‘SWAN LAKE’ AT UMASS MORE LIKE ‘SWAN FAKE’ … or … PC RUN AMOK: THE DEATH OF MEN
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 2016) — Now playing on a college campus near you, the hit musical “The Death of Men.”
This laugh riot of happy hits and snappy patter explores the fun and games of political correctness with respect to gender and sexuality, the laff riot of the academy that soon will make obsolete half the human race. For 15 minutes, everyone will be famous. In 50 years, though, there will be no more men. What a wonderful world it will be: Mandated “inclusion” transforming simplicity into complication, decisiveness into obsolescence, and healthy differences of opinion into capital offenses.
You there, Guy! Look over there. See those effeminate looking black men wearing tutus? A new alphabet soup has replaced the old alpha male: LGBTQU. For the culturally illiterate sexists and racists out there, they stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, and undecided. That pretty much includes everyone. Yes, Guy, you’re supposed to applaud.
All of which brings us to a performance to take place tonight at the UMass Springfield campus. THE PLANET is happy to give the show more publicity!
Here’s the official announcement:
“The Dance of the Ebon Fairies” from Dada Masilo’s butched-up version of “Swan Lake.”
Dada Masilo has become one of the most celebrated choreographers in South Africa, renowned for her reworking of classical ballets. In this creation of Swan Lake, her company of male and female African dancers revisit this great classic with a modern scope, keeping much of Tchaikovsky’s music, themes, tutus and pointes intact but weaving high-energy, down-to-earth South African pantsula and gumboot into the mix. Re-imagining this ballet through a South African lens, Masilo tackles the issues of sex, gender and homophobia in a country confronting the impact of AIDS on its people. Partial nudity. Recommended for ages 14 and up.
Ticket-holders are invited to a pre-show talk in the FAC lobby at 6:30 p.m., by UMass assistant professor Megan Lewis, a South African-American theatre historian. Audience members may also stay for a post-show conversation with the company immediately following the performance.
Two non-GMO audience members enjoy a pre-show snack.
Masilo will also discuss her work the night before (Mon. 1/25) at 7 p.m. at the UMass Springfield campus, in the Tower Square building. Reception to follow; open to the public with local dance and LGBTQ community members particularly encouraged to attend.
The presentation of Swan Lake by Dada Masilo was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and TheAndrew W. Mellon Foundation, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts .
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In other words, this monstrosity is being paid for by your hard-earned tax dollars.
The UMass posting on Facebook led to an interesting exchange, which we share here.
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Dan Valenti This isn’t art. This is propaganda. It’s clueless academia trying to brainwash the gullible.
Markeysha Dawn Davis “…all Art is propaganda and ever must be, despite the wailing of the purists.”–W. E. B. Du Bois (1926)
Dan Valenti With all due respect to W.E.B.D.B., this statement does him no justice. He was a great man, to be sure, except in pronouncements of this sort. As a polemicist and social philosopher, he saw Art in the limited, political manner which you just quoted. I would defer to W.E.B.D.B. on the role of blacks in Reconstruction but never on Art, a subject upon which he couldn’t get rid of the blinders. Interestingly, this is the same mistake being made by dabblers who insist that this ridiculous reworking of “Swan Lake” has artistic merit. Do not confuse aesthetic worth with political urgency.
Ben Herrington We get it Dan, you have an agenda and believe yourself to be the authority on what is art and what is not. You think this is a political piece (not as if politics and art have ever crossed paths…) and you disagree with the politics. So? Art isn’t meant to be appreciated by broad swaths of people, it is supposed to mean something to someone. You don’t like this and you are entitled to your opinion, but that’s your opinion. You aren’t the end all be all. You’ve said your piece, now what? You aren’t changing minds, you’re just patting yourself on the back for being closed minded.
Dan Valenti BEN It warms me that you “get it.” I should shudder to think otherwise. In the process, you also conveniently avoid taking on my argument and the points I made with respect to Du Bois as an authority on Art, which Markeysha claimed. If you can arrange it, I should be more than glad to make the trip to UMass and debate anyone on this, live and without notes. What say? [Ed. Note: Needless to say, our challenge went unanswered]
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THE PLANET understands the calculated controversy of this production, but we dismiss the campus brainwashing that brands as “racist,” “homophobe,” “close minded,” or worse qualified comments that do not fall lock-step in the PC line.
