Great rehearsals so far this week.  We are digging in and everyone is devising very rich nuggets.  I was struck by the magic of the movement inventions that came from answering the question, "where does it hurt the most?" and performing that with the list of objects as text.  There is something very powerful emerging with the idea of cataloging, taking inventory of stuff we accumulate, hold onto or discard.  The link Sonnet gave amplifies some great ideas behind this.  Also, using the same movement with a different text (we each wrote through Sonnet's direction) brought forth uncanny connections, first to the original movement invention, but also to each other and our developing "stories" that are occurring in our process. 

We discussed the ideas forming for the "container" and overall structure of the work. Also, individual stories (or myths) and characters that are emerging through our investigations.

They are all invited. They all don't remain on stage all the time.  The "gyre" is outside of, or surrounds, the space we are in.  The space can become many places including the gyre through video and light (also sound/music).  It can be taken over, changed, shifted, etc.  We discussed many ideas around how we first come into the space.  From above?  Is this possible?  Feasible?  I would like to investigate further.  Still pondering ways to use the verticality of the space.  We are all submerged.  

By the end could there be slowly descending streams of trash... or not trash.... things, objects???closing in on us???  It is finally revealed as the "gyre" - a place that is made, or has been formed, because of all our discard.

The 5th character, or element, is the earth, the forces beyond us.  This character is manifested through video, sound/music, and a voice.  The voice can be directive,  instructional, a therapist, foreboding, motherly, giving what is needed in the form it is needed.

Other notes I have from this discussion included:

The idea of treasures in the trash.  An image of a door or shoot that is open and someone is inundated by it all.  The squirreling of stuff. 

A character having nothing to get back to and figuring out how to create jobs or tasks that keep them there.

Something discussed with Nick and Sonnet and I - The trash in the gyre either sinks, gets broken down, or spins out.   

Sonnet recommends reading Bird by Bird by Ann Lambert

Other thoughts:  In a discussion with Steve last night he mentioned the four directions and the importance and meaning of them in Native American spirituality, myths, and prayers.  This resonated strongly for me and it felt connected to my continued thoughts about "measuring", with our body parts as the measuring tools.  Simple.  A task.  Trying to locate, or figure out something, information.  This comes from original investigations in 2006, perhaps it has a place somewhere and/or the use of the meanings and symbols of the four directions.

Here are a couple links I found with more details about the four directions:

http://users.ap.net/~chenae/spirit.html

http://www.starstuffs.com/prayers/directs.htm

A new burning idea:

In my desire to explore video in my work, I have always wanted to play with live cameras as an element.  It is where my first work with dance and video started (1987!) Yet, I  haven't really created the work that called for it... until now.  I believe this work calls for it.  It fits with our direction, and used wisely, will allow us to enter the 5th dimension of the work - the force outside us, the earth, the gyre.  It shows us ourselves through sometimes swallowing us. ????  Maybe we have 3-4 of those really small cameras, some off stage, placed to be picked up.  

(Yes, this was re-ignited by Teeth.)  

Here's the link about the rubber duckies spilled in the ocean:

http://www.seasabres.com/%5CSafty-education%5CEducation%5Cother%5Cduckies.htm

This is a great piece about the "Story of Stuff"  It is 20 min. long but worth it.  well done.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Mermaid's Tears.

Mission to break up Pacific island of rubbish twice the size of Texas.

"The proportion of tiny fragments, known as mermaid’s tears, are less easily quantified."

Goodbye Wafflemaker.

This site is one part stoop sale and one part personal experiment. The idea was born during the March 2009 session of Project M in Belfast Maine, where 12 people sat crammed around a corner booth at Rollies, fueled by rounds of Guinness and Leinenkugels. By ridding myself of these possessions, I aim to both lighten my travel load and remove the obtrusive clutter from my everyday life.