SECA / DROUGHT (part 1)
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Concept and choreography: Birgitte Bauer-Nilsen
Dancers: Thomas Johansen (NO), Alexander Montgomery-Andersen (GL),
Ana Jülia Paiva (BR), Ludmilla Ferrare (BR) and Caroline Rodrigues (BR).
Installation artist: Marianne Grønnow
LIght design: Lars Egegaard Sørensen
Light assistent: Katja Andreassen
Composer: Kim Helweg
Drought is an increasing problem, mainly due to climate changes in the Anthropocene era.
The performative dance installation DROUGHT shows us how an indigenous population worships the sun, but development means that the focal point of the ritual changes.
Now the progress is being worshipped instead. More crops, taller buildings, deforestation etc.
This progress draws the focus away from the rhythm of nature and places it upon towards global warming, where the drought is increased in scale.
This causes a "drought of culture"; thought dries out, the ritual loses its center, skin and bodies dry out and start to crack.
The music in DROUGHT is based on a toner sequence that originates from the quantum mechanics’ first series of quantum leaps (the so-called Lymann series), later mixed with phrases inspired by music from original population of Brazil. Both types of music are characterized by quartans mixed with pentatonic scales and express the encounter between a modern insight and an ancient ritual.
The glittering vertical columns of the scene refer both to organic nature; reeds in the wind, dry leaves that rattle, and the cities' artificial lights and tall buildings that reach towards the sky. They are the totem poles that are danced around, whether nature or civilization is at the center.
The costumes are inspired by the indigenous skirts. The drawings on the body of the dancers are geometric, though they is not intended to reflect specific ritual patterns.
During the creation process we have worked with interdisciplinary meetings. Within the dance, music and installation, new translocal dialogues have been created through the physical presence.
