I am now reading “Alone together” by Sherry Turkle (Basic Books, 2011). Thinking on my topic on dancing via zoom under Pandemic, I see it as “dancing alone together.” Turkle discusses playing games online, and it came to me that our zoom dancing was in a way similar. She also talks about robots designed to be “sensitive” – to require some sort of nurturing. And here I remember how in the 1990s, my little dance students put all their Tamagotchis on my table before our class and how often the class was interrupted by someone’s toy crying for attention. She also brings the topic of the robots designed to keep elderly people company. And it is not much of a stretch to imagine that such robots might be able to behave as dance partners. This is probably acceptable, even desired by people with disabilities or the elderly who cannot leave their homes. But I believe dancing will remain this so needed, so beloved human expression and activity that brings people together.
I am pleased that our group, Seattle Cheta, rehearses again in a “normal” environment and prepares for Folk Fest Verea. Our group survived. And this is one of these optimistic things that keep our spirits high. Dancing together is (might be) also a prayer for the well-being of the world.