This production is a lot of things. It’s non-GMO. It’s vegan, nut free, abhors fracking, and was written on sustainable acreage.
But it’s not Art.
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“A hustle there, a bustle there. New York City is the place where they say, ‘Hey, man. Take a walk on the Wild Side.” — Lou Reed, “Take a Walk on the Wild Side,” (1972).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Dubois was a fraud
Dan,
What gives? Tyer announces a new personnel director and treasurer and sandwiches a GOB sppointment between them, and you don’t have a column on this. Then, just outside city hall and the mayor’s residence there is another shooting, another murder, and you post about men in tutus instead. Do you not care about the fate of this once fine city anymore?
RIP, I guess you are unfamiliar with the new finance directors history. He is as GOB as the mold they make them in. He was on sabbatical but never cut the cord. They never do. Nobody from the private sector is going to get to look at those books.
DV gave Bianchi a fair chance when he first took the helm. Would you like to get a report card in your first three weeks?
you forgot to add that it happened .10 mile from hotel on north
Rip,my exact thoughts.the planet may be trying to elevate the conversation to something you would.find in a college classroom. I’ve often wondered what a liberal college math teacher professes, or a liberal biology professor teaches…..how does a liberal surgeon work,or how does a liberal pilot fly a jet or does a.liberal designated hitter not hit home runs as far as a conservative.
.
No he has to give them to other players on the team. Everyone should have the same amount of home runs.
Brilliant – youwalk around wondering that stuff and call yourself a conservative
Ben downing said he kept his pledge to make.our economy better and our school s bettet.they are all in denial
I don’t think denial is the proper word. Politicians, by their very nature and job description, have a strong aversion to the truth. It is a bit of a survival mechanism. If they told the truth very few would ever get a second term and they are very well aware of this. Smoke and mirrors and sleight of hand are the fundamental tools of any enduring politician.
Ben Downing was a pompous butt sniffer in high school and continues to be today. Never doubt that he has his own interests in mind (career) over the Berkshires.
Looks like we have a couple/three of them there butt sniffers on the current council. Look for some leap frogging in the next couple of terms.
he did so but not running again
I agree that perhaps the conversation can take place without reinterpreting the classic Swan Lake. Very strong language.
P L A N E T: Our Hearts are in Your Hands.
Naahh…I agree more with Ben on this one, and think you are actually agreeing with DuBois despite your protestations. You yourself are saying the dance presentation is propaganda after all. I would withhold my judgement as to whether it’s art until I saw the quality of the choreography and dancing. After all, the fact that it includes gender bending roles and exploration does not DISqualify it as art…no more than it makes it art. I mean, how did/do you feel about Mapplethorpe?
I’m wondering how much longer Lach’s Lounge will be in business. They’ve become the new Danny’s but being so close to City Hall, the violence cannot be allowed to continue there. I do realize that the gangsters will just go hang out somewhere else but Lach’s has to close.
Aren’t they covered by the same insurance policy as the Beach?
Yet parents pay large amounts of money to send their children to these colleges. Art went seriously downhill when it was decided by some PC people that anything could be art. It’s all in the interpretation as they repeated to Dan.
I remember standing in front of the BCC campus one year waiting for the bus to pick me up and there was this mangled piece of metal which is the only way I can describe it. It was intended to be art and I did all I could to appreciate it as art by looking at it from many different angles, but it just wasn’t happening for me. It looked like a mangled up car after an accident which didn’t evoke artistic appreciation for me and I didn’t understand how it could do so for anyone. It wasn’t pleasant or really even interesting to look at. I think art is just the opposite of what the PC people claim. True art should speak to all people and not just a select few. Just because something is weird or strange doesn’t make it art.
The best… was the boat in Allendale Parking Lot. When all else fails… Call it “Art”.
If you go down to Silver Lake on the night of a full moon you can still see the Allendale ship, bow up out of the water, pointing to the sky. It cries for the sad decline of the city.
Ah, yes the sinking boat in Allendale which many interpreted as being symbolic of the Berkshires. Were politicians trying to send a message to Berkshire citizens about the state of the Berkshire economy without coming right out and saying it because you know that politicians can never be truthful.
