TONIGHT WITH JOACHIM KOESTER
The third Tonight event featured Joachim Koester. Koester presented a lecture focusing on his fascination for hypnagogia. During the event Koester read his work Nanking Restaurant. Tracing Opium in Calcutta (2006). After this presentation, writer and curator Lars Bang Larsen and Joachim Koester exchanged ideas and thoughts on the subconscious and related themes.
The afternoon was concluded with a contribution by Melanie Bonajo and Janneke Raaphorst who introduced us into the world of the jive.
The afternoon was concluded with a contribution by Melanie Bonajo and Janneke Raaphorst who introduced us into the world of the jive.
Tonight with Joachim Koester, 28 September 2008, Frascati Amsterdam
Nanking Restaurant. Tracing Opium in Calcutta (excerpt)
'Not the opium-eater, but the opium, is the true hero of this tale; and the legitimate centre on which the interest revolves,' writes Thomas De Quincey in his novel Confessions of an English Opium Eater (1822). He continues: 'The object was to display the marvellous agency of opium, whether for pleasure or for pain; if that is done, the action of the piece has closed'
'Not the opium-eater, but the opium, is the true hero of this tale; and the legitimate centre on which the interest revolves,' writes Thomas De Quincey in his novel Confessions of an English Opium Eater (1822). He continues: 'The object was to display the marvellous agency of opium, whether for pleasure or for pain; if that is done, the action of the piece has closed'
De Quincey did more than merely describe the marvelous power of opium - its ability to induce visions and horrible nightmares. Confessions of an English Opium Eater can be read as a manual, a guidebook with advice, instructions as well as warnings for prospective opium users. De Quincey explains that he prefers to go to concerts under the influence of laudanum, as it stimulates 'the sensual pleasure of music'. He sets aside one evening each week for this, and by doing so incorporates into his leisure activities, the consumption of an opium preparation to enhance aesthetic pleasure [...] Download the full text (48KB .PDF).
On JIVE
Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated among African-Americans in the early 1940s. Jive (or the correct term jitterbug jive) is named after a 30's Mickey Mouse cartoon where Mickey and Minnie danced a country style jitterbug. The name came from Jitterbugs being the dancers and Jive meaning 'fake'. But, the dance steps are actually derived from country dancing. The turns and overhead moves are a direct descendant of some very old English country dances where couples cross over in a diagonal.
Jive actually has nothing to do with the Lindy Hop, Charleston or any other body lead dance of the time, this is due to the dance being hand lead rather than body lead as in all the other swing dances of the 30's and 40's. Real 30's jive dancing features smooth, sliding footwork whereas later the footwork was not as smooth due to the dancers lifting their feet so as not to trip on rough floor boards or the local rough country entertainment establishments. Source: Wikipedia
Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated among African-Americans in the early 1940s. Jive (or the correct term jitterbug jive) is named after a 30's Mickey Mouse cartoon where Mickey and Minnie danced a country style jitterbug. The name came from Jitterbugs being the dancers and Jive meaning 'fake'. But, the dance steps are actually derived from country dancing. The turns and overhead moves are a direct descendant of some very old English country dances where couples cross over in a diagonal.
Jive actually has nothing to do with the Lindy Hop, Charleston or any other body lead dance of the time, this is due to the dance being hand lead rather than body lead as in all the other swing dances of the 30's and 40's. Real 30's jive dancing features smooth, sliding footwork whereas later the footwork was not as smooth due to the dancers lifting their feet so as not to trip on rough floor boards or the local rough country entertainment establishments. Source: Wikipedia
'Jive' by Melanie Bonajo and Janneke Raaphorst
