DCDanceBlog

ken, in his post below about the improv fest, writes that an audience wants to see something that pushes the boundaries of normal life, that is risky or expands one’s sense of what’s possible.

daniel burkholder, in his new blog act/re/act, writes about site specific dance and what makes it successful. he points out that the performance shouldn’t have to compete w/ lots of environmental activity, and that complex, layered work won’t always be effective in an outdoor setting.

these posts got me thinking about what works and doesn’t in improvised outdoor performances. i strongly recall, during the festival, being drawn to moments in a few performances where the dancers were doing something you never ever see on the street. once, it was tony and ilana covering themselves, methodically and slowly, with thick white paint. another time, it was one of kelly mayfield’s dancers getting hit with four full buckets of water. both were simple, physical acts that startled me and pinned me to my spot.

ahh, simplicity. so maybe outdoors, the details don’t come across as strongly, nor does the artistry. or maybe they can be good, but are ultimately not as compelling as something stark and physical.

what if i set a table–tablecloth, plates and all–and put it down on the middle of 7th street? and then methodically began eating steak and potatoes? i think people would look.

how about if i set up a chair and mirror and a friend began cutting my hair?

or if me and someone else began making out and taking off each others’ clothes?

definitely that last one would get a crowd. my friend who used to work for the animal rights organization peta said that they would often add footage of a woman taking off her clothes to the videos they were producing, simply b/c it always got attention.

but that just emphasizes that some acts are simply exploitative, meant to get attention–they’re not necessarily art. throwing an attention-getter into the mix is basically manipulation if it isn’t an intrinsic part of the piece.

one thing that can really grab observers and, i think, can always be an integral part of a piece, is a performer’s sense of presence. i was recently reading a new york times article about a flamenco dancer who apparently has an amazing sense of presence–she only has to move an arm and it’s high drama.

the idea of presence is something i’m strongly drawn to. mostly, i think, because it’s linked to being present, to incorporating elements of meditation into one’s performance. but it’s also a great concept b/c increasing one’s sense of presence is a very doable thing. some people have it more than others, doubtless, but it’s within reach of many of us who have no chance of getting our extension up near our ears, or doing backflips in order to entrance an audience.

so what is presence, exactly?