking in the surroundings causing massive amounts of chaos and drastic changes in the behavior of the city’s inhabitants, but something could be a little off, couldn’t it? The problem is that I just can’t seem to put my finger on exactly what it is. I knew the Biennale would end, and I knew that we’d still be here for another two months after it was over, but maybe I was somehow denying that fact all along. Maybe I never REALLY understood what that meant or thought to take that fact into deeper consideration. Something just feels off today.
In any case, the overall feelings I’m experiencing are quite mixed. If I had to, I guess I would describe them as falling somewhere between relieved and saddened on the overall spectrum. Confused? I described it to my friend in the following fashion: For one month of my life, I actually took in air and energy and exhaled dance. Everyday was infused with it from classes to street performances to random dance parties with the girls to random dances by myself in my room (yeah… what can I say? I’m completely and utterly addicted). Yet now, all of that is over. In fact, I don’t even have my Movement class once next week! I feel like dance has suddenly and harshly been ripped away from me. Although I can’t say I was one hundred percent comfortable with attending performances every night and then having to get up early in order to attend my own dance classes as well as attend discussions concerning the performances (it was actually very stressful at times), I still enjoyed it.
Overall, I’m going to miss the Biennale. It’s not the kind of an experience that is easily obtained. In fact, I’ll probably never experience something like it again, and I’m glad I had the opportunity. Not to mention, I’m especially glad that I had the opportunity at such a young age. Being a college student, I feel like my eyes were more open, encouraging, and desiring than they would have been at any other point in my life. This fact alone allowed the Biennale to have a greater influence on me physically, emotionally, and mentally. As an individual, I fee like its left its imprint on me forever. As far as dancing goes, my possibilities presented to me through this great display of one of my favorite art forms seem endless. I wish I could describe its affect on me better, but its something so personal, I’m not sure it would make that much sense to you anyway. The Biennale has pushed me, inspired me, gave me a sense of hope, and taught me more about myself as a person who dances than I would have ever imagined possible. It was a wonderful experience.
And now that it’s over, whatever will I write about? I mean, what could possibly compare to performances choreographed by Forsythe and Linke? I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. I’m sure I’ll find something good… possibly… eventually.
Avec l'Amour,
G
PS: Happy birthday, Daddy! I love and miss you loads. You’re always in my thoughts. Eat something sickeningly sweet for me, okay? <3
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