rambert

ghost dances: dance and human rights

an interview with christopher bruce

Many of those in Rambert have a great affinity with human rights themes, as evidenced by Ghost Dances, an eloquent tribute to victims of oppression in South America, accompanied by bewitching Andean folk music.

Amnesty International UK and Rambert worked together on publicity and the preparation of schools material for Swansong, an outstanding piece of dance drama based on the interrogation of a prisoner by two guards. As Rambert revives another of Christopher Bruce's works, Ghost Dances, Stuart Sweeney interviewed him on the theme of dance and human rights. As a starting point, Bruce was asked why a choreographer might include human rights themes in his work, particularly as there is a view that the arts should only be concerned with creating beauty. He replied that, for himself, social and political themes emerge naturally as a reflection of his own concerns, although his aim is always firstly to create a piece of dance, rather than to make a statement. Nevertheless, he does not see a conflict between creating interesting movement and tackling difficult issues.

He believes that there is much beauty in Ghost Dances and similar works, just as in the First World War poems of Wilfred Owen. Turning to propaganda pieces, such as the work of film-maker Leni Riefenstahl for the Nazis, he said that a touch-stone is whether there is some underlying truth behind the piece, inspired by a desire to promote civilised behaviour, rather than just an attempt to shape opinion.

In the 1970s, the focus for Christopher and many others was South America and Pinochet's bloody coup against the elected Allende government in Chile. He recalls the powerful impact of meeting Joan Jara, the widow of the musician and composer Victor, who was tortured and murdered by Pinochet's forces. This meeting led him to choreograph Ghost Dances. He described how he took the theme of the Day of the Dead, simple symbolism and indigenous dance movements as a basis to convey the plight of the innocent people of South America down the ages and their courage in the face of adversity.

Certainly, Ghost Dances has a tremendous impact and audiences in many countries have delighted in its distinctive, rhythmic movement performed to haunting South American tunes. However, it is the representation of the oppression of ordinary people, symbolised by the sinister ghost figures, which gives the work its resonance.

Christopher agrees that, on the evidence of Ghost Dances, Swansong and Cruel Garden (about the death of Lorca at the hands of the Fascists in Spain), human rights themes have provided him with a strong source of inspiration. He remains a passionate advocate for the role of dance and the arts in society and believes that seeing good work and the chance to perform, either as an amateur or a professional, can not only enrich lives, but can also be a civilising influence.