What is What

THISISWHATISWHAT

ABOVE: original notebook scan. Illustrated Notes on Cultural Phenomenology; The Condition Arriving and notions of invisibility within its context. I have posted this same image in the 2D section of this site but it is cleaned up of all the writing.

The cultural significance of dancing on crutches in a dance world that is built on a narrow range of ideal body types has deeper implications than readily apparent. For example, there are no classes to take that teach dance technique on crutches nor is there any history to look back upon to say “this was how it was done before him and this is how he has contributed.” Or conversely there is no, " he did this particular movement in reference to an older movement then expanded its execution in  a clever way" there is also the absence of any type of handle of vocabulary of moves. no " the sharpness of his lo-mid elbow angles brought highlighted the stuttering contrast of his feet" these are examples of things I have done within the dance that are invisible and unrecorded because it is a world unto itself.  Working with an invented form is a double-edged endeavor which lends itself to being misunderstood even as it is embraced. Often, when being approached by journalists and audiences, their perspective is in the human interest story of how I started dancing "in spite of" being on crutches. My creative efforts that set me apart from other artists are at times overshadowed by the human interest story focused on the details of my disability. While it is fair to begin the observation with such a question given the dance form – and I do discuss the origination of the technique – the challenge is to take the audience to such a transformed dance experience that the crutches are subsumed by the movement. It is a challenge unique to my form that I constantly encounter. This push to shift a cultural and sociological paradigm is a creative catalyst that further inspires me to break perceptual boundaries. To that end I discovered a drawing about the Phenomena of The Condition Arriving within the Physical, Sociological, Linguistic Phenomenological Performance Art and Dance Series : Regarding The Fall. This drawing is in reference to published writing about my work that credited my condition - literally- with the creation of the spectacle ( instead of me  being creative, I used my condition to create ) In other words if your condition is physical and you dance then your not creating a spectacle like your peers rather your using your condition to create a spectacle.. verily a condition one peers do not have.. ones peers just use their brains I suppose.. in fairness this writing was a decade ago and hopefully the thinking about dance and the body hs moved forward just a bit.