Setting:

The void.

Movement Vocabulary:

Isolation >> Exploration >> Discovery >> Liberation >> Jubilation

Premise:

Acceptance brings Joy.

Concept:

Alegria: The Cry for Help.

1. Freedom.Initial onset obsession with the bodily senses… yet there is a lack. The body cannot satisfy. The mind yearns for peace, rest, and sanctuary.
2. Balance:Happiness is a measure of balance, rhythm and harmony— between the human and the divine, masculine and feminine, sex and the spirit. Peace springs from the integration of these concepts.
3. Trust:Reciprocity. In the act of a mutual surrender, the two become one in union with the divine. Guidance.

This piece fell upon me, in essence, by chance. The endeavor simply began as an experiment; no end result in mind. I was, however, so spiritually inspired by the results, that I threw my whole being into the concept, leading many to call it my signature work. This, I assume, because it shows the raw intensity of my style and character.

The duet was originally constructed through a series of guided improves; worked with a small company of dancers in 2003. The idea was to limit extraneous movement by binding the limbs and, consequently increase sensory awareness by blindfolding the eyes. In all cases, the results were the same: division yields to unity. Power is constantly shifting, until, slowly, the individuals learn to trust one another. Their dialogue becomes one voice: a raging cry of relief and acceptance.

There were six of us; Alegria was the product of the work of my partner and I. This is its fourth reconstruction; it has gone through three prior stage productions, including studio, black box and arena settings.