I was intrigued by the idea of a solo for one person, but I was only moments into
the piece when it hit me that this was a solo for me, and the responsibility I felt
for that was kind of shocking -- who am I to demand this time, this space, this
consideration, this discernment from a near stranger?
I don't remember my dreams, so it is delightfully uncanny and generous to be given a
dream in the form of this dance, something I will remember. And this dream is most
definitely mine; it's images and logic come from my data. It makes sense in that
deeply visceral way in which you know a dream is true even if, and especially
because, you lack the words for explanation. The piece uses language, and I love
words, but it's greater resonance comes from the way it slips around and dodges
words yet strikes some core truths.
While the piece hit upon most of the details from my questionnaire, I am most
impressed and moved by how it always returned to my "billboard", and how that served
as the theme. That night, sleep was hard to come by, I think because of how the
piece stirred my psyche. That morning, when driving to work, a couple of things
came to me in a flash, things until now I held vaguely but now can be voiced.
I think this is the purpose of a dream.
Thank you.
I am responding to your response. It's quite a thing to take someone's answers in your hands and hold them properly, develop them well. Not unlike holding a baby. It's like gathering the ingredients and cooking ten tiny related meals for someone.
ReplyDeleteI loved the process of interviewing different people about a memorable sunrise in response to you having indicated something 'watchable' about the shift from night to day; it roped them into my act and invited me to invite many people to stage tiny perfomative acts all in service for your performance/video. though they didn't know. is it like playing God? or just an act of creativity. an act of creation.
It's worthy of note how much people want to serve someone's vision, esp if they get to tell a bit about their life in the meanwhile, and make odd with a stranger. (matchmaker matchmaker, make me match)
There is more to that aspect of the piece to unearth; that was the first video I've made as part of the solo. I invited my partner to make some aspects, because he was so connected to UP on the Roof, the song you mentioned. I enjoyed hearing his flute playing, his voice, both of us responding to the same third party, and in this case someone I know well and you not at all. A multiplicity of voices that got rolled out--all of yours, like Michael and Nick, names I knew had great resonance for you but I don't know why. Like uttering the sacred words of a language you don't yet know (or the swear words). I only realized in the moment how exciting it was to realize I didn't just make all this stuff in my room alone but I went foraging in the world to glean participation. The metaphors are right on.
I was a delight to perform for an ideal spectator, one already so deeply connected to the practices of watching and responding and internalizing and making sense of and surrendering to.
I loved when I asked where you wanted to go, to give you some agency in that huge gorgeous space, and you said, "I just like the whole process of submitting." yeah, submitting, surrendering.
Thank you for being such an expert surrenderer, David.