Week 4: with Chris and Luke

 Day 1: Monday, June 25th

I knew when I asked Christine Devaney if she would like to be a part of Here, There and Everywhere that she would contribute in a very different way from everyone else. Chris works very closely with Luke Sutherland and several other artists, improvising and building in a more-or-less instinctive way. Her physical and mental intelligence are sharp, delicate but strong, and crystal clear. She has a vivid and luminescent presence as a performer, writes touching scripts, and uses space and time in deliberate and unusual ways. As with Frank, we met just five years ago and do not know each other well. So, this week is another one of exploration and discovery shared with a recent acquaintance with whom I feel a real bond.

Chris Devaney - day 1 at The Shed

We began the day separately, each of us warming up in the space: Chris and me on the dance floor, Luke with his guitar, violin and numerous pedals - each performs a different function (echo, distortion, sustain...).

Luke's pedals

Meanwhile, Bill went outside to record environmental sounds - mostly from the trash heap equipment - lots of metal being dumped and moved around - that might get included in the sound track for Ian Spink and/or me. We will see about that later on in the process.
After warming up, improvisation: in pairs and with all three. First, Chris and I moved together, rolling across the floor, then offering each other resistance or impetus, responding and contrasting the energy and direction of the touch. Luke joined us with his music and presence in the space. In a four-minute threesome, one of us led, the second person followed the leader, and the third person followed the second person; we then switched roles. Finally, Luke and I did a six minute improvisation: he led for two minutes, I led for two minutes, and the we had a movement and music conversation for two minutes.
After a short break, Chris shared her research about the word displacement, as used by psychologists: transferring emotions from one object onto another to hide the true nature - such as, a security blanket; also, this displacement is often an unconscious shift of inappropriate emotions, ideas or wishes. "Displacement activities" include scratching one's head as a substitution for making a decision. These actions can bring comfort, or relieve stress. They often cover anxiety.
We also talked about the notion of displacement from oneself: "I'm not quite myself today." The cause of this feeling can be external or internal, enforced or chosen. It contrasts the feeling of being placed or grounded, at one with the world.
Finally, displacement is associated with vectors: straight paths from one point to another (as opposed to circuitous wanderings).
We started from the body and music, improvising on the idea of displacement from oneself. We added the action of pulling sleeves and pant legs up and down, touching the face, brushing the hair away from the forehead.
That's a lot of improvisation, a lot of thought and emotional investment. A curious and satisfying day, with a supportive, safe feeling in the studio. We spend the evening together, over a dinner I make at the apartment Bill and I are sharing for the three weeks at the Shed.

Day 2: Tuesday, June 26th

We continue our improvisation activities after warming up separately for a good hour. Luke plays violin while Chris and I alternate: one of us, eyes closed, follows the touch of the other. We do this for about an hour, then write our thoughts down, and then share them.
I list what we did: feather touch on ear, sternum, solar plexus, head; squeezing hips or shoulders, followed by a movement of compression and confinement; elbows out; the body folding and unfolding; walking in a circle; gentle; slow music that suddenly becomes a waltz; holding waists; holding a hand and guiding the torso; repeating movements in a pattern until it becomes rhythmic; losing balance; the direction and/or energy of the touch gives the direction or energy of the response movement.
Chris mentions the listening quality; being held by Luke in music and space; being taken by Luke's music; trusting uncertainty; internal/external; there/not there; here/not here.

Luke Sutherland

Luke and Chris

 Luke says that the music wouldn't exist as it was without whatever is going on in the room; he feels he was playing a feedback loop, that he was channeling the energy of the room.
We talked about the idea of letting go while holding on - or, of letting go and staying present.
After a break, Chris brought out some paper and pastels. She asked me to draw my journey through the world. It came out looking like a sort of Mercator projection of the Northern Hemisphere:

So many places...

The next series of improvisations involved reproducing the "map" in movement - first in space (displacing myself), and then indicating places with my body. Another series of improvisations recalled the place where I grew up, with the addition of a "displacement" improvisation from Monday. Getting somewhere, slowly but surely!
Bill and I also ran Frank's solo twice. Keeping everything going, accumulating a fabulously diverse collection of movement, music and ideas. What a wonderful, rich process!