A tap dancer's craft - Andrew Nemr

踢踏舞者的技藝 - 安德魯納美爾 (Andrew Nemr)

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

譯者: Jephian Lin 審譯者: Allen Li

Tap dance:

踢踏舞

one of America's major contributions to the world of percussive dance,

是美國對打擊舞蹈的重要貢獻之一

born out of the melding of African and European dance traditions.

融合了非洲和歐洲的傳統舞蹈

There's so many variations within tap dance,

踢踏舞的種類很多

as many approaches as there have been tap dancers.

有多少舞者，就有多少種詮釋方式

And there have been a lot!

目前已有非常多種！

Since its birth, over 125 years ago,

自 125 年前誕生起

tap dance has grown up

踢踏舞逐漸成長於

in the world of American popular entertainment.

美國的流行娛樂界

From minstral shows and vaudeville,

從巡迴演出及雜耍

to night clubs, musical theater, and movie musicals,

到夜總會、音樂廳，以及歌舞片

tap dance has held a featured role.

踢踏舞都扮演重要的角色

And your approach depends on when in the history's lineage

如何詮釋取決於你想承襲

you decide to connect.

哪段歷史流派

The landscape of American entertainment shifted in the 1950s and 60s.

美國娛樂圈的面貌 在 1950 到 60 年代開始改變

Big bands became cost-prohibitive,

大編制樂隊因經費不足而沒落

rock and roll was becoming a popular music,

搖滾樂成為流行音樂

and American musical theater moved

美國劇場的音樂劇

towards a format incorporating ballet with narrative

變成芭蕾舞結合旁白的形式

rather than the extension of variety shows

不像過去

that it had been in the past.

是綜藝秀的延伸

All these factors pushed tap dancing

所有這些原因都使踢踏舞

to the fringes of the entertainment world.

逐漸邊緣化

Tap dance still existed;

踢踏舞還是存在

there were dancers,

還是有舞者

but it was outside of the popular discourse.

但不再是主流

There were fewer and fewer places to dance

能跳舞的地方越來越少

and very little need for new tap dancers,

新踢踏舞者的工作機會更少

so those who have been dancing in the 20s, 30s, and 40s,

1920 到 40 年代的踢踏舞者

really had no one to pass along the art form to.

找不到人可以傳承

In the 1970s, a multifaceted resurgence began.

1970 年代，開始了多面向的復興

Modern dancers became interested in the older tap dancers,

現代舞者開始重視老踏踢舞者

drawing them out of retirement to teach.

把他們從退休中拉回來教學

Grassroots-organized tap festivals began to spring up,

草根性的踢踏舞節，也開始興起

featuring the older tap dancers teaching the technique

主軸是資深舞者教授踢踏舞技巧

and the history of the craft.

及踢踏舞歷史

Older dancers also came out of retirement to perform

老舞者也從退休中復出表演

with groups such as The Copasetics and The Original Hoofers, traveling the world.

棒棒舞團和行腳舞團世界巡迴演出 (The Copasetics) (The Original Hoofers)

Even Broadway regained interest in the form,

甚至百老匯都重拾興趣

with Gregory Hines becoming a public figure

其中格雷戈里海因斯成為 (Gregory Hines)

for tap dance on the stage and in feature films.

舞臺或電影裡，踢踏舞的代表人物

Since then, the resurgence has spawned a more popular interest,

這次復興帶來了更廣大的關注

with Savion Glover at the nexus of the crowd.

沙維翁格洛弗成了群眾焦點 (Savion Glover)

Considered the quintessential tap dancer,

與典型的踢踏舞者不同

Glover presents the form as a pure musician.

格洛弗以純音樂的形式來詮釋

Since the 1990s,

1990 年代起

and thanks in a large part to the work of Savion Glover,

主要由於格洛弗的貢獻

we've seen a rise in young people's interest in tap dance.

年輕人對踢踏舞興趣漸增

I'm part of that generation.

我也是其中之一

Today, as we begin to rediscover the craft,

今天我們開始重新發現這個技藝

we continue to look back

我們不斷回顧

and take examples of what tap dance was from past generations,

一方面以過去的踢踏舞為典範

at the same time, discovering our own unique approaches.

同時也探尋我們自己的獨特詮釋

There is so much freedom today.

今日踢踏舞的自由度很高

We can take what exists

我們可以參考既有的

and apply past examples within our own unique context -

將過去的舞步融入我們的獨特情境

today's perspective on tap dance.

成為今日的踢踏舞觀點

It all really boils down to

這一切都要歸結到

two pieces of metal on a leather-soled shoe,

皮底鞋的兩塊金屬、

the wood to dance on,

木頭地板、

an audience to watch and listen,

觀眾與聽眾、

and something to say.

和表現的內容

It's the balancing of these elements

就是這些元素間的平衡

that is a tap dancer's craft work.

造就了踢踏舞者技藝的成功