Comments on: The Dunedin Fringe solo’s http://slightly.net/improv/?p=88 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:52:06 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.41 By: kristian http://slightly.net/improv/?p=88#comment-33 Sun, 12 Apr 2009 09:14:36 +0000 http://slightly.net/improv/?p=88#comment-33 The desire to superficially display virtosity along with assigning value to under-represented/misunderstood states of ‘not knowing’ and stillness are points I take from your comment and agree with (sorry, agreement again).
These things are relevant in that yes, I work on skill and I want that skill to be apparent in my performances. I am also prone to doing too much, neglecting and mistrusting stillness. As for ‘not knowing’, thats something I work on rigorously both in performance and in training.
But in mentioning ‘la petit mort’ I’m more accurately referring to the post orgasmic refractory phase which has connotations of loss or disconnection or unconsciousness.
That correlates directly with my post performance experience in that I experience loss, a sense of incompletion.
Douglas Wright was for me a dancer who held nothing back in his performances. His emotionally charged presence was deeply detailed and unashamedly physically skilled.
Its this that I feel I am in training for now, presence and vulnerability as well as my own virtuosity.
Now if only I could do the splits….

]]> By: simon http://slightly.net/improv/?p=88#comment-30 Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:51:18 +0000 http://slightly.net/improv/?p=88#comment-30 I am struck by the idea of wanting to show that you are “more than that”. It always seems such a basic sign of maturity – to not lay it all out there*. Like the ability to be silent, or to say “I don’t know”. I find this (or all of these) enriching in the context of an improvisation practice.

It’s worth noting (or perhaps not) that the French call an orgasm “La petit mort”.

* I’ve said many many times to students over the years: “Just b/c you can do the splits, doesn’t mean you should”.

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