Dancing in the air

February 4th, 2008

This kind of flying with a harness is different from the kind of hanging stuff that we’ve done with Swan before. He has had us hanging and swinging around on walls, but it’s so different without the wall to push off from. Now that you’re in the middle of the room, once you launch off the ground you can’t really control where you go and how you turn. You just do the best you can to create interesting movement while you’re bouncing off another person.

We use two different kinds of harnesses. Jason and I are in the single line type. You have a lot more freedom but almost no control. Jon is wearing the kind with two lines in the part where he is just hanging there. With that one you can flip upside down, kind of head-over-heals, unlike the single harness. Actually, that’s a lie; I always seem find a way to go upside down in either one.

Swan wanted us to be human, vulnerable and exploring. But once you launch off the ground a lot happens that you just can’t control. But I think it’s like anything in art; you can’t go into it focused on creating something beautiful. If you do, you’ll spend the whole time self-critiquing. You have to just let what happens happen and be true to your intention in the moment. You just have to trust yourself and the choreographer.

-Jessica

Entry Filed under: Jessica Keller