He is drawn to public spaces for the unique relationship with the audience that occurs when performing artists leave the theater.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Troupe to present physically demanding 'TetrisPlus' at August Wilson Center
He is drawn to public spaces for the unique relationship with the audience that occurs when performing artists leave the theater.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
How fascinating! Tetris has inspired many different forms of art and to see it being placed in the context of modern dance is super cool. I was in the Netherlands this past summer and Holland really is a whole 'nother world. I could imagine myself living there one day too because while it feels like it's thriving with modern design and culture, there's an old world charm which is also present. I wish there was some sort of a video attached to this article regarding some of the "Tetris" dance moves and/or choreography. I did some more research on the guy who runs the dance company, Arch 8, and he has another video up on Vimeo called "No Man Is An Island at Freedom and Constraint (https://vimeo.com/21752663)." The work the company does is pretty phenomenal; the movement done by the dancers are graceful and flow just like water. The Tetris work also reminds me of two other pieces that was done based on the sequencing that is so particular to the game: a Japanese game show called "Brain Wall," which is where you must fit your body into odd and weird shapes and Human Tetris by Swiss artist Guillaume Reymond (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0LtUX_6IXY).
From what is sounds like from the article, is that the show is being presented in the theatre space inside the August Wilson Center. Having worked at the August Wilson Center and getting to know the venue, this makes sense. The theatre inside is such an amazing place for local artists to perform, however it is still concerning about the venue as a whole. When we were in there this summer, it didn't seem like there was anything that typically happens in the building other than performances in the theatre occasionally. I know that the building has been surrounded in controversy over the past few years, but ultimately it is still sad. There is a building downtown, a place that is trying to improve its image everyday, that is sitting empty and not bringing people into the city to create the community of downtown Pittsburgh, something that I strongly believe in.
I wish I could see this performed live. I love the idea that extreme choreography can invite the audience in to come along for the ride, because I think that says something about how we interact with the people performing. Even though they are doing things we could probably never physically achieve, we still feel draw in by the craziness of the motions because they entice us instead of alienating us. I think the choreographer's choice of outdoor venues is interesting too because he wants to share these movements with the world and invite everyone to view them. It makes me wonder how many people are injured while doing his dances, because the choreography sounds so extreme. If you think about the fact that they do many of them outside, it sounds even more dangerous because the ground could be uneven or you could step on something. While the dances sound amazing, I would be concerned for the safety of the dancers.
So I was having trouble visualizing anything the article was trying to explain about the dancing style of the troupe considering the only visuals were two pictures. So I went to YouTube, and let me tell you, this is the wackiest, coolest thing you will ever watch. It’s hilarious and impressive and also strongly serious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2BP4Vlwbfk go watch it. In other videos you can see the more human tetris parts the article talks about with interlocking people. The amount of strength and endurance these people need to perform these dances is insane. Combining the simplicity of an arcade game with dance is a combination that most people would never think of, but the way Erik Kaiel choreographs it, it brings the spirit of the game into a new light and is just plain interesting and entertaining to see. I’m seriously thinking of going to see it while it’s still in pittsburgh.
These seem like really cool performances. It is amazing to see performers doing crazy acrobats or really amazing dances live in front of you. When you see the same thing on TV or in a movie it does not have the same impact on you. It does not seem as dangerous or impressive because there could have been editing to it, especially in a movie or TV series. It is a more believable on live TV shows where people are performing a routine. The fact that they are doing difficult acrobatics in front of you is really cool. I really like how they are using weird spaces and moving the pieces around more to make the audience feel like they are a part of the action or story. I think theatre done in weird and non-traditional places is very interesting because there are so many different things you can do and you have the area around you as a resource for set pieces or scenic design.
I too “love the idea of a dance passing through a city, with the audience coming along for the ride.” When art starts to engage with normal everyday people, I think it brings hope and joy back into their lives. Life gets very humdrum and methodical when you settle into a routine, absent of art and/or inspiration. Bringing a little dance into the street could make someone stop and observe, someone who hasn’t seen a dance or who hasn’t danced in years. You can usually pick these people out because they linger a little longer than other passers by, they have a slightly lifted smile peaking through their mundane life. I think this is why I get so giddy about art that happens in unusual places and interacts with unusual suspects. When I see that long hidden passion or desire for exploration start to re-ignite, or even ignite for the first time in a person, I am reminded that this is why I work in this field.
Erik Kaiel's perspectives on and perceptions of dance and the presentation of dance highlight two critical aspects of modern performance. His focus on an audience's relationship with the dancers is key, his moves to normalize dance and theatrical performances are excellent advances in normalizing art, and reinforcing its accessibility to anyone and everyone. Another clutch aspect of his philosophy is his emphasis on the particularities of live performance that cannot be achieved through video, or another medium. Highlighting some of the most human and common aspects of the dances - such as a dancer in recovery - inherently allows for a more direct empathetic audience connection to the dancers and performance piece as a whole. While highly polished performance that preserves the essence of "stage magic" absolutely has its place in art, this arguably more truthful and realistic presentation also has a definite place in the world of performance and theatrical art.
Post a Comment