If you are about to decide what to prefer - whether the view of your eye or the experience of your body - always give the priority to the body. Because touch is the older sense than sight, and its experience is more fundamental.”

Jan Švankmajer, Decalogue

 

The topic of the project revolves around the idea that all objects as well as people existing in a somehow defined space, experience a situation of a constant dialogue. Writing fingers interact with the keyboard as well as the dancer’s body interacts with the space and the space interacts with the body; spectator’s eyes interact with different parts of the dancer’s body etc.  There is mutual exchange present in all the human actions.

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The working title of the project refers to the famous animated film by Jan Švankmajer – Dimensions of Dialogue - where two clay heads lead a dialogue through pulling out different objects from their mouths. Gradually, the exchange loses its logic and the mutual interaction is moved into a completely irrational level and the spectator discovers brand new aspects of so far fluid conversation – excitement, anger, desperation, blame, fight, predominance.

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An important aspect of the work represents the relationship to a real, tactile material of the clay. Inspired by the opening quote by Švankmajer, we would like to practise our tactile ability and use the clay material in contrast to the clean and virtual world of nowadays. Clay has also its symbolic value in our process – similarly to many things and phenomenon that surround us, its possible to shape it, form it and influence it once you work with it, take care of it. When you leave it without any attention, it petrifies. Construction and deconstruction of the shapes and therefore emotions, situations or phenomenon are one of the most crucial points of interest in this work.

 

Creative team:

Concept, choreography and performed by: Karolína Hejnová, Sebastian Belmar

Produced by ME-SA

Supported by Prague City Hall, Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, ALT@RT

This project is being created in frame of Studio ALTA residency programme.

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