こんにちはー。 縄跳びパフォーマーの粕尾将一(@macchan8130)です。
ここ数年で「パフォーマンス」を「表現」として捉える風潮が広がっています。
きっとシルクドソレイユをはじめとした「現代サーカス」の影響なのでしょう。パフォーマーではなく「アーティスト」と名のる人も増えました。
しかし舞台芸術や身体表現について、本気で向き合った人ってごく少数だと思うのです。技を組み合わせれば芸術的表現だと勘違いしている人すらいるのでは。
この「身体表現」と「パフォーマンス」の間には、我々が思っている以上に「溝」があると思うんですよ。
身体表現？それとも演出？
たとえば縄跳びで演技を披露します。それも舞台の上で照明などの演出を加えて。
見た目にはそれっぽく見えると思います。でもこれが即ち「身体表現」になるかというと、話が別なんです。
これはあくまで「縄跳び運動」を演出しただけです。言うなれば「マーカーや赤線で目立つように仕向けられた文章」のようなもの。縄跳びは縄跳びのまま。この時点で、本当にパフォーマーが表現者になっているのでしょうか？
並べるだけで表現になる？
文章を書くようになってから「文章」と「パフォーマンス」とスゴイ似てる事に気付きました。
単語を知っていれば、誰でも文章を作れますよね。「今日はおにぎりを食べた」も立派な文章です。同じことがパフォーマンスにも言えるんですよ。
たとえば縄跳びの技が30個もできれば、十分演技を構成することが出来ます。それも立派な演技です。ただこれだけで表現と言ってしまうのは乱暴。
技の組み合わせを披露するのも演技。コレ自体が悪いことじゃありませんが、すなわち何かを訴えたり、表現しているとは限りません。
「表現する」をしたいだけ？
パフォーマンスで何を表現していますか？と聞くと、しばしば「自分自身」や「楽しさ」という言葉が返ってきます。たしかにこれも表現のひとつでしょう。自分というのは唯一無二のオリジナルですし。
でも「自分」や「楽しさ」だけだと表現の幅が狭すぎやしませんかね。
表現できるモノって無限に存在します。それなのに「自分」とやらばかりを表現している。ここには「表現」という言葉を使いたいだけの「ファッション的」「流行に」といった思惑が見え隠れします。
これは大野佐紀子さんの言う「アーティスト症候群」と通じますね。
自分流。自然体。別格。その共通点は、「ナンバーワンよりオンリーワン」である。オンリーワンの自分を評価し承認してほしいという欲求が、「アーティストになりたい」という欲求の根っこにある。(P242)
引用:アーティスト症候群---アートと職人、クリエイターと芸能人 (河出文庫)
技を組み合わせた演技を評価し、承認して欲しい。そのためには「表現者＝アーティスト」として振る舞うのが良い。うがった見方かもしれませんが、この疑問は常に自分の中でモヤモヤしてます。
おわりに
これ、実は自分自身の演技に感じてるコトなんですよね。
いまはシルクドソレイユに素晴らしい演出でお膳立てしてもらってステージに立っています。けどいくら見た目が綺麗になっても、はたして自身が表現者なのかは疑問です。縄跳びをしてる自分は、ステージに立つ前と何も変わっていないんじゃないかって。
身体表現とアクロバット・サーカスパフォーマンスは近づいています。でも、実はまだ大きな溝がある気がしてならない。
舞台芸術は表面的な美しさに目が行きがちです。でも実は内側の見えない部分にこそ「パフォーマー」が知らなかった新しい世界が広がってると思うんです。
（2015年11月16日「なわとび1本で何でもできるのだ」より転載）
猫のサーカス
(01 of10)
Open Image ModalThe Amazing Acro-Cats consists of 14 cats -- of which all but two are female. \n
\nThere\'s also three performing rats (all female), one groundhog (male) and a hen named Cluck Norris, who plays cymbals in the Acro-Cats\' house band, the Rock Cats.\n
\nCluck Norris also lays eggs. \"We eat them,\" says Samantha Martin, the Acro-Cats creator and ringleader.\n (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(02 of10)
Open Image ModalThe Amazing Acro-Cats and their human helpers -- Martin, as well as publicist Polly Smith and fearless assistant Seunga Park -- travel about 10 months of the year on a \"purr-fect\" 35-foot tour bus that is kitted out for the cats\' maximum comfort. For example, the cats get the on-board master bedroom.\n
\n\"The cats have more room than the humans,\" says Martin. (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(03 of10)
Open Image ModalSamantha Martin\'s first traveling animal circus specialized in rats.\n
\n\"The Amazing Acro-Rats,\" she says. \"I couldn\'t make a living on just rats.\"\n
\nAbout a decade ago, Martin switched to that other misunderstood, often underestimated breed of animal: cats. She\'d put on cat shows at art galleries and other small venues, and began realizing this might be a more sustainable venture.\n
\n\"People started showing up in droves,\" Martin says.\n (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(04 of10)
Open Image ModalThe cats and other performing critters are taught their tricks using only positive reinforcement, like clicker training and food treats. They\'re never scolded or punished.\n
\n\"No one protests after they\'ve seen the show,\" Martin says. \"It\'s not cruel in any way.\" (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(05 of10)
Open Image ModalYou may not be able to run off with the cat circus, exactly. But you can definitely participate!\n
