In the week since David LaChapelle's video with Sergei Polunin went online it has gone viral, even sending this blog offline a couple of times due to the surge in people searching for information about the Ukrainian ballet star.
As I write the YouTube views are edging toward five million; just yesterday one million new views were registered.
Of course, this huge interest hasn't arisen just because of the involvement of LaChapelle and Polunin, but for the music they chose for the clip: Hozier's Take me to Church. It may have been that they just liked the melody, but the original video that accompanied the song caught the attention of the public long before Hozier's tune or lyrics. It features two men who kiss but then are seen being chased and beaten, and the video was conceived after Russia's criminalization of homosexuality with the intention to raise awareness and support for gay rights.
Polunin is from the Ukraine, but at this point in his career he mainly lives and works in Russia, so either he is making a brave statement, or it is an interesting coincidence. Openly gay photographer and director LaChapelle must have understood what meanings would be read into the video.
In an interview with fuse.tv, Hozier said,
The song, to me, is about what it is to be a human, what it is to love someone as a human being, and organizations that would undermine that, and undermine the more natural parts of being a person.
If you feel offended or disgusted by the image of two people kissing, if that's what it is, but you're more disgusted by that than the actual violence… I think you should take a look at your values, maybe.
I don't think there really should be a controversy when we're talking about a basic human right and the equal treatment of people.
Hozier, born and raised in Catholic Ireland, wrote the lyrics (according to Wikipedia) because of his “frustration with the Catholic Church and its stance on homosexuality”. He told New York magazine,
The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love.
The video itself is pleasurable with Polunin making the most of Jade Hale-Christofi's bland choreography which at least has the plus of giving the dancer many opportunities to jump and crouch in his torn flesh-coloured leggings and insert angst-ridden pirouettes between his bouncing off the walls. The setting resembles a church with ripped-out windows, undecorated walls and a bare floor. A neat metaphor.
LaChapelle's camera trails Polunin elegantly and floats around the empty space at different levels giving a swirling thrust to the video. Mist wafts in from between the Hawaiian plants outside and as Hozier sings, “Only then I am clean. Amen. Amen. Amen.” a ray of light pours down from the heavens illuminating Polunin on his knees. The religious imagery is obvious, as is the message the creative team are sending to the millions who are now watching their four-minute video clip.
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
I do hope it is about gay rights, I fear it is about sex with an especially compelling tatooed male dancer. I will be happy if it brings a new audience to ballet. Gay men, at least in this country, are a hugely powerful economic demographic. Surprisingly the politicians have not tumbled to that yet. It may be true that the men also are not aware. Do you think?
All those tramp stamps – oh dear! Regardless of his talent, he will rue the day he had these done before another two decades are out!
It seems that he’s finding his way… Looks like a scene of redemption?
He is not Ukrainian, he is Russian. He was born in part called Small Russia (Herson). Lenin gave it to Ukrainian soviet state. In 1991 it became the part of modern Ukraine. In interviews Sergey states that he loves his country very much and that it is impossible to take Russia out of Russian. Also his tattoos are showing his commitment. One tattoo on the hand is Russian coat of arms (2 head eagle), other – kolovrat – on the belly. It is Russian pagan sun symbol. If Kolovrat or similar signs could be used by other Slavic people, then Russian coat of arms is a clear signal about his feelings.
Jade Hale Cristofi’s choreography is certainly not ‘bland’; it facilitates the creativity between choreographer and dancer. It allows the powerful creative expression of a genius, such as Sergei, that traditional ballet almost destroyed.
Why only gay men? Why do you think sexy and especially compelling male dancers or even two men kissing can’t be “for women”? Hetero women are also a hugely powerful and underserved economic demographic. The common underestimation of female sexuality is a huge gap in the market. 😉