Director's Note - 4/17/20

 

This film is our response, as humans and as dancers, to the last five weeks.

 

A few weeks before COVID-19 hit St. Louis, the company sat down and discussed a plan to adapt the choreography from "Making Room", what would have been our first full-length production opening tonight, to create a dance film. We felt prepared going into social distancing; however, the reality soon sunk in that the choreography, which is deeply rooted in physical partnering and improvised responses, could not be effectively translated to film during quarantine. We were back at square one, noting that what we had been making in the studio was fundamentally different that what we were currently making in our homes. After a few virtual rehearsals of fumbling with new processes, it became clear that there were no longer any rules by which we could make movement. Parameters went flying out the window. All choices opened up as equally valid options. Dancing in a bathtub? Sure. Drastically rearranging and climbing on furniture? Why not? Standing, sitting, hovering suspended upside down in a doorframe – these all became available, and the dance began to take shape.

 

This dance film is private life on public display. It’s searching for connection in periods of isolation. It’s playful, experimental, curious, and sometimes unsure of itself. It’s a reminder of our persistent, stubborn humanity, and of course, our resilience.

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Without further ado, we present "There Are No Rules", and leave you to ponder its many curiosities.

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Emily Haussler
Artistic and Executive Director
RESILIENCE Dance Company

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Copyright by RESILIENCE Dance Company, LLC. Music by Abby Gundersen. All rights reserved.