“ Brittany makes great dances- She also builds community.”
–Diane Frank, Stanford University
formerly of the Merce Cunningham Studio

 

Chance and indeterminacy procedures make this tribute to Merce Cunningham for Stanford Lively Arts’ ENCOUNCTER: MERCE celebration. Mark Applebaum paired me with a composer from his composition seminar class, and together we determined the parameters of our musical collaboration. Understanding language (choreographic, musical and spoken) is defined with an individual's sensibilities and yet we rely on our collective, generic understanding of both spoken and unspoken “words” and “meanings” in every aspect of our daily lives in order to communicate. 

Through chance structures, this piece is about this duality. Though seemingly fragile, these structures build giant foundations from which we create communities, buildings and friendships. When these structures collapse, so does the basic framework of all understanding. This concept is intentionally broad to allow for the experience of each dancer to permeate their own spatial landscape on stage.