美国国家公共电台 NPR Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Debuts 'Lazarus' To Celebrate 60th Anniversary

 

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Ask anybody who's tried - It's hard to keep even a well-known arts institution going. To keep it going after its founder¹ and namesake has died is even more impressive. But, to do that for some six decades, some might call that miraculous². So, at that standard, you can understand why the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater decided³ to celebrate its 60th anniversary this year by commissioning a new powerful work titled "Lazarus."

(SOUNDBITE OF PERFORMANCE, "LAZARUS")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (As characters, singing) War is risen.

MARTIN: It's a celebration of the life and legacy⁴ of dance pioneer Alvin Ailey, who was born in rural Texas in the 1930s, went on to found an American dance institution, which continues to thrive even after his death 30 years ago. "Lazarus" was created by the Philadelphia-based hip-hop choreographer⁵ Rennie Harris, considered a pioneer in his own right. And he's with us now from our studios in Washington, D.C. Rennie Harris, welcome. Thank you so much for talking to us.

RENNIE HARRIS: Of course. Thank you.

MARTIN: So when you got the call that you were chosen to commission this piece, you know, I just have to ask. I know you have a body of work of your own. But...

HARRIS: Right.

MARTIN: ...Was there something a little intimidating⁶ about it?

HARRIS: Yeah. What was intimidating is that they wanted me to make it around Mr. Ailey's life. So that was a little bit - that was - no, it was a lot scary.

MARTIN: (Laughter) A lot scary.

HARRIS: Yeah.

MARTIN: A lot of your work - your recent work, I would say, is political. And, by that, I mean you have ideas that you want to express. And I was going to ask how you get ideas into dance. But I heard you talking about your work. And you said it's actually the other way. If I can paraphrase⁷ what you said and you can tell me what you mean, you said that if I know what you've been through, I know how you will move.

HARRIS: Well, I mean, I think that movement is the last manifestation⁸ of our reality, right? Our action defines who we are. A lot of times we like to think that our words are, you know. Oh, I'm this kind of person, that kind of thing. And really, it's an action, right? We know a person loves us because of the action that they take to show us. And so the same thing when it comes to dance. If you really want to know why this particular movement or style or cultural movement is important or relative, then you want to study what was going on politically, economically and socially in that particular era. Whatever that was, the physical expression is embodied⁹. And that's the last manifestation of how a person may feel.

MARTIN: Your work is so connected to who you are, where you come from. And I'm wondering about the experience of then trying to translate that into something that you're going to release to whoever outside of its own context.

HARRIS: I think if I thought of it that way, it would freak me out. I know what I'm creating is coming from me and my experience growing up. And in the very beginning of the company, you know, the first three or four rows would just get up and be out because my work dealt with molestation¹⁰, rape¹¹, racism¹². But I was just using street dance and hip-hop vocabulary to tell these stories. And so often when you hear, oh, the hip-hop company's coming, it's like the circus is coming to town. And they didn't realize I'm addressing stuff.

MARTIN: And to that end, "Lazarus" is a very challenging work in the sense that there are very strong themes that you have to take in. It's hard to describe it because it's a visual experience. But tell me, if you can, if you wouldn't mind, what you're going for. How would you describe it?

HARRIS: I thought I wanted to address slavery, post-slavery and civil rights because I found it interesting, you know? Everyone talked about Mr. Ailey - all of the works I've seen on him, they talked about him, the man. And I wanted to showcase what was happening around him and how he forged this vision through all of that.

MARTIN: It is a really remarkable¹³ story if you think about it. I mean, here's a person who's born in the '30s in rural Texas. It was not the most hospitable¹⁴ environment for an artistically¹⁵...

HARRIS: Right, exactly. Yeah.

MARTIN: ...Minded young black man. And then, he goes on and creates a dance company - modern dance company, and it thrives to this day.

HARRIS: Right.

MARTIN: It is a really remarkable story, right?

HARRIS: Yeah. It's amazing. And I think the focus was to figure out how to give the people the sense of slavery. And so - and the way that I did that I felt like was, one, the music, what we call blues¹⁶ road (ph) you hear. It's like (vocalizing), like this.

(SOUNDBITE OF PERFORMANCE, "LAZARUS")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Vocalizing).

HARRIS: Ominous¹⁷ kind of thing and a dragging of bodies, you know? That sort of represents the migration¹⁸ here in the States. It represents slavery, families lost, ideas set into people's heads.

(SOUNDBITE OF PERFORMANCE, "LAZARUS")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Vocalizing).

HARRIS: So the dragging of bodies, I think I had - I was going to say I dreamt it, I only like daydreamed¹⁹. I was like, oh, snap. I wanted, like, the whole stage to be bodies, you know? I couldn't get that look, so we kind of, like, did it, slowly. So that was poignant²⁰.

