It's easy to get overwhelmed by choice. For example, when you're at IKEA, overwhelmed with the choice between a 4X6X13 colored cardboard storage container that requires an hour of work to build or a 4x8X16 dark brown woven basket, and then you see a blue tinted plastic version of the same thing but with a handy partition, you feel as though your mind might explode.
But then there are those decisions that come naturally, organically - meant to be. Like when I came upon these hand puppets for $1 each - there was no deliberation on my part. I knew immediately what to do: buy the puppets. That's the story behind this picture, my new friends Unicorn and Dragon. Simple choice.
So along these lines (and to prevent my mind from exploding), I based this week's movement exploration on simple, basic movement choices. (Movement choices, much like IKEA furniture, can be infinite and complicated. ) I gave myself very simple tasks, put on some music (Tom Ze, my favorite composer) in the background, and pressed record. No spatulas to distract me.
VIDEO 1: Walk in a Circle with Your Arms in a Circle
This first video is pretty self explanatory. My task was to put my arms in a circular position and move in a circle. Despite its obvious simplicity, it's oddly compelling. The simplicity of the task highlights the details of everything else: the unequal position of my fingers, the variations in speed, how minute changes in the focus and tilt of the head can change everything, the difference between moving or not moving the feet, if the arms should open.
I'd love to see this on stage, either as a solo or group piece.
But then there are those decisions that come naturally, organically - meant to be. Like when I came upon these hand puppets for $1 each - there was no deliberation on my part. I knew immediately what to do: buy the puppets. That's the story behind this picture, my new friends Unicorn and Dragon. Simple choice.
So along these lines (and to prevent my mind from exploding), I based this week's movement exploration on simple, basic movement choices. (Movement choices, much like IKEA furniture, can be infinite and complicated. ) I gave myself very simple tasks, put on some music (Tom Ze, my favorite composer) in the background, and pressed record. No spatulas to distract me.
VIDEO 1: Walk in a Circle with Your Arms in a Circle
This first video is pretty self explanatory. My task was to put my arms in a circular position and move in a circle. Despite its obvious simplicity, it's oddly compelling. The simplicity of the task highlights the details of everything else: the unequal position of my fingers, the variations in speed, how minute changes in the focus and tilt of the head can change everything, the difference between moving or not moving the feet, if the arms should open.
I'd love to see this on stage, either as a solo or group piece.
VIDEO 2: Keep Your Hand Over Your Forehead
This one was actually the first video I shot of the evening. Its is a little more complex overall in that I took it further movement-wise than the video above, and certainly could take it much further (on the floor, in the air, upside down, moving through space, etc.). I like that the space between the hand and the forehead becomes this special energy zone of focus for all of the movement, regardless of the complexity.
(Or maybe it's just the unicorn in me...)
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