Here are some notes I took after the Zoe|Juniper lecture demonstration and then after the performance. I thought it would be interesting to post them here side by side:
Last Monday evening I attended the Zoe|Juniper Lecture Demonstration (Lec Dem) in the Schaeffer Theatre. The discussion was a mellow way to end the first day of intense classes, while simultaneously energizing the audience for the exciting performances that will conclude the week.
Zoe Scofield and Juniper Shuey discussed their upcoming performance, A Crack in Everything, while showing photos and video of various components of the piece. The striking images conjure a dream world without obvious mention of place. When seen without explanation, I’m sure that audience interpretation varies widely. With the lecture component from Scofield and Shuey, I feel a bit more prepared to see the piece.
While we will be missing the entire culmination of dance, video, and still art (a visual installation precedes the movement for later showings), I’m interested to see where the piece will be this weekend. Scofield and Shuey mentioned that each run tends to shift depending on various constraints and responses from previous performances. Fresh from Jacob’s Pillow, there must be initial impulses to change that Scofield and Shuey are hoping to work in for the Bates premiere.
And after the Friday evening performance……
In the middle of the performance, I found myself surprisingly angry and frustrated. Not that I was upset with the beautiful dancers or innovative choreography, but that the culminating visual experience brought up resentfulness and hurtful memories that I have not thought of in a while, nor do they have anything to do with Zoe and Juniper’s piece, necessarily.
After thinking back to the lecture demonstration where Zoe mentioned the curiosity with some of her life defining moments, I can’t help but think that I subconsciously went to a few of my own while watching the piece.
Aside from my own personal response, I agreed with many of my peers that the dancers’ performance quality matched the exceptionality of the detailed multi-media aspects. The intro lighting and moment of Scofield maniacally moving a sharp pointed object quickly through her fingers especially resonated.
-Sophie