MARTIN: And there's even - forgive me for - I don't want to give it all away. There's a moment where the dancers are swaying...

HARRIS: "Strange Fruit."

MARTIN: ...In this very nuanced way. And, all of a sudden, you realize that it's depicting²¹ not just one lynching but the lynching of many. And it's sort of shocking.

HARRIS: Yeah. That section I call Strange Fruit, right? So I was like, oh, I wonder if they get up and relevate (ph), if they could hang - it look like they're hanging or whatever, you know? It gives me chills every time I see it. And once I have those three sort of symbolic²² movements, I knew that I've already represented this transition from slavery post and into civil rights.

MARTIN: The piece is getting rave²³ reviews - right? - rave reviews. What do you make of the fact that people were sitting through this piece, it's getting wild acclaim²⁴ from the audience and yet we're in a moment where people are having marches and yelling, you know, racist²⁵ things and anti-Semitic things in the streets? I mean, what do you make of that?

HARRIS: Well, I think, you know, I've jumped on the platform Ailey that automatically brings people in, expecting that sort of - that thing is going to make it relative for today. When you see it, in my opinion, you have to think about what's going on today. You can't ignore it. And then, when you witness it, you're now responsible.

(SOUNDBITE OF PERFORMANCE, "LAZARUS")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Vocalizing).

MARTIN: That was Rennie Harris, the choreographer of "Lazarus." It's a new two-act piece commissioned for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in commemoration of its 60th anniversary. The company's currently on a 21-city North American tour and will be performing "Lazarus" throughout the U.S. until May 12. And, Rennie Harris, who's obviously fighting a cold, thank you so much for joining us.

HARRIS: Thank you very much.

(SOUNDBITE OF PERFORMANCE, "LAZARUS")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Vocalizing).

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

2 miraculous   

adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的

参考例句：

• The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。
• They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

5 choreographer   

n.编舞者

参考例句：

• She is a leading professional belly dancer, choreographer, and teacher. 她既是杰出的专业肚皮舞演员，也是舞蹈设计者和老师。 来自辞典例句
• It'stands aside, my choreographer of grace, and blesses each finger and toe. 它站在一旁，我优雅的舞蹈指导，并祝福每个指尖与脚尖。 来自互联网

6 intimidating   

vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)

参考例句：

• They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
• This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

7 paraphrase   

vt.将…释义，改写；n.释义，意义

参考例句：

• You may read the prose paraphrase of this poem.你可以看一下这首诗的散文释义。
• Paraphrase the following sentences or parts of sentences using your own words.用你自己的话解释下面的句子或句子的一部分。

8 manifestation   

n.表现形式；表明；现象

参考例句：

• Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
• What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。

9 embodied   

v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含

参考例句：

• a politician who embodied the hopes of black youth 代表黑人青年希望的政治家
• The heroic deeds of him embodied the glorious tradition of the troops. 他的英雄事迹体现了军队的光荣传统。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 molestation   

n.骚扰，干扰，调戏；折磨

参考例句：

• Michael Jackson is arrested by police on charges of child molestation. 2003年的今天，迈克尔·杰克逊因被警方指控有儿童性骚扰行为而被捕。 来自互联网
• Jackson pleads not guilty on the molestation charges. 2004年：杰克逊认罪不认罪的性骚扰指控。 来自互联网

11 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

12 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

13 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

14 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

15 artistically   

adv.艺术性地

参考例句：

• The book is beautifully printed and artistically bound. 这本书印刷精美，装帧高雅。
• The room is artistically decorated. 房间布置得很美观。

16 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

17 ominous   

adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的

参考例句：

• Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
• There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。

18 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

19 daydreamed   

v.想入非非，空想( daydream的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She daydreamed, and oh! What lovely fantasies. 她在白日做梦，噢！多么美妙的幻想啊！ 来自辞典例句
• She daydreamed about a carefree vacation. 她梦想那无忧无虑的假期。 来自辞典例句

20 poignant   

adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。

21 depicting   

描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞马利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The movie depicting the battles and bloodshed is bound to strike home. 这部描写战斗和流血牺牲的影片一定会取得预期效果。

22 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

23 rave   

vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬

参考例句：

• The drunkard began to rave again.这酒鬼又开始胡言乱语了。
• Now I understand why readers rave about this book.我现明白读者为何对这本书赞不绝口了。

24 acclaim   

v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞

参考例句：

• He was welcomed with great acclaim.他受到十分热烈的欢迎。
• His achievements earned him the acclaim of the scientific community.他的成就赢得了科学界的赞誉。

25 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。