Today has been the first creative day spent in the studio. Originally this wasn’t going to be for another 2 weeks, but now having some dates pinned down for my first visit to the community groups I need space to work out what that performance is going to be. When planning the project I decided to take my original 10 minute piece of ‘Ruido’ into these spaces to perform to all the groups, however up until lunch time today that is. I had the following conversation with myself this morning when I arrived in the studio:
“Do you want to relearn exactly what ‘Ruido’ was before to perform to the community groups?” or ‘Do you want to allow the process and development thats happened over the previous months/ years to develop the performance for the community groups?”
The original choreography was created during a residency I had at Yorkshire Dance in July 2014 which was my initial explorations into these themes. Despite not having another residency as such over the last 2 years I have continuously found development for the work through: sharing the piece at performance platforms and gaining feedback; 2 x week long workshops where the piece was discussed, analysed and explored; writing a number of applications for funding; delivering workshops to students and as part of the Migration Matters Festival in Sheffield exploring the themes; and my own research has continued at home as my interest in the themes has deepened.
After revisiting the original choreography in the studio and having a play around with it I realised – Of course it needs to change! The project will evolve, adapt and change. It moves forwards not backwards. Theres little point in performing a version of a piece that doesn’t exist anymore in its truthful form – performing the original version with all the knowledge and experience that I have now isn’t being true to the work. It would be blocking its natural channel of expression. It’s just under the surface at the moment and I tried to cover it up last time with a huge sheet:
‘Ruido’ two years ago felt truthful at that time and I felt sincere in the process of creating it. In reflection though, I didn’t meet the work head on, I avoided it through abstract movement, the fourth wall and a blanket. In order for this project’s research to be as grounded as possible, it’s important to take the most truthful performance into the community groups. The more people can relate and feed off the performance the more they can engage with me and the project = the fuller the process and richer the research.
Its not been the most concentrated of days (accidentally swallowing swimming pool water in the morning does not benefit the creative process), but I discovered the above and as a result know where I’m moving forward from. The last 14 days I’ve spent contacting various individuals to confirm the project schedule and becoming a spread sheet wonder woman, so to have an unexpected studio day to figure some things out was great. Looking forward to more studio time later in the month but for now, let the research commence!
Lucy Haighton 