The White Body (2008)

Choreographer: Ea Sola

This show resonated with me, as I had already attended both Ea Sola’s workshop and the conversation with her and Lemi Punifaso.

The performance was disjointed and provocative; Mechanical and robotic; Spastic and chaotic.
I really enjoyed these aspects of the dance. I found the props and lighting powerfully effective.

Scenes:
The Plastic Screen
In this scene the three dancers press against a huge transparent screen of plastic sheeting that hung across the stage. The dancers writhe and throw themselves upon the light drenched plastic. The plastic appears to replicate a vertical surface of water or some sort of gel. The chaotic ripples and waves obscure the dancers – who perform behind the screen.
Each touch causes a ripple that spreads across the screen. The lighting is soft hues of blue, purple and green… which add to the illusion of water. Contact with the sheet of plastic also throws a shadow over the point of contact… with the shadow fading the further the dancer was from the screen. The dancers behind the screen appear in soft focus – blurry with gentle pastel hues.

Manipulation
Motionless on the floor, the female dancer lies. The male dancer walks around her, lifting her limbs into various positions. The female dancer stiffens to hold each position – waiting for the next movement. It is like she is a manikin figure, at the mercy of the manipulator.

Solo Seizure
The third dancer – the second male, walks around the screen to the front of the stage. The lighting is bright and the dancer is exposed.
At this point the dancer begins a distorted and random sprawl of seizing. The arms appear to have a life of their own, like a storm had taken hold of each hand. The sound is loud, eerie and panicky.