Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Brooklyn Draper
Faculty Mentor’s Department
School of Theatre & Dance: Assistant Professor of Dance
Abstract / Artist's Statement
In the past few years, the dynamics of power in our society have become prevalent in daily life to an extent that seems unprecedented. What is it exactly, though, that determines who or what holds the power in any given situation? The inspiration for my dance piece, “And Then, The Influence Shifted”, was driven by this very question, whose resulting answer is manifested in the work as seven different “powers” that shift and influence each of the six dancers. As each different power is physicalized by the dancers, the overall movement is meant to come together so as to examine the various perspectives by which power can directly, or indirectly, influence the function of a multivariable system as a whole.
Through this research, I uncovered the ways that these seven different “powers” interacted with each other through six bodies who told the story through movement. The seven types of power included in my study were ‘the power of one over a group’, ‘power in a relationship: holding each other up’, ‘power in a relationship: toxic and overpowering’, ‘unwanted power’, ‘power by default’, ‘power of a group over one’, and ‘power in numbers’. I was able to research these seven different powers through experimental movements that I provided my dancers and that they inspired me with. I was able to find how being influenced by the titles of these powers would change the dynamics of their movements and how they expressed that movement outwords. Diving into these specific powers and the way they shift in, out, and around each other allowed me to conclude that there is no answer to the question, “Who or what holds the power in any given situation?” Shifting with such intensity, yet so hard to see, that controls our world on a daily basis. The control we question, but cannot deny.
Category
Visual and Performing Arts (including Creative Writing)
Who or what holds the power in any given situation?
UC 326
In the past few years, the dynamics of power in our society have become prevalent in daily life to an extent that seems unprecedented. What is it exactly, though, that determines who or what holds the power in any given situation? The inspiration for my dance piece, “And Then, The Influence Shifted”, was driven by this very question, whose resulting answer is manifested in the work as seven different “powers” that shift and influence each of the six dancers. As each different power is physicalized by the dancers, the overall movement is meant to come together so as to examine the various perspectives by which power can directly, or indirectly, influence the function of a multivariable system as a whole.
Through this research, I uncovered the ways that these seven different “powers” interacted with each other through six bodies who told the story through movement. The seven types of power included in my study were ‘the power of one over a group’, ‘power in a relationship: holding each other up’, ‘power in a relationship: toxic and overpowering’, ‘unwanted power’, ‘power by default’, ‘power of a group over one’, and ‘power in numbers’. I was able to research these seven different powers through experimental movements that I provided my dancers and that they inspired me with. I was able to find how being influenced by the titles of these powers would change the dynamics of their movements and how they expressed that movement outwords. Diving into these specific powers and the way they shift in, out, and around each other allowed me to conclude that there is no answer to the question, “Who or what holds the power in any given situation?” Shifting with such intensity, yet so hard to see, that controls our world on a daily basis. The control we question, but cannot deny.