Event #1 - The Cardiac Dance, The Spirals of Life

 

The Cardiac Dance, The Spiral of Life event poster.

 

Discussing the discovery of the “twisting heart” after the event with Dr. Buckberg.

On October 9, 2013 from 5pm-6pm, I attended Dr. Gerald Buckberg's lecture, “The Cardiac Dance, The Spirals of Life” located in the CNSI auditorium. Dr. Buckberg is a Professor of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, at the UCLA Medical Center. He began his lecture by stating that “you learn from traveling.” He discussed a structure called the Gaudi house and explain how it resembles a human heart. Backberg believed that all our current structures and technological advances “return to nature”. This meant that how society and people evolve can be traced to how nature functions.

“The Gaudi Cheesecake Factory.” by Trey Radcliff.

 

He recalling the time he met Dr. Francisco Torrent-Guasp. Dr. Guasp revolutionized the open heart surgery procedure by suggesting that the heart moves in a twisting motion and can be represented through a Gordian knot. This view was a combination of art and sciences; it changed how people thought about the heart, especially Buckberg. This is a great example about how a way of thinking caused a paradigm shift in medical technology and art. Buckberg joking stated, “Nature is simple; scientists are complicated.” It's true. Take gravity for example. Nature tells us that things fall when dropped. Scientists go into details relating to the graviational pull of the Earth, potential energy, as well as friction. Both are beautiful – the simple and complicated – in their own way.

 

The heart can be seen as a Gordian knot twisted.

 

Buckberg then showed us the meat of the presentation, a video of The Cardiac Dance. The Cardiac Dance was a live performance by the Dance Department of the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. The dance portrays the function of the heart through some cycles. The cycles are the cardiac form generation, the heart attack, the dysfunctional and disharmony, the salvation, and lastly, the resuscitation and rebirth.

 

“Lecture: Dr. Gerald Buckberg: Cardiac Dance.” by UCLA ArtSci.

I thought the dance was beautiful due to the subtle details resembling the heart. For example, their costumes were a red with black streaks. Individually, one would not think much about them. But together, they form the heart. Also although we were shown the movement of the heart during an open heart surgery, it was cool to see how the dancers moved together to demonstrate this. The concept of walking the audience through the life of a heart was brilliant. I would definitely suggest people to view The Cardiac Dance. The dance gives beautiful insight by exploring where science and art meets to explain how the heart functions in health and disease.

To video is available for viewing at: http://vimeo.com/713857


Yours truly,
Calvin Cam



Works Cited
Buckerg, Gerald D. “Gerald David Buckberg, M.D. Curriculum Vitae.” UCLA. UCLA Health. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. <http://www.surgery.medsch.ucla.edu/CVs/gbuckberg.html>.

Cawood, Richard. “The Cardiac Dance | The Spirals of Life.” Vimeo. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. <http://vimeo.com/7138579>.

“Lecture: Dr. Gerald Buckberg: Cardiac Dance.” UCLA. UCLA ArtSci. Web. 3 Nov 2013. <http://artsci.ucla.edu/?q=events/lecture-dr-gerald-buckberg-cardiac-dance>.

Ratcliff, Trey. “The Gaudi Cheesecake Factory.” Allposters.com. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. <http://www.allposters.com/-sp/The-Gaudi-Cheesecake-Factory-Posters_i8551599_.htm>.

“Viewfinder – Cardiac Dance – The Spirals of Life.” cetConnect. PBS, 8 Feb. 2010. Web. 3 Nov. 2013. <http://www.cetconnect.org/video/viewfinder-cardiac-dance-%E2%80%93-spirals-life>.