In Process: Slingshot Gaze (the remount)

It was a real treat yesterday to have an opportunity to rehearse in the Carnegie Room at the MacLaren Art Centre.  In particular because one of the pieces we are rehearsing is set in part in a gallery. Slingshot Gaze was inspired by seeing Michelangelo's famous sculpture of David.

I choreographed the piece Slingshot Gaze as a solo in 2007 and committed to working on it for one year to see what types of changes would occur if I stuck with developing a piece over that timeframe.  Change it did.  It began witha a sombre look at the perfectionist traits of Michelangelo where I had prerecorded text on top of the music.  It's final solo form took on three layers of narrative spoken live: 1) a historical voice of facts and folklore about the sculpture  2) images and verse taken from the biblical story of David and Goliath 3) my personal reflections on seeing and relating to the sculpture.

In January 2009, I brought the piece to Series 8:08 as a group work. While dancing the solo, I always felt like there were other bodies in the space with me. I was curious about how we can use bodies in space like extras are used in movies - they add to the narrative and help set the scene for the main action. The feedback was very helpful as I remounted the work. In particular the notes about characterization for the "tour guide."

After rehearsing it in the gallery, we have decided to play with the use of one prop a small pedestal like box to help define the David sculpture. We have also decide to make some tweaks to the proposed costuming to give it a touristy flare! Our show Departure,  May 16-18 at the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts will mark the company premiere of this piece.