Shavon Norris reflects again on our Swarthmore project, looking at her experience as a supervisor and outside eye to the project. Coming next week, we will see some video on our One Year Vlog Project that highlights some of the work our 4 idiosynCratz and 9 Swarthmore students have been doing since October.
*check out our One-Year Vlog Project
It is March, we started in October
mentors, mentees, John Cage
production deadlines, discomfort, newness and April approaching
debates about improv, about what belongs on stage
about how to create a dance, about what dance is
there are challenges
confusion, frustration, understanding, compromise, trust
buttons pushed, toes pointed and bodies moving
there are writing exercises
warm ups that are fun and sweaty
there are insecurities, confidence, change and beauty
there are 13 bodies/brains making decisions
13 bodies/brains negotiating preferences, perspectives, aesthetics
trying to make something honest and good
trying to make art
trying to be heard
trying to be seen
trying to make sense
trying to form relationships, friendships, ownership
this is collaboration to the tenth degree
a collision of histories and personalities in a studio
a collision of values and techniques
of humor, communication and needs
I admire these bodies
I respect these bodies
I am glad I am not one of these bodies
these bodies are journeying into territory that frightens most
they venture into the unknown
they move into undiscovered language and hip flexion
they make time to hear all of what is being said
time to witness all of what is being seen
and include all of what is being created
accept what is offered
the studio does not feel big enough to hold it
the stage deep enough to share the story
but they are making a dance to store the journey and the learning
I look forward to April
above: Karim Sariahmed; photo by Tayarisha Poe