Commentary: The Sound of Noise

A dance review written earlier this month generated considerable discussion when I commented about the most prominent feature of the performance, i.e., a disruptive audience. Some people thought I was being mean and ignorant and not writing a review. The fact that the audience behavior was more remarkable than the performance was, in itself, a review.

People I spoke with about my reaction and the responses to it split as to when it is acceptable to clap. There are many places in which I have no problem with audience clapping during performances. These include the highly-structured routines of the Rockettes, where motions resembling the playing of scales on a piano do not require musical interpretation.  Outdoor performances of marching bands, where other distractions are already included in the sensory perceptions, also do not suffer from applause. In a small space, such as Hoyt Sherman Place, clapping is more problematic. Sound carries well in that auditorium, e.g., the thud of dancers’ shoes hitting the stage could be heard clearly in the back of the theatre.

A search of the Internet for ballet etiquette pulled up sites that offered information about what to do at intermission while on a date and how children should behave. The rules included going to the bathroom before going into the theatre, not unwrapping throat lozenges, not talking, and being seated when the curtain goes up. Interestingly, after all these rules about how not to disturb fellow audience members or the performers, clapping was said to be acceptable during the performance after difficult movements or when there was something especially appreciated.

This reminds me of experiences I have when I go to restaurants by myself. At such times I am usually trying to read or to write, so a quiet place is important. Inevitably, when I ask for a quiet table prior to being seated, I am told about children in the restaurant. However, my requests are about noise, not about children. Restaurant staff continuously demonstrate that they do not consider music being played loudly through low-quality speakers directly over a table noise. If a restaurant is full, the crowd can dampen the sound of loud music. In turn, the music offers cover for conversations. In contrast, when a dining establishment is not busy, the only reason for loud music is to keep the rock-and-roll-deafened staff awake.

Restaurants can adjust their extraneous noise to capture different types of customers. Such is not possible with dance groups. There are alternatives to clapping during performances, though. The energy of an audience is palpable even before the curtain goes up and receptive clapping at the end of the first dance can set the mood for the ones that follow. During the dancing, audiences’ breathing can reveal excitement or boredom. At the performance that I reviewed, several audience members stopped clapping during the final bows rather than get pulled into the rhythmic clapping coming from one section. This raises a question, was the clapping rewarding or punishing the performers?

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.