I CRAVE WORK THAT HAS
A WANDERING-OFFNESS TO IT
Photo credit: Jared Gruenwald
“Simmer
in the experiential mashed potatoes,” suggests Christina Gesualdi,
co-creator/performer of our nebulous
motor, “won’t you???”
our nebulous motor, performed in a stairwell at Mascher Space Co-op in Northern Liberties as part of
the SoLow Fest next week, is a dance-installation that audiences are invited to
walk in and out of. Christina talks to SoLow about meditating on roofs, making
non-narrative dance, and killing variables.
SoLow Fest: Was there
a specific event or series of events which inspired you to create this show?
Christina
Gesualdi: I rehearse at Mascher twice a week, and for the past year, more than
half of the rehearsals have been solo rehearsals. In the nice weather, I like
to warm up with some Qi Gong on
Mascher's roof. The fire escape hallway that leads to the roof is somewhat
dingy yet charming in its own way. I am attracted to disheveled yet functional
spaces. The hallway creates a striking sense of depth. It is amazing because it
limits what I can make. These limits are useful and the piece has been finding
a sense of freedom within them.
SF: Tell us a little
about your previous work.
CG:
I have self-produced a bunch of sit-down-and-watch-type experimental dance
works. My work is non-narrative. My last solo was very experiential, so it
hinged on the sensorial world that I, the performer, was experiencing in each
moment. This is the kind of work I am interested in, though I also wonder how
much it translates to audience sensation and experience. This new piece gets at
changing the sensory "givens" of the dance-watcher's environment.
SF: What have you
learned from the process so far?
CG:
I have learned to pare down the number of variables within one piece...that I
have more questions and ambitions than I often think I do...and that it is
important to "kill" a bunch of them, so that the remaining ones can
really be present in a big way. I also have learned that the sounds of the
building in the hallway are amazing in the afternoon (our neighbors and the
outdoors are the perfect amount of quiet and noisy between 11am and 1pm).
SF: Tell us a little
about experiential mashed potatoes.
CG:
Ah yes. So I had a ballet teacher in high school that criticized dancers'
execution of the steps and combinations as "ehhh...it's so mushy...it's
like mashed potatoes."
I understand precision, rigor, organization, and dynamic range as values that
make great dance, but more so, I crave work that has a softness and a wandering
off-ness to it. I think it is good to be immersed in work that feels mushy for
a while or maybe for the duration. It parallels and speaks to the complexity
and lack of clarity that makes life worth living.
our nebulous motor takes place at Mascher Space
Co-Op at 155 Cecil B. Moore Avenue on Fri. June 21 @10pm-midnight, Sat. June
22@ 10pm-midnight, Thurs. June 27 @ 8pm-10pm,
Fri. June 28th @ 11am-1pm (2 hour installation. Come and go as you
please.). gesualdic@gmail.com or (215) 901-5226 for reservations. VERY limited
space. PWYC $5.
Julius Ferraro is a Philly freelancer. He writes regularly for Art Attack and his blog, Notes on Words.