On This

In Dylan Newcomb’s latest piece (‘This‘, premiered in Korzo 22-02-08), it seemed to me that one of the underlying intentions or methods – or perhaps it’s clearer to say part of the style of the work – was to get the performers more and different paths to modify the vulnerability the viewer/participant is willing to expose in order to continue enjoying the show. Although bringing mechanics like this (which are of course present and really, inherent in all performing acts) more to the forefront of the presentation is interesting in and of itself, and it clearly is an interest many choreographers working in the Netherlands have been expressing more and more in recent years, I personally wasn’t happy with the shape of the process the dancers arrived at in this particular piece. I’ll have to ponder a bit more before I can knead and/or wrestle these misgivings into human readable form, but I will say that compared to performances I’ve seen in the recent past (which ranged from fucking great although not my thing, like Ann van den Broeck’s ‘Co(te)lette’; to the mindblowing excellence that is Gingras’s ‘The Autopsy Project’) in which the same mechanic was part of the issue, something in ‘This’ was failing.

So: more later.

Lega – Cartoon Studio: Yellow Dock [2007] (206 Mb) (02h:30m)

Playing right now on deepmix: very acoustic, natural, soundscapy and minimally symphonic. Unfortunately also contains that Cesaria Evora remix I’m not wild about, but that’s only a short bit.

Get it here.

That elusive, huh?

I was imagining arguing against the acceptance of hierarchy and of ideals of progression, and instead proposing to look for the flow of the authentic, the spontaneous essence, or even barefacedly imagining one day to have as improbable an encounter as one with that shamefacedly whispered about, rarely spotted shambling woodland creature: the healthy ego.

By the way: as an ideology Wilberism is clearly progressivist, a bias that is of course acknowledged, embraced nor transcended.

That said…

I still want one of those fake logo t-shirts. I know they’re kinda corny and lowbrow, but I do think the one that says “Licke, snol.” is kinda clever.

(Because I thought of it myself.)

So then.

I suppose it’s worth mentioning that this blog will start here, and that the proximate cause of this is the performance I saw tonight, ‘The autopsy project’ by André Gingras.

I’m trying to remain resolutely indifferent towards the coming struggle with my committee of inner editors, so much so I don’t seem to have much resolve left. Let’s just say this’ll probably turn out for the best, or at least the bearable.