The Czech National Ballet – Dance Through It

Dance Through It

Theatres without audiences make no sense. The same applies to streets without people. The public space is silent, it has ceased to exist. The external world has moved inwards. We are seeking ourselves, we have slowed down and our hearts have become more considerate. We are supressing our egos, learning how to live in the here and now – and, first and foremost, with ourselves.

In the time of cholera, while in home quarantine, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin wrote his celebrated Eugene Onegin. We, in the time of coronavirus, cannot perform the ballet Onegin… Yet, even though worried about the devastating consequences, theatre people are dreamers and have not abandoned optimism… We believe that everything bad can bring something good. Not all endings are tragic…

The dancers’ work tool is their body. The physical aspect of their personality is the alpha and omega of the dance art. A body in tip-top shape, a prepared body, accustomed to regular stress, a body that conveys beauty on the stage, telling stories, connecting with the soul and communicating a profound experience. In line with the necessary emergency measures, but also due to our collective responsibility and primary consideration, we have closed theatres, left ballet studios… Now we are sewing face masks, while eagerly observing the latest developments, asking where the world is heading.

At the same time, we keep in mind that we must be ready… Ready to get back on stage on D Day, ready to dance for our audience. We will have to be as fit as we were before. Yet nobody knows how long this situation will last… The theatre is making plans, shifting its repertoire, calculating the losses, seeking solutions. The situation is unprecedented, no one has previously experienced anything like this. We are looking to the future – but the time and space seem not to exist… There is nothing but the present, and the present is novel and unknown.

We know that we must – every one for his/her sake – remain prepared. It is called an individual plan, personal responsibility, strong will… Dancers must – even in these conditions – not allow their bodies to weaken, just as all of us must keep our minds alert and retain our (mental) health. It is a truly difficult task. It is a challenge…

Let us believe that every one of us overcomes this ordeal and reappears in a new world that – at least in outlines – resembles the world we had to renounce. Even now in our imagination we see the theatres opening, curtains rising again… and we are taking a deep breath and dancing for you, our loyal audience. You are enjoying our stories once more and your hearts are filled with joy. This is our vision for the future. We believe it will soon become reality.

Till then, let’s look forward to brighter days and dance through the darker times at least in our head.

Simply: Dance Through It

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