An empty stage.
Performers are usually given a blank canvas to perform in. In that empty canvas, they bring in their own performance that occupies the space.
What if we designed the space and instead of them performing IN the space, we make them perform TO the space?
In my project, I wanted to explore the idea of letting a space choreograph a dancer’s movement. Essentially, the dancers come into a space with no choreography in mind and move according to what the space tells you to.
For this micro-performance, I decided to scale it down by using objects instead of space.
Dancers/ often used props that have been choreographed into dance.
Similarly, what happens when we let the prop choreograph your dance?
Subject:
The rope choreographer – rope and dancers
Context:
Two participants will control the rope, while the performer has to dance to the movement of the rope.
The performers experimented with two different instructions on how to react to the rope.
- Avoid the rope.
- Always touch the rope.
I enlisted the help of two of my dancer friends of varying dance backgrounds, Mus (contemporary dancer) and Shah (Lindy dancer). I (an old and retired modern dancer) also took part in this performance.
Part 1 – Avoid the Rope
Part 2 – Always touch the Rope
Thoughts
I believe the rope started becoming the fourth dancer in this performance. While perfoming, I was entranced by the rope, and it instinctively becomes my “dance partner”.
It’ll be interesting to see a variation of this where it becomes a human and machine dance collaboration, where the dancer has to move according to the movements of the machine. I would very much love to venture into this for my semester project.
