無所為而為的舞動：由「凱吉禪」探看康寧漢的「身體景觀」

Dancing for Itself: An Exploration of Cunningham's Body Vistas from the Perspective of ＂Cage Zen＂

10.3966/101562402020010038004

彭宇薰(Pong, Yushun Elisa)

約翰．凱吉 ； 康寧漢 ； 凱吉禪 ； 康寧漢舞團 ； 禪意 ； John Cage ； Merce Cunningham ； Cage Zen ； Merce Cunningham Dance Company ； Zen spirit

藝術評論

38期（2020 / 01 / 01）

125 - 169

繁體中文

美國舞者康寧漢（Merce Cunningham, 1919-2009）是二十世紀後半以來，西方備受稱譽的編舞家之一，其歷史定位不僅立基於傑出的舞作貢獻，更為人所津津樂道的是其作品與觀念的影響性。而他所帶來的突破性改革，主要源自於他的人生伴侶約翰．凱吉（John Cage, 1912-1992）的概念啟發，其中尤以禪佛的思想影響最大。本論文首先陳述凱吉如何幫助早期的康寧漢舞團穩定與茁壯，獨特的「凱吉禪」又是如何影響康寧漢的創作。其次，筆者透過《五人組曲》（1956），一探康寧漢作品中以禪意為出發的客觀旨趣與寧靜境界，接著以禪宗「平常心是道」的概念，探討凱吉與康寧漢作品中的日常與非日常性，提點現代與後現代舞蹈的定位議題。由於康寧漢某種程度地以機遇性操作成就作品的完成性，又配上狀似沒有任何關係的前衛音樂，因此筆者針對尚留有偌大詮釋空間的表現性與音樂性，進一步予以討論。透過這些探討，筆者發現在諸多康寧漢成熟的大型作品中，禪藝術所重視的大自然旨趣，成為其作品重要的表現特徵，《夏日空間》（1958）、《海灘鳥》（1991）與《水塘路》（1998）等作品是為例，它們充分顯現「身體景觀」的各種可能性。筆者最後指出，康寧漢作品體現生命理想性的動能，呈現靜中有動、動中有靜的趣味，它們某種程度地實踐了凱吉所謂不為情感所役的存在的「高貴性」。

American dancer Merce Cunningham (1919-2009) was one of the most respected choreographers in the West after World War II. His historical position is not only based on his outstanding contributions to the dance repertoire, but also on the influence of his works and ideas. The breakthroughs he brought about were mainly inspired by the ideas of his life-long partner John Cage (1912-1992), especially the teachings of Zen Buddhism. This paper first describes how Cage helped to make the early Cunningham Dance Company stable and strong, and how the unique ideas of ＂Cage Zen＂ influenced Cunningham's creations. Secondly, through the Suite for Five (1956), the author explores the disinterestedness and tranquility of Zen spirit in Cunningham's works. Based on the Zen concept that the ordinary mind is the Buddha's mind, the author then discusses dailiness and non-dailiness in the works of Cage and Cunningham. Since Cunningham used chance operation as a tool to get the works done to some extent, and used avant-garde music that does not have any direct connection to the dances, it is vital to investigate the expressiveness and musicality of the dances that still hold great interpretative potential. This leads to the discovery that the interest in nature, which is the essence of Zen art, became an important feature in many of Cunningham's large-scale mature works. The works Summerspace (1958), Beach Birds (1991), Pond Road (1998) and etc. are examples which fully reveal the possibilities of the ＂body vista.＂ Finally, the author points out that the works of Cunningham reflect the ideal kinetic energy of life, and they show the qualities of quietness in movement and movement in quietness. To some extent, Cunningham embodied the so-called ＂nobility,＂ i.e. the detachment from emotion, which Cage advocated throughout his life.

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