Darkness - a Concept
Theme: Darkness
How does darkness affect us? How do we under its influence as things become uncertain and unknown?
Darkness heightens our senses the loss of sight. We become more sensitive and the uncertainty of less information about our environment means we have to trust or we feel insecure. Trust in the belief that something is where and how it was, and will be there when we need it. Insecure when we feel we cannot depend on something to be the way we perceive it. Things are where they are, except when they are not. That is the dissonance between seeing and not seeing - being able to know where something is without actually physically touching it. The shroud of darkness.
Darkness also changes our sight and our eyes. It obscures things, changes their shape. Due to the amount of light things can become blurry, appear or disappear . It is a world of limited colour - even greyscale, which can range from pitch black to dim light. Darkness shrouds the light on which we are dependent to see.
Shadows are malleable. They can change shape and grow just simply from where the light comes. A perspective change eg. A change in height can have drastic effect. Shadows can creep, they extend further than the original object that casts. They can become smaller and even disappear.
In darkness there is an intimate world. An inner world, enclosing rather than expanding. Darkness concentrates and focuses to a point like a tunnel or a cave. In darkness there is intimacy and closeness by necessity as our perception of the world is much closer and confined.
In the dark and its uncertainty, a world of fantasy is unleashed. Fantasy is only limited by what we can imagine, rather than what is possible. In the absence of knowing, our minds fills in the blanks, constructing and fantasising about what is and what could be. Human fantasy is such a powerful tool. It makes things appear larger and more intense than they ever could be. It creates and grows, engaging our emotions and senses especially those of anticipation and fear. .
In darkness, by necessity we are forced to explore the world around us to grow and enrich our perception. Not knowing where something is can give us the desire to find out, map and ascertain our surroundings.
Purpose:
To choreograph a dance piece which explores these ideas and concepts. To use the theme of darkness to develop dance about is effects looking at exploring space, fantasy, intimacy, uncertainty and the tension it creates.
4-5 dancers. Solos duets and 4/5 dancer pieces. Abstraction of the ideas, with concrete expression through movement. Use different movement qualities to express the feelings and sensitivities. Find contrast in light and how light is used
Method:
Co-creation with dancers and pre-prepared choreographed ideas and pieces. Find music that fits the theme of in the direction of classical pieces and soundscapes/collages.
To be performed in a black box space where light affects the room. Use candles, use different light sources of different intensities, close by, far away, back-lighting, strobe effects.
Intended Outcome:
One hour of dance with dramatic effect, that heightens the senses of the audiences, explores space, takes the viewer into an intimate world of fantasy and the unknown.