Is New York Over?

Andy Horwitz

Some of you may have read Gia Kourlas’ article in the Times in which she asserts , “A truth must be faced before it’s too late: New York is no longer the capital of the contemporary-dance world.”

I’ve heard the same thing said by others and not just in relation to dance. I’ve heard it about theater, about comedy and lots of other disciplines. For whatever reason – cost of living, gentrification, cultural shifts, funding shifts, the influence of television and the entertainment industry, chauvinistic provincialism- NYC is not the vibrant, adventurous hotbed of the arts it once was.

Having just returned from the Edinburgh Festival (culturebot has been boring everyone with his tales of travel, if you have been so assaulted, we apologize in advance) I can say there is some really amazing work being made outside of the U.S.A. And having talked to artists across the country it seems that people are choosing not to come to NYC but rather stay at home and make work where they can still have a reasonable quality of life on an artist’s wages. If artists are choosing not to move to NYC and there is also really great work being made in Europe that means there is a LOT of great work that New Yorkers are not being exposed to. So the challenges are many: How do we bring that work here? How do we expose New York artists to work being made elsewhere? (Through Culturebot! Philanthropists wanted to fund regional culturebot sites! we’ve got the domain names if you’ve got the funding!)

It is a complicated question. There is a very convincing argument to be made that we are at a significant cultural moment and it’s also very likely that this moment will not be defined by New York.

What do you think? Is New York over? If it is, can it be revived?

Discuss.

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5 responses to “Is New York Over?”

  1. Rachel Feinerman

    Some discussion has already started on my blog and I’ve linked to some responses. Quick overview: 1) It seems that people are more likely to fault the presenters than the dancemakers. 2) There is a question to be asked if the point of dancemaking is to be innovative/experimental.
    The other point I would make is that Gia does not seem to pinpoint a city that is the center of innovation but “Europe.” I’d say that’s an apples/oranges comparison. Perhaps the better question is whether dance has become more global? We’re living in very interconnected times and many other industries no longer have centers. Just a thought.

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  2. George Lorenc

    One of the key areas that GK does not touch on in her article is that of resources and that the scarcity of them is what may be driving both artists and presenters in NYC to be more conservative in what they do or make.

    What severally frustrates me by this article is the lack of specifics. GK’s writing is full of board general statements that are written without any third party sourcing, quotes or back up. Why is it that dance writers can get off so easy when they are writing about the field? Why do we except this from them. And why do we continue to give critics so much power.

    I also seem to remember reading GK reviews in the NY Times and previews in TONY throughout the summer. When in the world did she travel to Europe and witness all of this great European art making. Was she at the Spring Dance Festival? Did she see Ann Liv Young and the Biennale? I don’t think so. Perhaps GK overheard this one night when she was hanging out with a prominent downtown choreographer that she likes to champion and has now assumed this stance as her own.

    I also need to point out that Jerome Bel was to have his premiere at PS 122 in September 2001, but the performances were cancelled due to 9/11.

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  3. coryb

    i have no background in professional theatre/dance, but it’s clear from my residency in asia and latin america that the gloss has been stripped from the US, whether it be theatre or business.

    i will always love most everything about nyc, but having seen so much innovative performance around the world over the last couple years, i worry that it is in worldwide decline.

    -c

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  4. George Lorenc

    Coryb – when you speak about gloss, what are you referring to? When I hear the word, I think slick presentations, rather then daring experimentations. If you feel that NYC performances don’t have that shine anymore, then I must throw out that word again, RESOURCES.

    When artists have few resources at hand then their energies can only be devoted to ideas. Usually these ideas will be based on the body and what it can do inside an empty space. This kind of minimalism may lack the luster that so many people desire, but can’t we all recognize the substance and deeper resonance underneath?

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  5. de soleil

    Lack of Resources?
    that seems like an excuse for not probing & crafting work. Or perhaps, suggesting a priviledged postion? NYC i hope, has not been reduced to lackluster & mediocre performances due to not enough resources… NY has a plethora of resources, which if we probe & dig deep, will provide us with inspiring motifs for incredible work…the real deal/ existential thought is can we handle NOT being the leader/center of artistic innovation, now that the global community has caught up with us?

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