"C'est bien ainsi qu'elles voyaient les choses"
« IT WAS ACTUALLY EXACTLY LIKE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION »
Summer 2008, the California tour begins, and ODC Dance invites Rabbit Research to do a residency in their space with the challenge to create new work in very little time. The piece is presented at the annual “House Special” in partner with Theater Project Arthaud. “House Special” is the annual performance for upcoming artists from California and abroad to present work in progress and finish with an open discussion with the audience. Corine Englander and Emilie Camacho have a total of 4 days to put something together, no longer than 30 minutes! With about 10 CDs in their suitcases and Corine’s eagerness to work with a piece of material that she believes to be a symbol of America- the plastic intertube. “It’s round, full of color, plastic, empty, and full of air…it’s also a life saver!” Emilie’s eagerness to bring the audience on stage and to use the openness of the experience to test new ideas. One of the few places where anything is possible- San Francisco. The first movement phrase is composed by the modern musician Arvo Pärt, which is then derived to Ethiopian jazz with “Heart of Glass,” one of most glamorous pieces by Blondie. The girls runs wild in the thrift shops looking for cocktail dresses and black heels. Next stop to the sports store for swimming caps and intertubes. The intertubes become a retro piece of material thanks to the bike pumps. To finish it off, they put on an old disc by Charles Trenet found at the second hand music store on Haight Street. They wanted to see work in progress? Well, that’s what they’ll get! On stage - Two characters with stone cold expressions, a glass of wine in their hands, they throw their heels off and enter a dance based on minimalist gests but with conviction. The music by Arvo Pärt is interrupted. The two characters explain why their choice of music is not yet set in stone, that is work in progress and that they are still trying things out. They excuse themselves, re-dance the same movement phrase to another tune, in another space, with another energy and style. One time, two times, the phrase is the same but doesn’t seem like it. A new story is written write in front of the audience’s eyes and they are the witnesses of each re-edition. “Our stage is empty,” one said. “We need more bodies, “ says the other. The audience is invited to join them on stage and each person is given a specific object. A new scene is born. The same phrase will be re-danced in this new picture but this time will find another story and ending. The short story - Music - Tech - Performers |