DANCE MARATHON is an interactive, duration-based performance event inspired by the physically gruelling spectator sport from Depression-Era North America. It’s a genuine endurance contest and staged performance event where hopeful amateurs mix with bluemouth inc. performers under the direction of floor judges and the merciless movement of the clock to shape participation theatre.
It came to the Traverse for the Fringe in 2011. This is the transcript of an interview I did with the company at the time for The Shimmy. Here's the article, then the chat.
The rumour is that Dance Marathon represents something original - David Greig, himself impressing the Fringe with The Strange Undoing of Prudentia Hart - has said that it willl "set fire to young audiences, new audiences, old audiences, party people and intellectuals." Video footage reveals expressive solo dances; reviews comment on the mixing of monologue and movement. References to the bleak depression-era set movie They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, which made dance contests a allegory of the despair within hope, mentions of a history of dance music, hints of a live band: Bluemouth Inc slip between genres and make the link between social and stage dance.
The company describe the work in ways that intrigue rather than clarify. "Image, sound and movement are equal in value to the words," they insist. "There are a number of layers of engagement and what you take away from it ultimately depends on what you are looking for or need as a spectator." And despite an imbedded narrative line, there is space for nightly change. "There are spotlights from other dancers, musicians and comedians performing in and around the Fringe . And who knows what Unexpected Guest may show up?"
But is there a story? “Yes, there is a narrative if you are looking for it,” they respond. “If you are looking for a dance party, it is there and that is what you will experience. We have live music, a bar, video projections and number of different competitions though out the evening.”
Bluemouth Inc have been fascinated by “durational” work – the fancy word for long - and the site-specific. The company admit that there has been rigour in their research - “we have used the original dance marathons as a template for our show. The embedded performers, the feelings of competition, the rest periods, guest celebrities and derby races to name a few” – and that era resonates now: “There were also a number of historical parallels between the world economy during the depression and the current housing and financial crisis in North America.”
Dance Marathon is a fine example of how the Fringe can enable – by addressing a large potential audience – work that would otherwise never get to Scotland. It’s long, so good value for money. It has a bar, so dancing is made easier. It has a plot, choreography, competitions and the chance to seduce other members of the audience between then set-pieces. It’s probably sold out already.
Where did the inspiration start for this show?
We had been working on duration based work for awhile now. One of our previous piece entitled SOMETHING ABOUT A RIVER, inspired by T.S. Eliot's poem The Waste Land, consisted of 3 parts which took place a different locations along a buried creek in Toronto called the Garrison Creek. This piece was 5 hours long and the audience traveled between locations in a school bus. The last section called of this triptych was called WHAT THE THUNDER SAID and took place in an abandoned warehouse at the base of the creek. At one point in the show we lined the entire audience up and picked teams for a softball game. Half the audience took the field while the other half of the audience got up to bat. The image meant to explored the anxiety one experiences when being picked last to participate in team sports.
The experiment was a huge leap for us as company in terms of our experiments in audience engagement. When we started working on DANCE MARATHON we discussed what it would be like to take that softball game moment and extend it to encompass an entire show. So we are not merely implementing them within the theatrical image, but actually giving the audience a meaningful and functional task within the piece.
Does it have a script?
No we don't work with a script. The pieces we create are collectively created and devised. Image, sound and movement are equal in value to the words. We rather refer to the written documentation of the work as a Performance Text. Its more a map or a score than it is a script.
Is it improvised, or is there any narrative at all?
Yes there is a narrative if you are looking for it. There are a number of layers of engagement to DANCE MARATHON and what you take away from it ultimately depends on what you are looking for or need as a spectator. If for example you are looking for a dance party, it is there and that is what you will experience. We have live music, a bar, video projections and number of different competitions though out the evening. However, if you are looking for a more rigorous theatrical through line, that is there as well nestled within the frame of the marathon competition. Their are characters embedded with in the performance who reveal themselves from time to time as the evening progresses and who knows one of them might even be your actual dance partner. There are intentionally Darwinian overtones to the entire experience, but again those tones are more or less obvious depending on how you choose to engage with the piece.
Am I really going to have to dance?
Yes you will have to dance. That is kinda the point of the piece. To ask and allow people an opportunity to fully reconnect to their bodies through music and dance is partially what is so profound about experiencing the show. It is completely democratic and non-judgemental. No one is put on the spot or is made to do anything they don't want.
Can't I just sit there and watch?
Absolutely, but now why would you want to do that? It would be like going to a friends amazing dinner party and opting not to eat or have a drink. Sure you would still have some great conversations, but you will probably leave feeling a bit hungry afterwards.
We do have one OPTIONAL ELIMINATION at the top of the show right after the very first FREE DANCE where anyone can sit and watch if they don't feel like dancing. Specifically for those poor people who got dragged to the show by a friend and had no idea what they were getting into. However, our experience has been once someone experiences the FREE DANCE and their endorphins start kicking in no one wants to sit and watch.
Is there any connection between the original period of the dance marathon and now?
We initially did a bunch of research about dance marathon in north america and have used the original dance marathons as a template for our show. The embedded performers, the feelings of competition, the rest periods, guest celebrities and derby races to name a few. There were also a number of historical parallels between the world economy during the depression and the current housing and financial crisis in North America. Most of that was unintentional when we set out to create the piece, but began discovering numerous parallels the more research we did into the dance marathon phenomena during the depression.
there seems to be a vogue for nostalgia at the moment...
We were very, very conscious not to make this piece nostalgic. That didn't interest us at all. We want it to be a contemporary look at culture. Nostalgia sort of lets the audience of the hook. That was then and this is now sort of thing. Not interesting to us. This show is about being human and being alive NOW. There is more of an affinity for current Reality Television shows and competitions like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.
Can we any expect any surprises -say guests?
Absolutely. We have a different Schedule Guest Celebrity for each performance. Spotlights from other Dancers, musicians and comedians performing in and around the Fringe Festival.
And who knows what Unexpected Guest may show up.
No comments :
Post a Comment