Large photographs of North Street, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, were part of an art exhibit by artist Gregory Crewdson that was shown in museums in London, Manhattan, and L.A.
Mass MoCA shows the tenement houses in North Adams as part of its art exhibits that are advertised in NYC.
Pittsfield and North Adams are scene as post industrial art exhibits through the eyes of the wealthy.
Classical artwork versus modern artwork. One is literal, while the other is figurative.
When asked about what a song meant to someone,and the writer of the song says it was about his mother a number of people say oh it was about my wife for me and another would say it was my dog my daughter,my coach and so on….art evokes different thing for different people even if it looks like mangled steel
I disagree. I don’t think that art is or should be a Rorschach test.
So long as taxpayers don’t have to fund it art can be any dam thing it wants to be.
We are talking about art right now not finances.
When you were a City Official that tipped off a drug dealer, and we’re given a break….. a suspended jail term for probation…… in a City that is overwhelmed with drugs…….. we now have a judge and probation department that gives you special treatment for violating your probation 3 times. This is unacceptable in every way. This Judge and Probation Department’s integrity is totally on the line. This is a slap in the face to this Community.
You are so right, Spagirl I got sick to my stomach whan I read that.
I totally agree spagirl. This Probation Department and the judges do not know the meaning of justice.
Tyer will be known as the worst mayor of all time.
Bought and paid for by wall to wall GOBSIG. Word is Ang Stracuzzi is
coming back to Pittsfield to hop on the gravy train and boost his
retirement package paid for by hard working city tax payers. The
Rotund Bouvier will need a job soon but Morticia will definetely have
a spot for her. Maybe Lothrop will be named city surgeon General.
Qualifications? doesn’t matter in Pittsfield. If you are GOBSIG, you
are home free. Why bother with Donovan and O’conner lawyers –Hire
Gloria ALRED. But let’s not stop there. -Lets hire Lew MARKHAM (coach)
to be city reporter. He will Make Tyer look like the second coming of
Christ. His tv show is the worst show on PCTV, but it is widelly
enjoyed, by all city politicians, as they have thier ego’s messaged by this fool.
Finally, Lets get Buffis on the payroll. Just because he
will be in jail means nothing in pittsfield politics. Ah- Yes -THE
feeding trough for all individuals who can’t make it in the private
sector. Jody Phillips can tell you a few things about that. God help us.
Tonight’s City Council meeting should be interesting. I wonder if any citizens will speak up.
We know of one nut that will be in the front row.
Still. does that mean that you will be there? Wear something that has red so I know it’s you.
You’ll recognize me by the latest scars from fights with my brother.
I saw Kathy Lloyd in the front row wearing red…..Kathy is this you?
Buffis won’t get jail. He’ll get Probation. Because that’s how we do things in Massachusetts.
I am pretty sure he was found not guilty on just about all of the charges, correct?
I hear Dewey, Cheatum and Howe are representing the city in all matters legal.
if you are wondering why Paul capitiano can violate his probation three times and not go to jail the problem lies with his probation officer Clifford Nilan protecting him like he protected angelo stracuzzi . now paul has his good buddy linda tyer as mayor and god forbid we put paul in jail and close down her favorite pizza hole were the elite meet to drink and toast to ward 3 being in control of city hall once again, what a joke this city has become..
Capi only had to tell Cliffy that Angelo sent him 😉
Lets make Capitanio the city’s top official criminal. There are many
in City Hall- but Tyer can make them all answerable to him. Once Ang
Stracuzzi gets back, she can make him the official day care director
for city youth. Cliff Nylan–Well we all know GOB-IT is spelled NILAN.
Remember his daughter almost killed a citizen and she said she didn’t
know she hit anyone!!! No problem-Nilan,s cronies at the
courthouse, took care of it. The courts are the rubber stamps for the crooked politicians.
Court here in Pittsfield is known as the protectors of the well
connected.Of course, when you look at who hold the plumB jobs over
there you see the friends,relatives and boot lickers of the well off,
GOBSIG’S. Pittsfield, what have we wrought on ourselves?
We really need someone to clean up this corrupt city and the horrible courts that exist here.
If we can take a twisted piece of metal and call it art, if we can destroy a classic like Swan Lake by gender bending then EVERYTHING is art. If everything is art nothingis art. Greatpiece DV.
