On Technique, Artistry, & Bujones

Yesterday I came across a video of Fernando Bujones doing about 20 minutes of ballet class work. It was stunning. For those of you that might not know the name, Bujones was an American classical ballet dancer, considered one of the finest of his generation. He was the first American to win a gold medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition in 1974; at the time, he was already a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, and was only 19 years old. He and Mikhail Baryshnikov (hopefully that name is familiar) were contemporaries at ABT, and Bujones continued to dance with the company when Baryshnikov became its Artistic Director. When Bujones retired from the stage, he taught – at Texas Christian University, among other places – and also directed a few companies, including what is now Orlando Ballet. He died young, at age 50, from malignant melanoma.

I never met Bujones or got to see him dance on stage. However, I have seen many videos of him dancing, and he was phenomenal. My favorite is a performance of the Act III Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake he did with fellow ABT Principal Cynthia Gregory for a mixed repertory performance in San Francisco. She was really too tall for him, but the magic they created together is spectacular to witness on film – it must have been fire to see it live. That particular pas de deux is a bravura bit, flashy and technically difficult, and this performance of it was out of the context of the entire ballet – just that excerpt, no scenery, etc. Yet the two of them were completely in their roles of femme fatale swan queen imposter and blindly lovestruck prince, and they nailed the performance. It is amazing and so much fun to watch.

Bujones’ pure, near-perfect technique is what is on display in the classwork video I watched yesterday. Simple and clear class exercises executed with attention to every detail. Placement – check. Turnout – check. Use of feet – check. Coordinated arm movements – check. It was mesmerizing.

But what I found most beautiful about watching the video was the demonstration of how Bujones’ technical foundation supported and informed his artistry. His movements had intention, beyond just being nicely performed steps. He designed the space around him – lines and circles drawn with arms and legs, energy released through movements both quick and sustained. He didn’t just go through the motions, he inhabited them. His technique, stellar though it was, was not the end goal; instead it provided a base from which his artistry could be expressed.

I often remind my students that dance is a language, and it must be “spoken” clearly – that is technique. However, it’s not enough to be precise and clear in a monotone manner. Language needs punctuation and inflection to engage interest and impart meaning, to clearly express ideas, emotions, and stories – that’s where artistry comes in.

When I was working on my MFA, in Dance Theory we discussed the age-old tug-of-war between technique and expressiveness, which really occurs in all art forms. Either on their own is not sufficient. Technique for its own sake can seem cold, and often boring. Charisma and expressiveness without clear form can be messy and hinder the message that the artist is trying to convey. Both are necessary for art to truly resonate.