Inspired or Stolen
Inspiration:
* the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
* a sudden brilliant, creative, or timely idea.
Biting:
* the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, by stealing or taking without the permission or right.
* dishonestly pass off (another person’s ideas) as one’s own
The differences are subtle but monumentally defining as to how they are perceived. This comparison always reminds me of a a famous quote many refer to by Pablo Picasso: “good artists borrow, great artists steal.” Does that mean I have to be a thief in order to become great at something I am passionate about creatively? Even this quote is tied to possibly a rephrasing from Igor Stravinsky. Along with that, the concept may even also be originated from T.S. Eliot’s dictum, “immature poets imitate, mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different.” So this quote itself is stealing, or in Bboy, breakin terms, biting.
Self
Biting in hip-hop culture, especially the breakin (breakdance) community is a term synonymous with stealing. Dance already is ambiguous, interpretive, at best. Claiming something is stolen, concept wise, or move wise is highly debatable within the culture. Take for example, some of the foundation of the dance. A move know as the headspin where a dancer is spinning on the top of their head is considered a foundational move. Many dancers do this move and is not considered a bite or stolen. However, if a dancer does a headspin and holds a foot a certain way, some peers may start claiming that it is copying certain famous dancers. What is the difference? A foot grab decides what is original, and what is foundational? Seems silly to automatically assume something is being copied dishonestly. How can people distinguish the difference of being inspired and claiming originality on something stolen?
Doubt
Even for me, as a dancer, and a competitor, I can never be 100% accurate on knowing the truth when watching, judging, or competing against my peers. However, there are moments where I sense the doubt of authenticity which may elude to something being dishonest. There is a rhythm that dancers naturally have through their time training, rehearsing, and expressing that emerges from within themselves. This is a tempo that is unique to each person, like a fingerprint. When that rhythm suddenly changes or seems unnatural, authenticity comes into question. This is where dance becomes more ambiguous because based off feeling, we assume things are stolen, and then disconnect with the dancer expressing themselves because we feel lied to. This is all internal. We decide based on our biases what we find real and what we find fraudulent. Knowing more of the cultures that we invest our time in also create a sharper lens to find the true expressions versus the fake ones. When you are more involved in that culture and fine tune that lens, view, you begin to pick up on obvious untruths.
This does not just relate to competitions, this effects performances, shows, and expressions in a theatre environment. Educating yourself, and being to receptive to different ways dance is expressed offers more information for you to gather and compare. If you see one show with distinct moments of movements and styles that are reflective of another company’s show or street performance, again authenticity comes into question. Because we, as human beings, are so absorbed with time, the first time we see a movement will more than likely be our belief it is the original manifestation of that movement. It is possible that the second, or third time you see the same thing from someone else was the actual original creation. Society teaches us that stealing is wrong, and justly so. If I originally create a move or movement, and someone takes that from me and benefits, where I have no benefit, I will have a sense or wrong doing. If there is a collaboration of that, there is a duality of ownership, a sense or sharing willingly. That slight adjustment changes the feeling. But what if I am inspired from a distance?
Inspire
Inspiration again is a process of feeling something that sparks a moment of clarity to create. I find many times inspiration goes hand in hand with motivation. People can motivate one another, movements can motivate people to create. During this time of inspiration, when you create, there is an internal dialogue you have with yourself:
“How can I make this mine?”
“I wonder if I can copy that.”
“How can I do that?”
“That gives me an idea.”
This is a mixed bag of ideas of how to interpret that inspiration. Your conscience, and moral compass will then decide which direction you will go. Will you copy what you find, or will you figure out how to create it to be yours? We can all be made of the same flesh and bones, but that does not mean we are alike.
What you decide to do with the knowledge and information based on your values is what will decide if you are a thief or simply inspired. The truest truth of whether you are one or the other will be revealed only 100% within yourself. Being called out for taking something from elsewhere rather your own creative mind can only effect you if it is true, and if it does bother you, then you should look within as to why it does effect you.
Greatness
Returning back to the stolen quote, do you have to steal to be great? In order to be great you have to expose yourself to great things. So the answer is not stealing, but exposure to the greatest things people have done and learning to adapt those things into yourself. You are not magically the greatest dancer, artist, or photographer since birth, but you can be if you expose yourself, allow yourself to be vulnerable to others that are great at those things. As a novice, you start copying everything you learn similar to a child learning to speak mimicking everything they hear. As a child begins to age, they begin to create their voice, and when you find your voice, your admission to who you mimic is fine. Authenticity is what is valued as no idea really is original. If it is honest and really you expressing yourself based on your inspirations, you continue the cycle of inspiring others.
