Tack Kim.
Kram!

Ja, det finns flera skriftspråk för dans… and now I’m going to go over to English, sorry!

Dance notation is about 300 years old, it seems, though the notations used today only go back to the later 1800s. Consequently I’m not sure if anyone now can actually interpret with certainty any of the notation that relates to Baroque dance. (And incidentally, when I was writing this article I learned that there are Sumerian tablets that appear to contain musical notations – which would make musical notation as old as writing – except nobody knows how to interpret them, and probably no one ever will.)

As I understand it, dance notation is more of an aid to memory. The notes are not used as words or musical notation are used – people who can read dance notation may be able to feel how to dance a piece from reading the notation, but it’s not as straightforward as reading words on a page in silence, or hearing music in silence as you read a score. And I don’t think it’s possible to choreograph a dance on paper as it’s possible (I’m told) to compose music.

But I have to say I’m writing from profound ignorance here.

Ah yes, imagine being able to do both! But at the same time isn’t it glorious that there are so many different modes of expression for all the various types of people we are? And isn’t it good that even if we may not be able to practice them all, we have the capacity to appreciate them?

Well, most of parts of them – thinking of the chap in the audience who I’m sure didn’t come because he hates dance as such.