\nVolunteers in each city help out with the box office and wrangling cats between shows. Or if you\'ve got a pad where the kitties can crash for a couple of days between gigs, that\'s also very welcome. \n
\nAs are folks who have some bus-fixing skills they want to donate.\n
\nIt\'s an \"old bus,\" says Martin. Here\'s where to get in touch. (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(06 of10)
Open Image ModalThe Rock Cats are (as far as we know) the world\'s only feline rock band.\n
\nTuna the cat is on cowbell. Sookie plays the chimes. Nue\'s on keyboards. Dakota hammers away on the drums. And, of course, Cluck Norris pecks away at the cymbals. \n
\nThe result: a little dada. A little daffy. Completely delightful. (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(07 of10)
Open Image ModalThe Amazing Acro-Cats often travel with foster kittens, who are available for adoption. In fact, since Martin has a special fondness for the teeniest kitties, the tour bus travels with an incubator.\n
\nAll these babies get basic clicker training, Martin says, and most are able to high-five by the time they are dispatched to their forever families.\n
\nSo far, 157 cats have been fostered and then adopted into permanent homes, Martin says. That should be 158 soon -- an adoption application has been put in in for a sweet little orange guy named Opie. (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(08 of10)
Open Image ModalThe Acro-Cats aren\'t just here to entertain you (though, certainly, they will do that). Samantha Martin is also using her feline circus to show you that cats are really, really fun and trainable.\n
\n\"I want to help people build a better relationship with their cat,\" she says.\n
\nTo that end, Martin has devised a cat training kit. We can\'t promise your cat will do leaps like this one on command after using the kit, but we can promise you all will have a good time. (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(09 of10)
Open Image ModalThe cats can sometimes be a bit persnickety. As well-trained as they are, as much fresh tuna as they\'re rewarded with, feline performers don\'t always feel like doing their tricks. \n
\nCluck Norris, on the other hand, never misses her mark.\n
\n\"You don\'t see cat circuses around because people can\'t stand the humiliation,\" says Martin. \"Cluck is a total professional. Has a good work ethic.\" (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)
(10 of10)
Open Image ModalHome is an apartment in Chicago with a big screened-in yard, where, Martin says, she and the cats pretty much do the same things as what they do on stage, in front of an audience.\n
\nThe jumps and tightropes are spread out across the living room, and the Rock Cats\' instruments are set up in the kitchen, where they like to play while Martin cooks. \n
\n\"This is what I would do at home,\" she says, wearing a cat ear headband, and gesturing toward one Acro-Cat who\'s climbing up a tower, and another seated at a set of drums, while several more sit on scraps of purple carpet -- their \"marks\" -- and other perches, waiting to be rewarded for their efforts. (Cluck Norris is napping in her carrier, and Garfield the groundhog is running laps around the room, pausing only occasionally to be petted.)\n
\nBut as fun as it is being home -- and it is fun, for those couple of months a year -- getting back on the road is also a good time, for Martin and the rest of the gang.\n
\n\"I love to travel. I love to see the countryside,\" she says. \"And I get to be with my pets 24/7.\" (credit:The Amazing Acro-Cats)