Dance for Uncertain Times
I have been practicing modern dance for the past 8 years and this year will be my first attempt at choreography with my friend and dance partner, Sara Mannheimer. We will be performing with Independance, a community dance project that puts on an annual showcase of local dancers from a wide range of dance styles. Usually performed for a packed audience at the Ellen Theater, this year will look very different. Instead, dancers will compose their own videos to be compiled for a live showing in early 2021. While we will miss the excitement and adrenaline of performing live, working with video gives a whole new dimension to the creative process with more opportunity for visual representation via costumes, location, and photography.
Artist Statement
Our piece explores themes of self-realization—the euphoria of experiencing ourselves and life in its purest form. It paints a picture of this journey not as linear but as a circular unfolding that inevitably pulls us back into old habits and destructive thoughts, only to arise again with a refreshed vision. Some of the movement is inspired by Kundalini yoga, a form of yoga that works with energy and the body in a very specific way to interrupt old habits, expand consciousness, and increase sensitivity. We have interpreted this ancient wisdom into a dance that expresses the effect of the practice on mind, body and spirit in a modern artful way, incorporating principles from Martha Graham and our own intuitive movement.
While this piece explores a personal, inner journey, it also investigates the influence of the outer world on the inner process, bringing the current world events into the picture. At a time when everything seems to be coming to a head with racial injustice, environmental devastation, political unrest and ultimately a pandemic forcing us to stay at home, we experience a time of deep reflection and an opportunity to re-emerge with a refreshed vision of how we want our lives and our society to look. As we get quiet and remove ourselves from destructive habitual patterns deeply ingrained in society, we are offered an opportunity to reconnect with the subtle power of nature and let our wild, untamed selves creep back in.
You can view the full show at Independanceproject.org.
Videography by Nathan Norby
Costumes by The Hemp Temple and Scarf Shop
Music - Rolling Thunder by Laura Marling
Choreographed by Mariah Palmer and Sara Mannheimer
Dancers - Anna Allen, Sara Mannheimer, Dorothy Noreika, Ellie Oakley, and Mariah Palmer
