Composure

Stage notes.

silhouette of man standing on grass field during night time

Sure, we are torn, but hold. Affix time around space, anchor it with the choreography of story. Knot the fabric so that a dancer’s shadow will cohere to the face of a witness. This is a movement, repeat. 

Couple the lines of these bodies. You’ll need a strong adhesive. Consider music over time. Notice the architecture. Unless a body dances with the contours of a space, it cannot speak to a room. This means working with the furniture, the squeaking floorboards, the windows. Observe textures. How solid are any of these parts, and what are the sources of light? What are the colors in this space, and how does each sound? 

How do you bind a sense of intimacy to one of staggering separation? When you learn this, you will be falling into each ascent, and then you will know you are dancing.

***

Inspired by the opening chapter of The Viewpoints Book by Anne Bogart and Tina Landau.

Author: Stacey C. Johnson

I keep watch and listen, mostly in dark places.

2 thoughts on “Composure”

  1. My wife’s an actor and studied the Suzuki method during school. I wonder if it’s the same referenced by the Anne Bogart book. We saw a play yesterday and remarked that while two of the actors were very senior, with great film resumes, they just weren’t interacting with each other really. Kind of in their own bubbles. Cool idea to examine the relationship with time and space like that and how important it is, especially the squeaks in the floorboard as it were!

    1. I agree, Bill. I wonder if there is a connection there. I am consistently amazed by the artistry of people who studied the Suzuki method.

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