Russian Ballet Controversy

Fired Bolshoi dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze gets controversial new job

Nikolai Tsiskaridze was fired from the Bolshoi ballet company in Russia. He was said to be associated with an acid attack on a fellow dancer, Sergei Filin. Although he had announced his retirement amidst his firing, he has not disappeared from the Russian ballet scene. He has recently been appointed to the prestigious position of rector of the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg. The Vaganova Academy originated from the ballet school funded by Empress Anna Ivanova in 1738. Thousands of children audition every year for entrance into the program and many of the graduates feed into the Mariinsky Ballet company. The training received at this academy is seen as the gold standard around the world.

Tsiskaridze's appointment to the position has been controversial because he doesn't have the extensive coaching experience nor the "legal education" that the academy ministry desired or his predecessors possessed. Vaganova likely appointed Tsiskaridze as rector because of the growing tension between the academy and Valery Gergiev. Gergiev, the general director of Mariinsky company, has been trying to place Vaganova Academy under the umbrella of the Mariinsky company.

The ballet companies in Russia have been rather troubled. Gergiev, some say, rule Mariinsky with an iron fist. The dancers work long hours, perform repetitious shows, and have extensive touring schedules to support the projects that Gergiev is most interested in. Not even those at the top-rated Vaganova Academy are free from scrutiny. A former lustrous Russian ballerina was removed from her positions with Vaganova as their artistic director. The Bolshoi are likely glad to no longer have Tsiskaridze in their portfolio, but it is still difficult to tell what impact he will have on Vaganova.

For me, music and dance have always been a fun past time. I would never imagine either being a channel for politics and scandal. I think one of the most important things the author mentions in the article is "Whoever prove to be the winners in this story, chances are it won't be Russian ballet. Once again the art form finds itself at the mercy of people's agendas, batted around by forces that have little to do with its own health and future." This is one of the issues that I have with presentational performances. When music and dance begin to formulate as presentational performances, I feel the originality and natural progressiveness of the art form is stifled. In Turino's readings, he mentioned that presentational performances allowed for artists to have ingenuity and showcase their individual talents. I think that sometimes the opposite can happen; performers will get "stuck in a rut." If they're having success in a certain performance type, they won't go outside the box because it could go horribly wrong for them. I think performances (especially presentational) need to be more about the music/dance and its progression rather than the individuals that perform it. 

Ponderosa Stomp--Music Revival

The Ponderosa Stomp celebrates 'unsung heroes' of American music this weekend

The Ponderosa Stomp hosted it's 11th annual festival (with the exception of 2012) the first weekend of October in New Orleans. The festival was started to pay tribute to the 'unsung heroes' of American music. All types of music styles are represented at the festival including rock 'n' roll, swamp pop, soul and garage rock. The festival tries to showcase the 'best music you've never heard of.' Many of the artists are from the 1960s-era as well as numerous other 'originators, innovators, and/or trouble-makers.'

The festivities surrounding Ponderosa Stomp last for a few days. Activities start on Thursday, but the main action is the concerts on Friday that play through the night from 8pm-3am. The Ponderosa stomp was actually created by Dr. Ike, who was an avid collector of unknown rhythm and blues, garage rock, swamp pop, soul, blues, and rockabilly records. He gathered other like-minded individuals and started the festivities as a way to bring their collections to life through multi-night concerts.

Through the years, the festival has expanded to include films festivals, record sales, and scholarly conferences with the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The Ponderosa Stomp Foundation was even formed, as a result of the festivities, to promote educational activities related to 'The Stomp.' This has resulted in 'Stomp-themed' concerts in New York and at the South by Southwest festival in Austin.

I think that it's really cool that this festival came out as the result of a few people wanting to showcase their interest in 'unconventional' music. Reading this article reminded me of "old-time" music revivals that occurred in the Appalachian Mountains that eventually led to the development of bluegrass. In that instance, people in the Appalachians started the "old-time" music revival to gain a sense of belonging and unity in their lives. For those involved in Ponderosa Stomp, they started the festival to unite those that had similar interests in the 'unsung heroes' of American music. Just like the "old-time" music revival, Ponderosa Stomp has taken off in popularity and is being welcomed by many different people.

