monitor

 

Jared questions our relationship to the medias and the role they play in our lives. He is fascinated by the way we seem susceptible to the influence of the media and the way they shape our realities and dictate how, when, who and what we see and hear.

 

In the ‘Monitor’ NEWS becomes religion, object of worship and love, obsessive daily ritual, smokescreen, mask, illusion of reality, addictive drug from which we get our daily fix of information.

 

Work Process

 

Day 1

Introductions on 16th  November,

I introduced The  Monitor to the participants of Performance Lab where I gave the idea and my expectations with since the  dance piece has been performed sometimes before, my idea in this session will be to rework the piece again with different  dancers but always referring to the original idea. This phase is to help me realize the strong images and moments that   emerged out in the previous work.

 

Day 2

As a step further into beginning the process I got four dancers:

- Adams Chienjo,

- Jackson Atulo,

- Neema Baghamuhunda,

- Eva.

 

Task : What to begin working on in this phase of Performance Lab ?

In order to realize the visual images I got when I watched the previous performance of this piece. I started by introducing curves since the images were conceived in curved fast motions in me but in the curves I wanted still moments within with small  sudden gestures.

 

Then the question of entrances and exits emerged, sense of listening among the dancers came out and the motions  developed into a cluster which could be displaced in the space.

Concerns:  How to make clear curves? Harmonizing the gestures and curves and How to loop the curves to varieties from solo to duo and to trio.

 

Day 2

Task: How would the curves help to bring a meaning of the subject ?

I pointed out some interesting moments from the previous working and suggested simple arrangements to begin with like:

Adam, Atulo and Eva together while Neema did solo runs, I introduced a short phrase to balance the monotony of the  curves and runs and to evoke dancer’s thoughts.  Alongside these we also discussed how to involve objects like newspapers, radios and Tvs for creating installations in the piece. After the presentation of the piece I realized the weakness in the delay or urgency in development.

 

Day  3

(Eva absent) Worked in the other space:  sarakasi  B

Task :  working with the newspapers and  radio in the space:

We worked and discussed the subject where several ideas came out and deeper understanding of the idea.

 

Discussion:

- What is it about information that keeps us glued to it ?

or

What  do  we  expect  in the  media?

Reflections:

- Media is a form of worship or a ritual,

- For some, media brings a feeling of security and satisfaction,

- People go for information to be up dated.

 

Neema and Jack left early but we carried further the discussion with Adam and Opiyo (artistic director) which also helped me in making choices for the   next day’s  work.

 

My  reflections: Use of placards,

How would the installations be done being careful how to treat the ‘street’ scene, the headlines and radio rumours.

How to attain and maintain close intimacy with newspapers, the contents in the radio, the Tv contents and the projection possibilities or enlarging the headline page.

 

Day  4

Task: Working on the piece with the notes of day 3 discussion and relevance of the movements.

- Presented the work

 

Reactions:

- Frame of the piece is evidently emerging

- The subject in question, Media has three components: print (journal), verbal(radio), Visual (Television, internet e.t.c). In  the  order  of any government media comes fourth after Executive, Legislature and judiciary .

- Media has been and  is being used as a tool for manipulating and censoring the public.

- The visual element should as well be evident.

 

photo james mweu