This study, called s(he), draws primarily on two hastas that refer to "woman" and "man." I was interested in bringing tactility, tension, and breath to the hastas, so that the movement could have a visceral impact. s(he) is inspired by specific phrases in the text from the SAN group that evoke the intertwining and occasional struggle between the genders. Its format, a video of close-ups on the hands, draws on the choreographic strategies of Anjali's ]wrist[ video from July 2009.
The password to view the video is "gender".
Feedback Questions:
1. Please watch the video with the sound and on mute. Which do you prefer and why?
2. What images resonate the most with you? Where do you feel your attention lag during the piece?What would you tighten or change dynamically?
3. What narrative, if any, do you see? Are there moments where the narrative ceases to make sense to you?
4. This study makes clear connections to Anj’s wrist dance and to the end of my solo, “hidden tamarind.” Is the piece too close to those other works, or are the similarities effective?
I am really drawn to the framing of the torso in modern zipper jacket and the legs wide position. I enjoy how it's not just a hand dance, but the body dances with them with gentle breath and sway. I also like the subtle movements within each gesture, so that the hands are constantly growing and transforming.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I experienced: he turns in time with the breath, blooming into a flower, petals stretching in the breeze. Contracting the flower wilts, shaking, turned old. Body shakes. Old hands interlace and transform again into young hands wiping, themselves clean, wiping the she off into a he. He comes out violently, pushing away, being held back, then relaxes, cradled by she. He grows up towards her, curious, stretching, yearning. She gently bites his head off, consumes him, joining with him into... an offering.
Overall, what resonated most with me was the choice to show only torso, hands and legs.
ReplyDeleteThe moment in the beginning when the hand scoops out towards the camera was very strong, as was the hand in the gesture alapadma wilting into tremor. Throughout hand gestures are recognizable as hastas, but animated through micromovements in the fingers. Growing, alive.
I see somewhat of an "identity crises" starting from the moment when the alapadma crumbles and begins to shake and tremor. This carries through, in spurts, until the end. The ending image, which in itself is very strong to me symbolizes a "coming together," which leaves some questions open as to how it connects to the "identity crises" before.