"It doesnt work, when youre thinking. It doesnt work… It doesnt work, do you understand that? Because we see, the viewer sees: youre thinking. And so were worried, were preoccupied, right. Is she OK?"
Alonzo King, born in Georgia to civil-rights activists Slater King and Valencia King Nelson, is an American dancer and choreographer based in San Francisco. King grew up in Georgia and California, where he attended Santa Barbara High School. As an adult, he decided to pursue teaching and choreography. In 1982, having established himself as a well-respected teacher, he founded Alonzo King LINES Bal
"So when you have to ask yourself: "Why am I holding back, why am I doing pictures?" And its usually: thats because youre afraid. Bottom line. And for great art you have to be brave. So that the whole world is going to laugh at you but you dont care, do you get me? And when they say: "Ah thats stupid!" You dont care. You follow that song. Im sorry, its true."
Alonzo King"So, you have to be a leader. So you may think: what were looking at? What do you think were looking at? We are looking for the best qualities in humanity: were looking for courage, fearlessness… Thats what we are looking for: we are looking for qualities in humanity! Kindness, compassion… Do you understand me? And so when you think: "Im a dancer!" No, you want to be a poet, so that youre taking people into ideas, not steps. Does that make sense?"
Alonzo King"And guess what: you dont need much technique to do that… You dont! You just have to live the idea. But some of youre afraid, you get it? And so you think and you pose. And honey there is nothing more boring. Thats a whole other world, thats the world of phoniness, glamour magazines that devised us, right? And so in dance we want to see the truth, lets ride of that."
Alonzo King"Because youre supposed to serve the art, right? So if I was your mother and your father, I would say: "This is my daughter, she is so cute…", right? But youre a human being in a brutal world whos looking to get… Ah beauty, I feel better. I want to be as beautiful, I want to be as honest, I want to be as fearless, I want to be as kind, do you understand me? Thats what were looking for… Because of the way that you dance, the way that you handle, because its so honest."
Alonzo King"You dont see much honesty… You dont! You dont see much honesty, do you? Whats another very rare word: humility. You dont see it much. Its beautiful. You can have that in your dancing. Its like: "Im not dancing, somethings dancing me." So its not: "Sir, Im doing this!" No, Im receiving something. Its beautiful. Sincerity. Do you get me? And so those are the things you have to live in. You dont need much technique to do that. But thats the important stuff. Does that make sense?"
Alonzo King"Women, you dont want to try to be pretty, its a lie. You want to be beautiful, to tell the truth. Pretty is a manipulation. You want to be beautiful. To tell the truth. Truth is beauty."
Alonzo King