Trevor Copp and Jeff Fox: Ballroom dance that breaks gender roles
טרוור קופ, ג'ף פוקס: ריקוד סלוני ששובר מוסכמות מגדריות
Trevor Copp is known for innovative social justice theater that blends physicality, image and narrative. Full bioJeff Fox - Dancer
Jeff Fox is a professional dancer, competitor, choreographer who has won professional titles in American Smooth, Rhythm, Theatre Arts and Showdance. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
first hit the airwaves,
ballroom dance instructors
במשרה מלאה
"פוקסטרוט" (סגנון ריקוד)
geeking out that we had always done
שתמיד ביצענו
than the competitive rumba
the public consciousness,
somehow, we were cool --
would get together for training seminars
לסמינרי הדרכה
to lead all the time.
for switching lead and follow
בין המוביל למובל
as part of a performance
on the shoulder.
and director of a playwright center,
מרכז למחזאות,
how political that was?"
collaboration to create a play
כדי ליצור מחזה
our system for switching
of being locked into a single role,
של להיות נעול בתפקיד אחד,
isn't just a system of dancing;
הם לא רק סגנונות ריקוד
consistent, though:
it's all the same --
זה הכל אותו דבר--
you don't throw it out,
that this is the past.
respect it, revive it -- great!
כבדו את זה, החיו את זה, נהדר!
of partner dancing
the other one follows.
regardless of who's playing which role.
מי מבצע איזה תפקיד.
give a crap about your gender.
(צחוק)
more representative
don't just watch what's there.
אל תיצפו רק במה שיש שם
only a man or a woman.
couples just disappear.
פשוט נעלמים.
ballroom competitions,
recognized on the floor,
"professional Latin dancer,"
"רקדן לטיני מקצועי,"
of white, straight Russian couples
של זוגות רוסיים לבנים
there are no Asians,
just disappeared.
couple-only paradigm --
של זוג לבן סטרייטי בלבד --
would never stand for this.
straight or anything --
או כל דבר אחר --
or functional looks like that,
או פונקציונלים,
you slap some makeup on it,
עם קצת איפור,
as movement, not as text,
לא כטקסט,
from partner dancing.
two men dancing together.
ballroom circuit can attest
מאותו מין, יכולים להעיד
can be dynamic and strong and exciting,
יכולים להיות דינמיים, חזקים ומרגשים,
closed ballroom hold ...
קרובה של ריקוד סלוני...
must be larger and masculine
גדול ושרירי יותר
from a totally different angle.
the idea of lead and follow
was connected to gender?
could lead and follow each other
להוביל ולהיות מובל
just like we do in life?
"ריקוד הובלה נוזלית."
called the cross-body lead.
הנקרא cross-body lead.
to break up the improvisation.
כדי לקטוע את האלתורים.
if you're not used to looking for it,
אם אתם לא מחפשים אותו,
to this transitional step,
לצעד המעבר הזה,
to take over the lead,
to surrender it,
a counter-cross-body lead.
when we danced it in the opening dance.
בריקוד הפתיחה.
the dance moves from being a dictation
הריקוד הופך מהכתבה
you can change your mind.
of how this applies,
anything can happen.
הכל יכול לקרות.
could apply to a classic waltz.
מיושמת בוולס קלאסי.
the dance itself more efficient.
traveling backwards,
הולכים אחורה,
where they're going.
of accidents out there
of this blind spot.
were to just allow for
but allowed this switch to happen,
אבל היה אפשר להחליף,
offering new aesthetics into the waltz.
about your gender.
in clubs, convention centers
באירועים גדולים
the play we created with Lisa,
שיצרה ליסה,
of seeing two men dancing together,
רוקדים יחדיו,
Lisa see our initial demonstration
switching lead and follow;
in our presence, our personality
of which role we were playing.
by whichever role you're playing,
על ידי התפקיד שמשחקים.
true to yourself.
to look like, or a follow.
off the dance floor as well,
the perfect opportunity
reinvigorate an old relic,
לחדש שריד עתיק,
of our era and our current way of being.
ודרך החיים העדכנית שלנו.
all the time with women and men
that this is a historic form
and produce invisibility
that we enjoy today.
all the ideas that don't belong to us
שלא שייכים לנו
to what it really always was:
למה שתמיד היה:
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Trevor Copp - Artistic directorTrevor Copp is known for innovative social justice theater that blends physicality, image and narrative.
Why you should listen
Trevor Copp was a full-time ballroom dance instructor and regional Fred Astaire's Canada American Style Latin/Ballroom Champion. He retired from teaching to pursue his love of theater and now runs Tottering Biped Theatre, a professional theater company emphasizing social justice and highly physical work in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Copp has performed in over 30 international cities and theater festivals. The salsa scene keeps him dancing, however. Locally, he coaches the World Salsa Champions, and internationally he's an avid salsa tourist, having danced it in 13 countries so far.
Copp and Jeff Fox met as colleagues during their shared tenure with Fred Astaire's Canada and remained friends after Copp retired from teaching. They would dance at social occasions where they developed their "playing fair" method of sharing the lead, which caught the eye of local dramaturge, Lisa O’Connell. Thus began the theatrical collaboration which led to the creation of a full-length Ballroom Dance/Theatre production, "First Dance," about the development of the first dance for a same sex wedding. Through building the show they formalized their "Liquid Lead" concept and continue to tour the piece at regional professional theaters, festivals and even as part of an international dance festival in Tirana, Albania. In 2015 Alida Esmail, a former student of Copp's, championed the TEDx Montreal proposal and graciously volunteered to help the Fox and Copp demonstrate their work on the TEDx stage.
Trevor Copp | Speaker | TED.com
Jeff Fox - Dancer
Jeff Fox is a professional dancer, competitor, choreographer who has won professional titles in American Smooth, Rhythm, Theatre Arts and Showdance.
Why you should listen
After graduating with an honors degree in psychology, Jeff Fox entered the world of dance in the fall of 2000 almost by accident, investigating an ad out of curiosity, and he hasn't looked back. Working as a full-time instructor, choreographer and competitor, Fox has taught hundreds of students and won professional titles in American Smooth, Rhythm, Theatre Arts and Showdance. In addition to his ballroom work, Fox is a double black belt martial artist and creates lyrical contemporary work focusing on the universal experiences we all share, which has been featured in festivals across southern Ontario, Canada.
Fox and Trevor Copp met as colleagues during their shared tenure with Fred Astaire's Canada and remained friends after Copp retired from teaching. They would dance at social occasions where they developed their "playing fair" method of sharing the lead, which caught the eye of local dramaturge, Lisa O’Connell. Thus began the theatrical collaboration which led to the creation of a full-length Ballroom Dance/Theatre production, "First Dance," about the development of the first dance for a same sex wedding. Through building the show they formalized their "Liquid Lead" concept and continue to tour the piece at regional professional theaters, festivals and even as part of an international dance festival in Tirana, Albania. In 2015 Alida Esmail, a former student of Copp's, championed the TEDx Montreal proposal and graciously volunteered to help the Fox and Copp demonstrate their work on the TEDx stage.
Jeff Fox | Speaker | TED.com