We arrived at rehearsal pretty exhausted after yesterday's showing. Halfway through the residency, having produced a lot of material, we started to take stock and to discuss how to move forward with the work. Under discussion: the modularity of the show, whether Shy, Cyn, and Anj talked about what studies we found the strongest. We were basically in agreement that we found the following work compelling (knowing that some of these would be switched in or out depending on who's performing):
1. skype call/email
2. Shy face dance
3. Tell Me, Sister
4. Anj's story/jathi
5. Courtesan Cliches (metaphrase)
6. Cyn's Logomotion
7. Silent Cry
8. skin remix
SUNOH PHRASES
We also started work on our Sunoh! Tell Me, Sister phrases. Here is Hari's original assignment:
Create 3 different phrases based on the title, “SUNOH! Tell Me, Sister”. The three phrases should be as follows: (1) solely through abhinaya; (2) through your respective classical dance style; and (3) through your own creative improvisational style. The phrases should be around 1 minute each. Please create your phrases in isolation and not show them to each other. Please remember the phrasing and be prepared to show me when I arrive.
Cynthia did part 3 of the assignment with the following, very raw speaking-moving improvisation: "I listen - I take what I hear into my own body." The assignment also took into consideration one of Mona's questions:
"I think there could be great possibilities in using your working process even more as a guiding principle throughout the piece: When you work across geographical distance, through skyping etc., you observe each other (and your selves). You have to continuously find ways to "write yourself into each other's processes / creations." Heiner Müller talked about this in a public letter to Robert Wilson, explaining why he (Heiner) couldn't write the text for Death Destruction & Detroit II. He couldn't find a way to "write himself into Bob's process." Each of you continuously does. There is something in this communal and at the same time very individual process that relates to the courtesan culture (at least as I understood it from Veena's lecture). At the same time, it relates to the community of women (and other) survivors who have found a way to tell their stories. The telling can happen because there are listeners. How do you listen to each other, observe each other, invite each other to comment, play with your work/stories?
"I think there could be great possibilities in using your working process even more as a guiding principle throughout the piece: When you work across geographical distance, through skyping etc., you observe each other (and your selves). You have to continuously find ways to "write yourself into each other's processes / creations." Heiner Müller talked about this in a public letter to Robert Wilson, explaining why he (Heiner) couldn't write the text for Death Destruction & Detroit II. He couldn't find a way to "write himself into Bob's process." Each of you continuously does. There is something in this communal and at the same time very individual process that relates to the courtesan culture (at least as I understood it from Veena's lecture). At the same time, it relates to the community of women (and other) survivors who have found a way to tell their stories. The telling can happen because there are listeners. How do you listen to each other, observe each other, invite each other to comment, play with your work/stories?
In this context, you could play with the Brechtian device of the re-play (just for rehearsal purposes, although it might find its way into performance . . .). What would happen, for instance, if each of the performers did an improvisation (perhaps guided by Anjali) on her voice, the loss/recovery of her voice? It's such a central moment/reversal in the survivor's journey. It will gain power through rep&rev (repetition and revision/variation)."
password "rasika"
password "rasika"
I listen; I take what I hear into my own body from Cynthia Ling Lee on Vimeo.
Shy's assignments: password for all is "sunoh"
abhinaya:
Shy Sunoh phrase abhinaya from Shyamala Moorty on Vimeo.
After I showed the Abhinaya one to Cyn and Anj they saw connections to both Hidden Tamarind and Uma's love of the fragrance of roses and feeling she is a flower blooming. Perhaps there is a bridge between the two worlds here. Cyn also saw a gesture from "cyber chat" and thought I might be able to incorporate a few more gestures from it. She also wondered who is the other person? is it a figure 8 live feed or a voice over?
Bharata Natyam:
Shy Sunoh Tell Me Sister, Bharata Natyam from Shyamala Moorty on Vimeo.
I made this to the rhythm of the words "Su-noh, Tell me, Sister" in different configurations. Cyn and Anj were interested to hear these vocalized. Cyn also had a fun idea which I really like....that some of us are the courtesans and one of us is Veena Oldenburg asking them about their stories. They teasingly encourage one who is reluctant to tell her story with this material...and she finally does, which could be the "Tell me, Sister" piece with Cyn's new monologue in it.
own style:
Shy Sunoh phrase, creative from Shyamala Moorty on Vimeo.
I made this to the rhythm of the words like the last one...but it goes beyond the Bharata Natyam a little bit. I was confused when I was making it whether I was doing Bharata Natyam or my own creative thing. Cyn and Anj thought it was more celebratory. I think maybe a part or two could be combined with the Bharata Natyam phrase above and the rest could be cut.
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