Running Piece | Student Reflections: Nathan Snyders-Blok

Fluid Fest’s presentation of Running Piece, created by Jacques Poulin-Denis and performed by James Gnam at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, was a very insightful and thought-provoking performance. In this contemporary dance piece, a runner explores the concept of the body through the space and time; constantly conveying and relaying the concept that we as individuals, continuously pursue busy lives, striving to find meaning in everything we do. The piece was performed in an intimate black box theatre with low lighting and a small audience. Centered in the middle of the stage, an athletic looking man walks calmly atop a flat treadmill, his face and body calm and neutral. At the beginning of the piece the man starts a light jog, the sound of dripping water follows distantly in the background. As the piece progresses the movement shifts, constantly changing and progressing, falling into patterns and repetition, yet always finding its way to new places. Playing with transitions between bound and free movement, light and heavy weights, and shifting resistance the piece stayed exciting and new. The music of the piece seemed random at first, but upon examination, it was realized that the music corresponded with the footsteps and rhythms within the dancer’s body as they ran. When it was finished the piece left me thinking about myself, the world around me and how life can make you feel like you are the one on the treadmill. As a first-year dance student, I feel this piece would appeal mostly to open-minded individuals willing to think about and assess the interplay between the movement, music and setting. Overall, I really enjoyed the creativity and abstract thinking this piece provided.

GuestOctober 27, 2019Fluid Fest 2019, Reflections 2019