I’m struggling to feel creative with all of the cold weather sweeping through, but preparing for this project weighs heavy on my mind.
I can’t stop thinking about ways to indicate the need for touch, the fighting for existience in public space. For a long time I really didn’t want to make a piece “About COVID” but now it’s the only thing that feels worth doing. How am I supposed to make art without acknowledging this environment? How can I show the audience that dance is still possible, that joy is still possible, while still acknolwedging the public grief?
I’m also curious what the process of teaching dancers in isolation will do to a dance “about” isolation. Seems very meta but it would be fun to avoid bringing dancers into the space with each other until closer to the end of the process (not likely to happen but something to think about). What if isolated just one dancer? How would that effect the piece as well as the community the piece is building?
I have a lot of big questions and I’m anxious to get started but am not really sure how to do it. Looking forward to talking with the class again on Friday.
I think in your question of joy and grief, what if the two are not opposite? This is a somewhat funny reference, but in Wandavision (not a spoiler I think!) Vision says “What if grief is just love persisting?” A little meta, but something maybe to add to your thinking soup. It makes me wonder if your piece could be a part of processing this collective grief the world has been experiencing and not just about it.