This is Our Place

In The Dance Current’s January/February 2018 issue, contributor Helen Simard wrote an feature article on dance and home – “Domesticating Dance: Magical encounters in everyday spaces.” This photo essay explores another such project. 

This is Our Place was a mini dance residency held and performed within a Toronto home in between tenants. Featuring six local dance artists over the course of three days, the residency concluded with a work-in-progress showing on November 4 and was presented by I/O Movement.

Due to the intimacy of the home, the residency naturally became a peer learning program. Ideas were shared between artists and rooms. Guests were welcomed by a pop-up performance by Jamee Valin on the main floor. They were then split into two groups visiting works by Sarah Koekkoek, Camille Rojas and Allie Higgins on the second floor. The evening finished up with the funny performance by dream team Marlowe Porter and Amanda Pye on the main floor. The evening unfolded into a warm house party.

~

Program notes:

Jamee Valin
I am mesmerized by manufactured
patterns and equilibrium between right
and left sides. In the work I copy
constructed patterns around me, explore
pre-existing patterns living in my body, put
together shapes that feel and look equal,
and let repeatable rhythms lead.
Sound: Rollin’ by Skim Milk
Son of a Plumber by Axel Boman

Camille Rojas
These past couple of days I have been
researching hand gestures presented by
US President Donald Trump. My interest
is, as a woman, using these gestures to
create a response to his policies and
overall demeanour, which has proven to
be anti-woman. This project is called
“Safety Demonstration” and is in the early
process. I have used this residency to try
to create a choreography in which, I’m its
final form, will be a film in which I take on
the form of a flight attendant and present
to a viewer gestures similar to the ones
flight attendants perform to passengers
prior to take off.

Sarah Koekkoek
For This is Our Place, I have recorded a
series of passages in an attempt to
connect with this space and familial
history. These passages, selected from a
lecture given by my grandfather Joseph P.
Schnitsen in 1963 at The University of
Texas entitled “Psychological Conceptions
of Man”, give an in depth look at the
differing conceptions of man as a
machine, pleasure-seeker, role player,
thinker and energy system. Through
navigation of the space and text, I use
movement to present a physical
monologue in research of curiosity,
connectivity, comfort and understanding.

Allie Higgins
This piece is a product of laying face
down in an old blue carpet for 20 minutes
straight.
Sound: Blue Velvet by Bobby Vinton
I’m Transmitting Tonight by Tim Hecker

Marlowe Porter + Amanda Pye
The possibilities of a space. Memories
that exist, memories created. What
pathways have been taken? Controlled
sound versus uncontrolled sound.
Repetition. Entering and exiting.
Sound: Otis Redding

~