Apparently Paul Capitanio’s urine isn’t the only consistently dirty things in this city. No punishment for probation violation. Bullshit
This from the City of Pittsfield’s web site.
Exactly how does Guyer fit into this?
The Buildings & Grounds Maintenance Department provides a safe and clean environment for the citizens and employees of the City of Pittsfield. We oversee renovation projects, new construction and grounds maintenance. The department is comprised of a skilled work force that is dedicated to the repair and maintenance of the City’s municipal buildings and structures, school buildings and parking garages. We are also responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all municipal Park and Conservation properties and all municipal and school grounds, which include playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, running tracks, athletic fields and a skate park.
Our mission is to ensure building safety and optimum mechanical performance by providing preventative maintenance and repair of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. Other services include, but are not limited to, interior/exterior structural repairs, minor renovations and specialized maintenance such as computerized HVAC control systems, fire and security systems, emergency generators, pressurized vessels and elevators.
the buildings and maintenance department already has a non working foreman in tony stracuzzi and now we are going to have another non working supervisor in mr guyer to oversee the non working stracuzzi ????, abbot and Costello,s who’s on first or who’s making these decisions Barry or Linda !!!
Sounds like it is too much for the men you have to do the work.
Dan,
You are absolutely 100% correct. This is not art.
It is indeed an advertising campaign for political correctness.
Anyone who believes this is art has been severely brain damaged by the public system of “education” (indoctrination).
You get it Dan.
Just look how you got attacked on here. Some even telling you what you should write about on your own web-site.
Political correctness run amuk.
Law enforcement out of control.
Taxes beyond people’s ability to pay.
A national debt resembling the Weimar Republic on steroids.
An economy in depression.
What we are seeing is the collapse of a society right before our eyes.
Hey Dan,
I am sorry to see the demise of well written articles by you (you are still writing them, but…) and the good discussion, which was generated by your topic of the day.
Now, your forum has been hijacked by mostly anonymous, pissed people in the Berkshires, who only bitch. I am still waiting for anyone (I am to blame as well) to step up and offer any type of alternative to the “bitch of the day” (BOTD).
At least the Celtics have been winning lately!
Peace,
D
Hey D-Man, I tried to offer a thoughtful, insightful, on-topic comment! Scroll back.
The powers that be in Pittsfield don’t want alternatives to anything. They just want the general public to sit down and shut up like they have been doing for far too long. That way the powers that be can lead the good sheep over the cliff without any whining.
D-Man
The bitchers and pissed people are the Citizens and Taxpayers, who are fed up with the unjust corrupt system in this City and in this Country. Hard working people who take it on the chin day in and day out. Who have done the right thing, and continue to do the right thing, and watch the very people who are supposed to set examples and enforce laws do the unscrupulous things that we are Bitch in about today.
Go Shit in your hat!!!
Exactly! Which is worse? Using political power and connections to rip off hard working people or bitching because you have been ripped off by people with political power and connections?
It seems that with the seemed complete circle of political control over everything in the city that bitching is all we got left. And you can’t even do it in front of the city council because they will shut you down.
Pittsfield may have migrated subtantially away from democracy but it is still in America isn’t it?
why not ? let’s have a guy with no contractor’s license fixing stuff…tort attorney’s dream – “Mr. Guyer isn’t true that you fixed the boiler at PHS the night before it burned down because no one else was available ?”…you know the rest. He is the contractor’s equivalent of Degnan as Solicitor – just not safe..give him another job, but not that one –
D man,I did not know this is a book club…..planets interest in this subject is not popular with normal people…maybe the front porch of the red lion in this summer but not likely there either.
I will bet Tony stracuzzi paid himself 50 bucks an hour overtime watching the track of the storm from dunking donuts on Sat. Starting at midnight….someone needs to check on this at city hall,this would be a good start for guyer after all he is the boss of toni
If you don’t like the subject maybe you should start your own blog instead of hijacking Dan’s. You clearly have the time.
Rest assured this will all be covered by the Eagle.
And I have taken my Beano so it’s OK to sit near me tonight at the council meeting.
The Ombudsman was at the Councilors trial giving him few good words as the Councilman cried tears of relief. ehat a joke and what an insult to the grieving.
