Becoming Art

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Walking around the gallery barefooted. Feeling the varying textures of the different spaces on my skin. I don’t think I have ever felt such a close connection to exhibited art. By allowing my flesh to become that of the walks and floors of the gallery I felt like art. We were all art. We were not distractions from the pieces but instead a moving installation at one and the same with the static pieces of art around us. Even the act of being spectated felt completely natural. Performing the early works in the gallery space was absolutely nothing like the jitter inducing act of performing onstage. I felt such an intimate connection with the other dancers and the space. 

The feeling of becoming one with art was most organic at the beginning when it was completely novel. By the 6th or 7th repetition of some of the early works things took on a slightly more practice performance feel. But in the beginning it was just for us. It was about feeling the artistry in the simplicity of the movements. 
 
The most connected I felt to other dancers was in Leaning Duets. In those weight sharing moments, my entire world narrowed to the bond between myself and the dancer next to me. Connected speaking, connecting breathing, connected leaning. It was an incredibly beautiful shared experience.
 
I felt a similar connection during Group Primary Accumulation. But instead of my world being narrowed to just the existence of the dancers, it felt as if we were all consumed by the art. We became embedded into the very floor of the gallery. Moving in synch. Driven and directed by the art. 

Some bits were frustrating although all seemed to just work better than we had ever experienced in the studio. It was the first time the work was adequately and completely contextualized. It was the first time everything felt natural. Part of me wishes we’d performed Newark in the gallery as well. I wonder if it would have made that piece feel as natural and as ours as the early works.