Dear Friend:
Dance isn’t a matter of bending knees
or torsos, but of bending minds and
spirits. This art delves into
dimensional thinking that other
disciplines don’t dare attempt.
Imagine an absolutely perfect world.
Everything has its perfect place. Every
word is absolutely correct. There is no
way to communicate, except perfectly.
Imagine how miserable and suffocating
that world would be, without the
possibility of variation: With no place
for the mercurial or capricious. This
world would painfully lack Nature and
all the glory of its spontaneous
embodiment.
Hartfel places complete trust in the
inspired breath that spontaneity can
bring. For those who are willing to
surrender their need for perfectionism,
this approach facilitates a ubiquitous
understanding of the meaning and power
of potential that resides in the self.
Each member of Hartfel does not work
to be perfect, or absolutely upright,
but instead cultivates an understanding
of their frail and alterable natures.
Our goal is to make the hidden nuances
within the individual clearer and more
influential. Hartfel strives to discover
“the freedom of commitment.” Spontaneity
and invention empower those who desire
liberation from the confining closet of
perfectionism.
I like to dwell on what I call the
“one-degree syndrome.” Imagine two lines
that are separated by one degree. At
first glance, they seem to be very close
together. But then imagine these two
lines trailing off into an infinite
distance. Now the distance between the
two lines has the potential of becoming
infinite as well. Now that one degree
has become a rather significant
distance. However, simply by shifting
one of the lines by a single degree, the
lines experiences a profound and
significant change as it moves closer to
“connecting” with the other line.
The same principle applies to a
person’s self-concept and creative
capacities. Sometimes a person’s
perception of their creative capacity is
a mere “one degree” separate from
reality. Simply changing that person’s
awareness, even slightly, can have the
same significant impact as moving one of
the lines closer to the other. As
self-concept and creative capacity move
closer together, the dancer experiences
profound change. Its range of influence
extends into the whole of a person’s
life and increasingly broadens their
creativity as an artist. He or she
begins to move more fluidly, with more
strength of soul. The dance becomes an
organic experience that, in turn, brings
the audience one degree closer to the
art.
This is one process that I use to
broaden the scope of each dancer’s
understanding of their own strengths and
inner velocity. One significant degree
at a time.
At your service,
John Welch
Artistic Director, Hartfel Ballet
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