a feedback about "INICJACJE" from Helen Smith Chapter 2,3,4 The Joy is in the Detail The joy is in the detail! Particularly in Neiro’s expression, I saw every emotion sweep across his face so clearly – and enjoyed the lingering confusion that rested there until he slowly and deliberately returned to the digging. The scene developed so naturally and I got caught up in its momentum as the two characters began to pile up the gathered earth into a mountain between them. As their mood changed and the excitement built, so did mine too. This empathic response was satisfying - far more than the need for a logical narrative. As it was a surreal world where anything could happen, there was a natural build of tension to know what would happen when the mountain had reached its peak. I can’t remember what happened next, but I know I wasn’t disappointed and was swept up into the next scene, which I accepted with the reality of a dream. Density With regard to the performers in Neiro’s performance, I couldn’t help noticing the difference in quality between Neiro – who I know to be a Butoh dancer as well, and the others, whose background I don’t know anything about. While I appreciated all the performers for the show that they created together, I couldn’t help but notice a depth in Neiro’s performance that was not so apparent in the others. I will try to articulate what I saw, which may seem poetic at first. When Neiro expressed emotion through his face, it came from a very deep space. It was as if he accessed a channel of emotion that – like a deep well – penetrated deep into the core of the earth. He raked the bottom (or at least tried) of this deep, dark pit to stir what was hidden there. What rose to the surface was strong, passionate and moving. And, it didn’t stop there! The expression on the face was still yet another passage for the emotion to pass through as energy, for it continued to move beyond to affect the space around and spread far beyond the confines of the auditorium. The effects reached me on the front row and I couldn’t help but be moved – especially by his first entrance where his movements were in complete contrast to the music (on the issue of music, I have another opinion, which I will express later). Paradox So, for me, Neiro’s performance gave his body the appearance of density, which nonetheless, he was able to manipulate too with lightness (a strange paradox). The others seemed to tread the earth lightly, and the depth of their emotion a little more shallow – and by this, I mean close to the surface, and not a judgment about my opinion of their performance. I must iterate again, that it was the concerted effort of the whole company that made the performance most enjoyable. The girl who played opposite Neiro in a lead role had a very interesting quality in her movement that was poetic and for me, very butoh-like. This I very much appreciated, but it lacked the clarity of intent that Neiro’s performance always showed. Her solo parts had a fuzziness in which I was trying to work out what she wanted to say: I knew and felt there was something strong and powerful that had to be expressed but what it was, I couldn’t tell. For me, it was more like Butoh where clear expression is not such a priority as being truthful to the moment, which I felt she was with her energy and focus. I enjoyed the combination of artistry and phenomenal technique. I was also surprised by the depth of emotion expressed and the surreal nature of the performance.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 15:07:48 +0000