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As an artist, I set out to creatively answer three important questions that were discovered in a variety of ways over the course of my academic career. They all had one thing in common, the awareness and wonder around how impactful presence is. But what is presence? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defined presence as, “The state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present in a place or thing.” And, “A person or thing that exists or is present in a place but is not seen. (Presence) After a tangible experience with loss, grief, disappointment, and extenuating life circumstances for many cast members involved in this seven-month movement research project, the internal battle for physical, mental, and emotional presence began to be a daily pursuit. The originally produced work, Presence-The Walk, takes a look into the unpopular practice of being still in an ever-moving society, as well as what the process of healing can look like for an individual. Videographer and MFA candidate Lawrence Fung was a large collaborator on the final product of this work. After having to adapt several different versions of the final product due to cast changes, opportunities for public performance, and the COVID-19 pandemic, dancer, mover, and artist Victoria Ward shares her experience and research exploring the constant pursuit of presence and what it looked like to present professional work given an even shorter timeline. Interdisciplinary collaboration with photographers, artists, and spoken word was also a key aspect of this work alongside the research completed by her cast of seven dancers.
ContributorsWard, Victoria Marie (Author) / Conder, Carley (Thesis director) / Meredith, Shauna (Committee member) / Rosenkrans, Angela (Committee member) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Though often viewed as a positive aspect of past, modern, and future interpersonal interaction, communities can be viewed under a microscope as a tool used by the human species to preserve oneself. Communities are used as a safety tool to assure the longevity of an individual. As a dancer and dancemaker, taking part in the art of dance challenges one's perception of large groups of bodies taking up space. Following a global pandemic, dancers and people alike were forced to find communities of much smaller sizes to appease the need to interact with other people. This caused the creation of safety pods and the urge to connect with others in ways that were not always favored. How did individuals suffer from a lack of interpersonal connection? Does the need for communities highlight a higher level of codependency amongst individuals who prefer relying on communities? Is this morally wrong? This thesis uses research obtained from ethical theories, travel research, and movement research to determine whether or not this action is morally right or wrong. This thesis uses an ethnographic style of writing to navigate through the creative process of dancemaking for an evening-length dance show, further analyzing the individual need for communities. This reflective writing defends the thesis and includes new revelations on the topic of communities and self-preservation.
ContributorsKing, Takela (Author) / Lerman, Elizabeth (Thesis director) / Koch, Carolyn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2022-05