pseudo-flora-commorancy

August 2016, Vines Art Festival

Choreography: Carly Davis & Sophie Brassard

Performers: Mackenzie Penner, Rachel Helten, Alissa Merlin, Theresa Doan, Sophie Brassard & Carly Davis

pseudo-flora-commorancy was a site-specific, structured improvisation we created at Trout Lake in Vancouver for Vines Art Festival. The dancers' movements were triggered by cues they took from their surroundings and the piece was different every time it was rehearsed and performed. These cues were taken both from natural and human-made things. Movement was initiated by the feeling of grass, the trees above, dogs walking by, cellphones taking pictures, skytrain sounds and planes flying overhead. The piece involved active attention to our space, surroundings & the other people witnessing it. A net of plastic bags confined the dancers in various ways throughout the piece. It limited their movement in size and in space, and they were all affected by it to varying degrees. With this prop we explored consumerism, waste and the contrasts between natural and human-made things.

Photos by Sheng Ho