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LINES Ballet's Alonzo King: Alonzo King and the Inner Dancer

Charles Maple, Director of the Maple Conservatory of Dance

October 21, 2007

Last month I was excited to learn that Alonzo King's LINES Ballet was scheduled to perform at the Orange County Performing Arts Center's Fall for Dance series. I have known Alonzo for over 30 years. Many years ago, when American Ballet Theatre was on tour in San Francisco, many of us would decend upon Alonzo's studio for an inspirational class with the master. Through his class and teaching, each of us had our individual interior facility tapped, cajoled, nourished and brought forth.

Thirty years later, I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for the Maple Conservatory students and the surrounding dance community to experience Alonzo's magic first-hand. So, I called him up and asked if he could fit in a class while he and his company were here in Orange County. And so, last Saturday the Maple Conservatory of Dance had the honor to host a master class with Alonzo King!

From the moment Alonzo walked into our studio, there was excitement in the air—just as it was when I took class with Alonzo many years ago.

The first thing he did was to make the dancers in the class face away from the mirror. The cornerstone that shapes Alonzo's training philosophy is that "art is within the artist." He believes that creative intelligence is a part of mankind's makeup, just as are one's heart, brain and lungs. Each individual has a unique voice and Alonzo's aim is to strengthen and hone that voice in each of his students, while establishing a foundation that extracts the best attributes of all dance forms, but with ballet (i.e., western classical dance) as its mainstay.

Alonzo King conducting class at the Maple Conservatory of Dance

The class was amazing. Alonzo challenged the dancers to go beyond what they already knew and into what they felt was impossible. In two short hours, he had them moving, jumping, turning and dancing like there was no tomorrow. It was great to watch!

"Mr. King's class unleased the 'inner dancer' in me," said Maple Conservatory student Steven Morse. "His knowledge, wisdom, and philosophy inspired my artistry and took my dancing into an extreme level. His attention to detail and discipline created in me an intense focus. The corrections he gave in that class will be part of my work forever."

Alice Fuller was equally moved. "Alonzo did not just give us a ballet class, he gave us a new way to look and dance," she said. "Dance is not just a series of steps, it is the music. He made me realize why I was dancing and made me show that passion for dance in every movement."

Alonzo spreading his "magic" in the Maple Conservatory master class

"Mr. King's class was one of the most inspirational classes I have ever taken," said Maple Conservatory student Jordon Hammond. "He taught us how to be true artists and to become one with our souls. His words were moving and he pushed us outside of our comfort zones and made us dance without fear. He helped me to discover my inner artist and made me realize that I was in control of my artistic destiny. I will always remember him telling me not to be another sheep in the meadow that looks like everyone else, but to be a lion and take control and stand out from the crowd."

"Be a lion, not the sheep."

"Mr. King is setting the highest standard of dance in America," said Maple Conservatory student Karen Johnson. “His class was a revelation and I am transformed forever."

I was curious about Alonzo's incredible energy and where he gets his inspiration.

"The word inspiration is quite a deep and beautiful word," he said. "It has a Latin origin, inspirare, which means 'to breathe into' and it originally meant that you had received the breath of divine communication; that you had been granted an audience with the Spirit. There are three levels of human consciousness: everyday consciousness, the subconscious, and the superconscious. The subconscious is said to be the memory bank for all that has ever happened to us. The superconsciousness is the realm where all ideas of invention and true creativity lie. Superconsciousness is linked with intuition. That superconscious state is what I aim for. It is my daily attitude of loyal service to my work that is important and that re-energizes me. If inspiration comes, it comes when it does.”

Alonzo King, "The Messenger"

Alonzo’s message is clear: Serve the art and always remember that you love what you are doing. Give more and try harder. Alonzo is an embodiment of that philosophy.

Thank you Alonzo for a great class, for sharing your passion for dance, for your infinite wisdom and for inspiring a future generation of dancers to see beyond their technique and into their soul.

Charles A. Maple
Director, Maple Conservatory of Dance
Email: info@mapleconservatory.com