Revival of Maloya

Maloya: The protest music banned as a threat to France

Maloya is a type of dance music that was developed in Reunion, which is an island located in the Indian Ocean and is governed by France. The music was banned by France in the 1970s because it was seen as a threat to the French state. The music was sung in Creole, not French, and had its roots in Africa from the slaves that were brought to the island to harvest sugar cane.

France was not the only one that disliked the maloya music. The Catholic Church was not in favor of it because it was used in ceremonies where participants would enter a trance and come face to face with their ancestors. The French government was highly opposed to the music because it was protest music. In the 1970s, the Communist Party utilized maloya as protest music to voice to France that Reunion wanted to become independent. France saw this as very threatening and chose to ban the music. Anyone who was found openly producing or performing maloya would be place in jail.

In the 1980s, the music was not only re-legalized but was also funded by the French government from a cultural standpoint. Reunion did not gain its independence, but maloya was no longer used by the Communist Party as protest music to gain independence. There is still quite a disparity though between French nationals and those in Reunion. Unemployment rates are extremely high for those on the island, which has generated much frustration for those between the ages of 18-25, who have the greatest level of unemployment. Even though maloya is now legal and not being used as protest music, it is still a means of voicing frustration towards the French government. Maloya musicians will talk about the hardships they face because of the high levels of unemployment and cost of living. It would do the French government good to learn Creole to gain a true understanding of the hostility the islanders have towards the French.

I was glad that I came upon this reading because it really spoke to the idea of music being an outlet for frustrations and voicing opinions. It also showcased a more recent example of what we read about in Thomas Turino's Music as Social Life. In one of his chapters, Turino talks about how music has often been associated with various political movements. This was very much the case for a duration of time in Reunion. As I mentioned, the Communist Party help protests during the 1970s in Reunion asking the French to release the island from its control. One of the vehicles they used to gather individuals together and draw them to their cause was maloya music. It was a music type that had developed on the island so it was a perfect tool for the Communist Party to use. This article reminded me of what Turino wrote about when he mentioned the Nazis banning forms of music that were associated with Jews or African peoples. In the case of jazz though, some of it still survived because of the immense popularity it had among the Germans. The instance in Reunion with maloya is semi-reflective of what happened during WWII. The French, just like the Nazis, banned maloya music; however, it was very much a cultural and popular music type on the island so they were not able to completely eradicate it.

Canadian Music Fee

New fee for musicians visiting Canada could hurt small concert venues

On July 31, Canada passed a law saying "employers" would have to pay a $275 fee for each member of foreign bands that play in their venue. Before, this fee fell to the taxpayers. Foreign musicians that want to play in any Canadian bar, club, or restaurant have to apply for a work permit, which costs $150, but now with this $275 fee, foreign bands may stop coming to Canada to play. The cost could quickly add up since the $275 fee is per musician. There is much controversy surrounding this new law. Some Canadians say it's beneficial because it allows Canadian artists the first chance at jobs; while, others feel the opposite. Many club owners and others feel that this fee will kill the music scene in Canada. Groups that play at the Air Canada Centre or the Rogers Centre are exempt from this fee because these are considered concert venues.

I was shocked to read this article. I had never thought music-making could cause such a stir and be governed by such fees and restrictions. I think one of the greatest things about music is its dynamism. To me, this means allowing free access to music and sharing it with various peoples. In the article, one opposer of the new law says this new move is "trying to shut the door on culture, which makes us unique and sets us apart from every other country." I think he's right. Many young people these days flock to small venues to hear new and/or upcoming artists from all over the globe! This fee does make it more difficult for bands who want to tour Canada to showcase their musical talents.

On the other hand, I see the intention behind imposing these new fees. Canadian artists, as stated in the article, struggled to get jobs and were often beat out by their foreign counterparts. I can't imagine what it would be like to struggle to book a gig in your own country. This part of the discussion reminds me of the Blue Chicago readings. In the latter part of the book, we learn about reverse discrimination. Black artists were the ones always being booked in venues because of their "authenticity" even though white artists may have been just as good at blues music-making. It appears as though a similar thing was happening in Canada. Small venues sought out foreign bands to fill their calendars rather than local Canadian bands. Canadian artists struggled to book shows because "culture" was seen as only coming from foreign artists. This fee may provide Canadian artists with the first change at jobs; however, I'm uncertain this fee will really change the ratio of foreign bookings to local ones. Rather, the Canadian community may need to accept that "culture" comes in many different fashions, foreign or local.

