Choreography

The words

The choreography I am writing now is based on an essay that I wrote when I returned from Sri Lanka and centers mostly around key words present in the text:

• Rain
• Full Moon
• Water! Water!
• I held my journal close to my heart and then I let it go
• Floating furniture
• table
• turned off my brain
• What a sh$@£* way to die
• good-bye
• looking
• the book on the table
• radio
• dead/tomb
• I made peace with the ocean

The narrative takes inspiration from the actual sequence of events that took place the morning of the 26th of December 2004, but aims to abstract and extract the sentiments and energy of those moments to build a fluid yet carefully paced choreography that can leave room for improvisation as well.

The performance maps

In working on the audio with musician/friend Gadi Sassoon, we sketched out the first working performance map in order to get a better understanding of the rhythm of the dance and of the audio score that needs to go along with it. Click to view larger.

After my first serious studio rehearsal I reworked the performance map a bit and sketched out a different sequence for the audio file. Click to enlarge.

The choreography starts slowly, sleepy, then it climaxes into a shock moment where the subconscious splits from the conscious. There is a battle with nature and its elements, a battle of survival, then the revelation moment. Then the run for higher grounds and a celebratory dance that hopefully will be the product of a collaboration with a Sinhalese dancer. Then the meditation, the end.

Performance sketches

For more images taken from my personal journal, click here!

Inspiration for movements

The ending part of this choreography wants to be a tribute and an homage to the great people of Sri Lanka, their incredible hospitality, humble and resilient nature, generosity. I would love to further the cultural exchange that I have shared with many families of Sri Lanka, also by learning a local and classic Sinhalese dance. So far I have researched a few and this specific video shows the Pooja dance: the 26th of December was the Day of the Pooja, and full moon and was supposed to be a day of celebration.

Video clips

Earlier experiments

Video clip of different movements and movement research, a very early and very rough draft.

Rehearsal at Design Theater Workshop on November 26 2007

At the DTW I rehearsed the entire choreography and experimented with a traditional bell anklet to add an element of live percussion to the dance. This experiment was actually what gave me the idea of using technology as a mean to better control an instrument like these bells.

One other important moment of this performance is the split between conscious and subconscious and I am exploring different ways to represent it.

Rehearsal at Martha Graham’s Studio on December 8 2007

This movement is one that has been growing stronger and stronger after every rehearsal. It happens just at the climax of the performance, very close to the beginning.

This is one of the transition moments that happen within this choreography.

This is the very end of the performance as meditation and acceptance are the messages I would like people to end this experience with.