Jennifer Muller/The Works - "Bench"
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Uploaded by jennifermullerworks on Jul 21, 2009
BENCH is a dance about culpability and grace. In essence, the piece traces the ecological destruction of the earth due to the destructive effect of human behavior.
The piece has two simultaneous arcs. Video projections provide images of the earth from its creation to its current state of devastation. Only at the very end of the piece do the video projections imagine a renewal/rebirth of the natural environment. The dance element provides the cause of the destruction by portraying the negative human effect on nature.
A piece for twelve dancers, each dancer embodies an individual within a community of people. Caught in a downward spiral of destructive behavior, loosely based on the seven deadly sins, the relationships between characters disintegrate, torn apart by jealousies, quarrels, power struggles and conflicting desires, all leading to a series of catalytic events that disrupt the status quo and affect change.
The bench itself becomes at various times a symbol for greed and power—as in the game king on the hill; a symbol for inertia—a place where individuals sit, waiting for life to happen; and eventually, a symbol for a prayer for salvation.
Over all, Bench asks for a transformation of disregard into responsibility, apathy into action and conflict into redemption.
As far back as 1976, I began to create pieces about the environment. Beach (in 3 Acts) was first, followed by Terrain in 1981 and The Spotted Owl in 1995. This has always been a concern of mine and I am pleased to present another piece about this issue.
Bench was specially commissioned by The Joyce Theaters 25@25 Initiative, in commemoration of The Joyces 25th Anniversary Season in 2007-08.
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hi jennifer my brother is Edgard Duprat great works
euge12 1 year ago
Awesome, love it.
mechii21 1 year ago
I love the video, and I really like to see this a life.
Congratulations people, I love wathever you do!
piradas 1 year ago
what is the beginning music?
Liv2Danse 2 years ago