Refraction-Pt 1

I just completed the LSMSA spring dance concert "Refraction".

Loosely defined, refraction means to alter rays of light.

This was accomplished in the Black Box

by hanging up long sheets of sheer fabric, and then

shining the light through them.

Additional shadows and light pathways were 

created by the tree lights rays bouncing

off of the dancers, onto the walls.

The setting was unique, like that of a runway.

The dancers had multiple options for entrances,

exits and behind the scene traveling pathways.

Once the rehearsal process transferred from the studio,

into the performance space, it organically became a dance bubble.

Whenever the dancers performed, it was like they were

inside this bubble of light, and we, the audience

were sitting in the dark, outside, looking in.

The movement for this evening length work

was for me, raw and without any unintended layers.

I'm currently at a point in my life

that I feel I am in survival mode, and as such

only movement in its truest form was created organically,

in the studio, in cohesion with the dancers.

There was not much premeditated thought to the choreography.

The structure, yes. The music, yes. The casting, yes.

But other than that, each time I entered the studio, 

I never knew what was going to be the outcome that day.

I spent many a rehearsal reflecting on my time in my graduate program.

Words of my instructors lingering with sage wisdom such as,

there is no wrong view. Whatever view you have of the performance,

is the right one.

This particularly played a part in the setting of the space,

as no two people were going to see the same concert because

of the close proximity of the dancers, 

and the audience sitting on both sides of the stage.

I, myself, made sure to sit in a different seat and view 

each time the dance was run. I never really saw the 

same show twice. So many new moments stood out to me,

and I even would think that I didn't recall even structuring

or choreographing certain aspects.

I think some of that had to be credit given to the dancers though.

At some point in the semester, not sure when,

the dancers took ownership of this work.

They embodied it in such a way, by choice,

that I could not have directed.

I saw artists enter the dance space for each rehearsal

and performance. No longer were there technicians

on that dance floor, but humans connected to their bodies

in such a way that they could move and communicate

without and words, and didn't have a need for words.

I am still letting this experience marinate, 

and I had the opportunity to see the work be performed

7 times in a row.

I can only imagine the experience for those

who only attended once or twice.

Still resonating...