Trevor Copp and Jeff Fox: Ballroom dance that breaks gender roles
Trevor Copp, Jeff Fox: Ballroomdansen die genderrollen doorbreken
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,
net begon, zag het er niet zo uit.
ballroom dance instructors
ballroomdans-instructeurs,
tv-ballroomdans-revival.
"Foxes trotting."
geeking out that we had always done
die zich afvroegen
than the competitive rumba
werkte dan de competitieve rumba
en de wals niet.
the public consciousness,
zich hiervan bewust
somehow, we were cool --
voor trainingseminars
would get together for training seminars
to lead all the time.
for switching lead and follow
om leiden en volgen te wisselen
as part of a performance
van een voorstelling gebruikten
on the shoulder.
and director of a playwright center,
en directeur van een theater,
how political that was?"
hoe politiek dat was?"
collaboration to create a play
om een spel te creëren
our system for switching
verder ontwikkelde
of being locked into a single role,
opgesloten zitten in één enkele rol.
isn't just a system of dancing;
niet enkel een danssysteem zijn,
van denken, van zijn
van een hele periode inhield.
consistent, though:
it's all the same --
allemaal hetzelfde:
you don't throw it out,
that this is the past.
dat dit het verleden is.
respect it, revive it -- great!
respecteer en herbeleef het, geweldig,
hoe we vandaag denken.
of partner dancing
the other one follows.
en de andere volgt.
regardless of who's playing which role.
maakt niet uit voor de machine.
give a crap about your gender.
geen bal om jouw gender.
more representative
nu in 2015, omgaan.
don't just watch what's there.
niet enkel naar wat er is,
only a man or a woman.
couples just disappear.
koppels verdwijnen gewoon.
ballroom competitions,
internationale wedstrijden
recognized on the floor,
"professional Latin dancer,"
van 'professionele Latijnse danser'
of white, straight Russian couples
blanke, Russische hetero-koppels,
there are no Asians,
just disappeared.
couple-only paradigm --
van het blanke hetero-koppel --
would never stand for this.
straight or anything --
or functional looks like that,
of functioneel vinden, ziet er zo uit
you slap some makeup on it,
iemand make-up opdoet,
as movement, not as text,
brengt als beweging, niet als tekst,
from partner dancing.
uit partnerdansen.
two men dancing together.
een beetje vreemd uitzag ...
ballroom circuit can attest
gelijke-sekse-danscircuit getuigen
can be dynamic and strong and exciting,
dynamisch, sterk en opwindend kan zijn,
closed ballroom hold ...
gesloten houding aannemen,
must be larger and masculine
groter en mannelijk moet zijn
from a totally different angle.
vanuit een andere hoek.
the idea of lead and follow
van leiden en volgen behouden,
was connected to gender?
moet zijn aan gender?
could lead and follow each other
zou kunnen volgen en leiden
en spreekt, zoals in de realiteit.
just like we do in life?
of 'Liquid Lead Dancing'.
een Latijnse dans: de salsa.
called the cross-body lead.
de 'cross-body lead'.
to break up the improvisation.
om de improvisatie op te breken.
if you're not used to looking for it,
zie je hem niet zo goed,
to this transitional step,
toepassen op deze overgangspas,
to take over the lead,
om de leiding over te nemen,
to surrender it,
om die op te geven
a counter-cross-body lead.
when we danced it in the opening dance.
in de openingsdans.
the dance moves from being a dictation
verandert de dans van opleggen
eender wie kan volgen.
you can change your mind.
je kan van mening veranderen.
van hoe dit toegepast wordt.
of how this applies,
anything can happen.
kan alles gebeuren.
could apply to a classic waltz.
toegepast in de klassieke wals.
van leiding wisselen,
die de dans zelf efficiënter kan maken.
the dance itself more efficient.
traveling backwards,
where they're going.
of accidents out there
een heleboel ongelukken
of this blind spot.
were to just allow for
van houding zouden wisselen?
vermeden worden.
but allowed this switch to happen,
maar deze wissel toelaat,
offering new aesthetics into the waltz.
nieuwe passen bij in de wals.
about your gender.
in clubs, convention centers
in clubs, conventiecentra
het stuk dat we creëerden met Lisa,
the play we created with Lisa,
of seeing two men dancing together,
van twee mannen die samen dansen,
Lisa see our initial demonstration
in onze initiële demonstratie zag
switching lead and follow;
dat we leiden en volgen wisselden,
in our presence, our personality
in onze houding en persoonlijkheid
of which role we were playing.
welke rol we ook speelden.
om rollen te wisselen,
by whichever role you're playing,
te worden door een rol die je speelt,
true to yourself.
aan jezelf te blijven.
to look like, or a follow.
er moet uitzien, of een volger.
off the dance floor as well,
buiten de dansvloer.
the perfect opportunity
de perfecte mogelijkheid
reinvigorate an old relic,
een oud relikwie nieuw leven in te blazen,
of our era and our current way of being.
aan onze huidige manier van zijn.
all the time with women and men
met zowel mannen als vrouwen
that this is a historic form
dat dit een historische vorm is
and produce invisibility
en stilte kan produceren
that we enjoy today.
spectrum van identiteit heen.
all the ideas that don't belong to us
van ideeën die niet bij ons horen,
to what it really always was:
naar wat het altijd was:
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