An Artist’s Dilemma and Compromise

 A Modern Day Ballet Story By Leah Lubin

 

Once upon a time in a land not so far away there lived a famous Artist.

For many years now our Artist was the talk of his generation.  His work reviewed and loved by all who respected art.

But this Artist had a dark secret, a feeling of unfulfillment deep inside.  With each new art exhibit he would slide his way through every opening event.  But inside he felt he had not yet even touched any subject that really mattered, truly challenged him.

One day his assistant invited him to a dance performance and he casually agreed to attend.  To his amazement the dancers truly moved and inspired him, so he invites them back to his studio to draw and paint them.  All night, he tosses and turns as he dreams about ballet.

At the Artist’s studio the Artist paces his studio while waiting for the dancers to arrive.  As soon as they do arrive he explains the terms of modeling required in his studio.  No break for 30 minutes, he poses them and goes to his easel to start his work.

Soon, dancers being dancers, started dancing slowly at first then quickly all over the studio.

Three times the angry Artist re-poses his dancers but finally he runs out of patience and points to the door telling them to leave.

Deeply saddened by their dismissal the dancers start for the door.  The possibility of the immediate loss of the dancers shocks the Artist into thinking on a deeper level.  It was him and his work that needed to change, not the dancers who were just being themselves.

He then invites them back into the studio re-poses them but tells them that this time they could dance but please could they dance slowly.  A good party ends this modern day ballet.

Participants:

Artist

Male dancer

Female dancer

Artist’s assistant

Audience at dance performance

Dancers during sleep scene

Art exhibit guests at party

 

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