LECTURE 3 | Shane Carroll
In the environment of dance, the value and impact of 'inspiration' in the processes of enquiry, exploration and expression can be considered critical to the work that is created. Inspire, Inspiring, Inspired, Inspirational –
the word and all its forms are applied to qualify a work of dance, to explicitly position that work as having a particular strength, and to validate the work as having meaning. And yet the whole concept of inspiration remains quite plastic. It is often subjective; it challenges rational thought and is even sometimes overwhelming.
It’s hard to pin down! Yet inspiration is palpable and powerful. So what role does ‘inspiration’ have in the transferring of knowledge through dance? Is inspiration the catalyst, the fuel, the secret ingredient, all of the above, or something else.
The story of Tanja Liedtke, and the story of her creative development is a story of inspiration. It is a story that illustrates how being inspired and the need to say something that inspires people, evolves into a source of discovery that is rich in past and new knowledge. In regard to dance education, cultural heritage and the transferring of knowledge that is live in the body and the presentation of theatre – I would like to simply offer some ideas about the role of inspiration.
With support of the Tanja Liedtke Foundation