Typical Pittsfield person. Anyone who complains has to be a nut because things are perfect in our fair city. Also the full moon was days ago.
My life is fine Thank You, but its the people of the city I’m worried about just as Dan V. is and the rest of the people here on the Planet. Anybody who complains is a nut? That is the most crazy thing I have ever heard. To me its the people who are afraid to speak up about anything who are the real problem.
Pat you are right. first came the Planet as a alternative to the Eagle. And now we have good citizens coming forward at city council meetings. We had two such citizens come forward tonight. Maybe next month there will be three or four. The citizens of Pittsfield are fed up. I don’t think they are willing to give Tyer a long grace period. If she has anymore clunker appointments like Guyer she’s asking for a recall election and I know who will be working day and night to get a recall on the ballot.
Fairy’s in tutu’s, how original. Wish I thought of that,I’d be rich.
The Planet is a very complex individual especially when his next move could be a blunder buster. If you watched last weeks show you might have heard S C Terry reveal he could be sitting on some high secret info. I have yet to hear the Planet say we had to stay on topic, so why trash the topic, if you don’t like it, just don’t say anything.
That comment was not directed at Dan. It was my interpretation of the art.
Is interpersonate a word?
Don’t know, the answer to that.
D man you never added commentary on Dans article,maybe say something as simple as men who are not comfortable in their skin are repulsed by the image of men in leotards, and in the end maybe it’s as simple as this is just not your cup of tea
Kathy LLoyd like you’re hairdo! And Mary Ellen luv your dress.
I’m watching the CC meeting. And not to my surprise, I see that the Bianchi squad (Mazzeo, Connell, and Morandi) are still active trying to disrupt Mayor Tyer’s administration.
I am sure we will be seeing this from now on. Hey, guys, the election is over and your guy lost. Get on with your life and represent your constituents.
The three of them sounded like they rehearsed their “contractor’s license” speeches. Hey, just like UAlbany’s post above.
Guyer is an unqualified hack
Mazzeo was trying to be nice…but her “Chuckie” still came out.
Junior, the new DPW Boss said cars in the road are illegal during a storm. Here’s what Junior needs to say, that there is a programming place, you park your car in the road overnight, 200 dollar fine!! It’s called Zero Tolerence.
Illegal Parking enforcement still the powers to be, the Mayor, Chief! D P W, Council, no one has a remedy for it. Here’s my remedy, if you Park during certain months in the road, 200 dollar fine, that’s it! What’s the problem, have the ticket already made out for 200 dollars, give it to the owner. Watch the problem disappear.
I agree Discreet
What is Len the news guy doing in the audience? Doesn’t he know, no one listens to B R K anymore?
Lisa’s a ball of energy tonight,gawd.
I thought the mayor said the plow drivers were not plowing dry roads but treating them? Who’s bullshitting who? The Chief to his credit, explained tickets on overnight, illegal parked cars, and the issue and remedy is what the Cat said, I crease the fine, that’s the City Councils chore. Junior the D P W Commissioner hasn’t seen a snow storm yet, the jury is still out.
Council Grades: Mazzeo A
Morandi A
Simonelli A
Rivers A
Krol A
Amuso A
Caccamo A
Marchetti A
Connell A
Tully A
White A
what does the “A” stand for?
I wish councilord amuso would b have grilled Jakes eberwien like she grilled this poor guy…she’s not smitten
Yeah change, haven’t seen a grilling like that since Lee Bailey on Mark Furhman? They have the school so they’ll start acting like they care.
Congrats to Pittsfield Police dept. on arresting scumbag who robbed 5 business.
Congratulations to the Witness that came forward to turn his wife in who was driving the truck. She then turned him in.
In a town this small, the Police Dept. Should have had a handle on this long before 6 robberies…..that took place between 6 and 8pm….. just saying.
Parking in the city is a problem I know it is in ward 3 . People park blocking driveways and no one will do a thing about it not the ward councler. But when some one gets hit while some one is backing out then they will fine the one backing out and the one blocking the drive will get nothing.
How to get a god job in Pittsfield: be an arrogant, insulting jackass but donate $$ to the correct mayoral candidate. I know I know it’s early but the appointments tonite were the most obvious political cherries ever handed out in the history of Pittsfield. Outrageous stuff.