If you haven’t seen the Margie Gillis Sun News interview, you may not want to. Because if you actually value the arts, it may be hard to sit through it and not want to punch someone’s face in (especially the interviewer). Posted on June 1st on the Canadian news website, the video shows a rather ferocious interview with contemporary dance artist Margie Gillis. And in the past few days, the video has spread like wildfire among New York City dance circles (perhaps even across the country), striking appropriate outrage in those who view it.

While I truly admire Margie Gillis for keeping her composure through the inteview and bringing up some good points, I feel that she could have had stronger comebacks and better arguments on the importance of dance and art. (Though, the people I know that I imagine providing such responses may have been kicked off the show before getting to them.) Convincing others to value art, especially under such antagonistic circumstances, is not an easy task. But we in dance need to be able to articulate why what we do is important and deserving of respect, appreciation, and support.

If you haven’t seen the video, click on the screen shot below to view it on the Sun News website. Then come back and read my dream ending, what I wish Gillis would have said to the interviewer in a final statement.

My dream response/final comment of Margie Gillis to interviewer Krista Erickson: (more…)