Symmetry and Contrast

The April 15th edition of The Raw and the Cooked was co-curated by Jake Wise, longtime collaborating improviser (see Johnny Butler/Ensemble 46 days, two posts down). For this show, Jake created an improvisational work with two dancers, two clarinetists, and a violinist. All of the instrumentalists also contributed movement...

During the run-through before the show, I found myself deeply moved by the piece. Jake had created a tape piece to accompany the improvisation, which outlined a gradual shape. This shape was augmented by live music performed by several musicians whose movements were also choreographed. The composition of the space had a strong symmetrical layout. I was stunned by the strength of this choice, a choice I myself would never make. The entire piece had an innocence and a clarity that came from that innocence. Jake's movers were both pedestrian and traditional dancers whose various movements were often muddled or unclear. However, he choreographed them in space so clearly that this didn't detract from the cohesion of the piece. Conversely, it added to it.

My dad took me to a Philip Glass concert when I was about 14. It was a duet concert with an African instrumentalist (forgive me for not remembering the country or instrument and for lumping an entire continent together). I remember very little content of this concert, but what I do remember is that Glass opened and closed with the exact same composition. The experience of hearing something both at the beginning and end of a concert was very powerful. As a spur-of-the-moment curatorial decision, I decided to try this with Jake's piece and put it first and last on the program.