This week was full of great activities, repetition, suspensory exploration, plastic bags, and lots of sweat!
Monday May 15th
Title: "it's the next great activity"
Instructions: Sweep up street debris, and arrange with broom into different images on cardboard.
Why? I did this activity with coffee grounds in Sergey's kitchen and discovered many beautiful techniques. I was going to repeat the activity, but then I decided a larger version was more engaging.
Rehearsal Discoveries: There is much debris behind the title sign.
Performance Write Up: Golly, what a great activity. So much to discover. Sounds, feelings, surprise charcoal for drawing. Life is full of surprises.
View on youtube here-->> https://youtu.be/VW6ZMA60RuY
Tuesday May 16th
Title: "One more time (the clothing rack)"
Instructions: Hang from the clothing rack. Disassemble. Re-assemble. Repeat.
Why? I purchased a mid-level clothing rack for a pop up
and was sad to find it was not sturdy enough to hold me. I returned that one and bought one where there's a picture of a person hanging from the clothing rack because I want something to hang from at the studio and to hold the new "Make out with your fears" T-shirts. It seems that I have an affinity for hanging things this week.
Rehearsal Discoveries: Assembled the clothing rack 10min before the show.
Performance Write Up: Once again, I found myself nervous due to my own lack of excitement and inspiration for the idea. At the end of the day, you have to like your own art. Going into it, I was unsure if I was trying to dramatize the situation or move plainly. Drama did unveil itself at moments, and I greeted it with confusion. Anyone with wide, open eyes can see the truth.
View on youtube here-->> https://youtu.be/FgHyfmkhVbw
Wednesday May 17th
Title: "I Don't Know" Feat. Peter Lee
Instructions: Hang water-damaged 10AM pin made by Sergey from the ceiling using fishing line and the orange tape. Interact with the hanging object while improvising sound/music together using voice and keyboard.
Why? Peter hit me up last week interested in performing. We both appreciate the improvisational space. 10AM is a great time of day to get together and play for 15 minutes.
Rehearsal Discoveries: I got to hear the keyboard drum tracks and some of the tones. We set the volume at an appropriate level for neighbors and audience.
Performance Write Up: The first comment I made to the audience following the show was how hanging an object from the ceiling greatly transforms the experience of the musical improv. Of course, Peter graciously interacted in many fun ways with me, the object, and the essence of energetic shifts and play. All in all, the performance felt fun while also being rooted in our musical skillsets. Adventure and "the great yes" were alive.
View on youtube here-->> https://youtu.be/At246Rs442o
Thursday May 18th
Title: "What are we going to do with all these plastic bags?"
Instructions: Do something with the plastic bags from Sergey's house
Why? a common question. Interested in not really answering the question, just sitting with it.
Rehearsal Discoveries: Took a moment in the bathroom considering juxtaposed pacing as a realm to explore.
Performance Write Up: I experienced an actual overwhelm from how many damn bags were in that rice bag. As an initial task of removing the bags, I was able to explore some light ideas in style of removal, but I worry it was not creative or diverse enough. Just like singing, it's more about the energetic presence than the micro details, but of course, if I had done some kind of movement exercise to warm up, I can only imagine what other creative spaces could have unfolded. I feel gunky, but I'm loosening up lately, yet to fully return to the swooning gesture-playland of existing as water. At the end of the day, the task is to notice, so once again, all of it is art, especially the shortcomings to which I am aware, whether I like it or not.
View on youtube here-->> https://youtu.be/Ea8I4-s0-18
Friday May 19th
Title: "Higher and higher art"
Instructions: Tape poetic words inspired by the great reaching of the outstretched hand onto the door. Reach for the great beyond from the floor, then seated, kneeling, standing, and on tippy toes.
Why? An accurate representation of what life feels like.
Rehearsal Discoveries: Spent the car ride over considering what levels I wanted to reach with and whether or not to use a timer or just estimate 15 minutes. In a dazed lack of sleep, I decided to just keep track of time with a 5 min and 10 minute interval notification before the 15. Sitting on the toilet before the show, I jotted down a few lines of inspiration for the concept and sent them to the printer to be printed out.
Performance Write Up: These larger divisions of 5 10 and 15 meant the feeling of desperate uncertainty. It was desperate because of how physically challenging the task was. I had no prior warm up, and luckily I haven't been working out my upper body so much that I had any previous fatigue to compete with. I estimate I was probably reaching from the ground to the ceiling for 11/12 minutes only. I have the physical knowledge to distribute the effort, but would definitely have been a lot easier if I had more muscle practices I was keeping up with. Janelle said she saw a drop of sweat hit my foot. Afterwards, I told everyone to reach for something.
View on youtube here-->> https://youtu.be/KBF_9aYp8a4
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