Will Rap be protected by First Amendment?

Hip Hop Controversy: Rap music may be facing new challenges

Like most all styles of music, rap has transformed over the last few decades. Rap has been a style of music that has always been on the verge of controversy. Many rappers hail from inner city life and low-income families. Their childhood is often plagued by violence and scandal. Music for them is an outlet; a place where they can voice their issues and struggles in order to cope with the turmoil around them. The lyrics of most rap songs have always been questioned, but it seems as though now people are finally taking a stand.

Recently, prison-guard turned rapper, Rick Ross, showcased lyrics in one of his songs glorifying drugs and date rape. Survivors and activists charged at Ross for his unabashed lyrics. Unfortunately, Rick Ross is not the only artist to sing about such things. The question is now being raised, "Are the artists the only ones to be blamed?" Many people are petitioning to have the record labels who allow these artists to produce such scandalous lyrics to be held liable as well. People want safeguards in place that would make both the producers and artists accountable for what is being distributed. However, with the surge in popularity of these songs, would imposing such a reform alleviate the controversy? I don't believe it would. As the article mentions, these artists have such a high following that even if a small portion of people were to boycott them, they could easily go sell their product to someone else. Besides, in years past, rappers spoke of violence and shootings yet there were no actions taken to prevent them from continuing to do it. It just became an accepted thing. This is partly due to mainstream TV airing shows that depict greater levels of violence than in the past. These shows started depicting what the rappers were singing about, and people became desensitized to the violence. A similar thing is bound to happen with this case, I feel.

Music is an integral part to our society and culture. Having the ability to voice our opinions and lifestyle in a manner without fear of prosecution is one of the foundations this country was built on yet outside the rap community, these two ideas are disjointed. Music, which was once an outlet for people for various reasons, is now being targeted for this exact reason. It's okay and welcomed to create music. However, the moment it objectifies or promotes a negative aspect of society, listeners immediately renounce it as music. They seek to classify it as controversial and anything less than music.

Although I do not agree with many of the lyrics found in rap songs today, I don't feel we can  place all the blame on the artists and the producers. The music, in fact, is being produced for the masses--for us. So shouldn't we be the ones at fault for accepting this as music in the first place? Yet, either way, it will be hard to eradicate such lyrics from music. Music is highly influenced by culture (local, community, state, etc.), and that's all the artists are doing--making music expressive of their culture. Unless, the plan is to exterminate a culture, I think rap music is here to stay.

Corridos to Narcocorridos

Mexican 'Corrido' Music Becomes Anthem for Drug Traffickers, Film Shows

Drug trafficking in Mexico has been cause for concern for many decades. Recently, the Mexican drug cartel has begun to utilize music to promote their cause. Many people are familiar with corridos, which are traditional Mexican folk ballads generally played by 'banda' groups consisting of tubas, trumpets, accordions, and guitars. 'La Cucaracha' is a common corrido that most people are familiar with.

Today many groups are creating a new type of music called narcocorridos that glorifies the drug trade. It's attracted much attention in Mexico because this music type portrays drug lords as 'Robin Hoods' of Mexico. Drug cartel leaders are providing many of the funds for these narcocorridos to be produced. Mexico and the U.S. have showcased concerts featuring this new type of music not because they want to promote the drug wars per se, rather it's the music people want to hear and are willing to pay for. Because the music is so widely praised and accessible, much of Mexico's youth now say they want to become famous narcos or have narco boyfriends. The influence of the narcocorridos on Mexican youth is quite strong as opposed to the U.S. where people know they have another alternative than drug trafficking.

This article for me was really interesting. I'm quite familiar with 'banda' groups and traditional corridos, but I was not aware that it was being used as drug trafficking propaganda. This story reminded me of the film 'Favela Rising' that we watched in class, only reversed. In the film, Afro-Reggae sprouted as a means of saving individuals from a life of drugs and ultimately a young death. In Mexico, it is quite the opposite. Narcocorrido music is being used as a means of recruitment to the drug cartel--glorifying the life of a drug lord; whereas, Afro-Reggae speaks out against drug trafficking and the harsh reality of the drug cartel. To me it's rather fascinating how music can be utilized in such vastly different ways. Both Afro-Reggae and Nacrocorridos are being used to successfully 'unite' individuals to a common cause; however, these causes are starkly different!