February 27 - March 1: Thurs - Sat at 8pm, Sun at 5pm
This co-presentation with ODC Theater includes parts 2 and 3 of Deborah Slater Dance Theater's inCIVILITY series - the acclaimed 'Outrage Machine' (2018), a combination of motion capture, live interactive visual effects and the expressive power of dance; and the world premiere of the third and final section, 'A Seat at the Table,' in celebration of the company's 30th anniversary season.
Conceived, choreographed and directed by Deborah Slater, inCIVILITY began as an inquiry into the sudden rise in highly publicized acts of racism, sexism, xenophobia and the like since 2016. "How is it that what was once inappropriate, ignorant or cruel has been made acceptable, even 'normal' in such a short period of time?" asked Slater. "Technology has certainly transformed the manner in which we perceive and interact with the world around us, but has it transformed us?"
A Seat at the Table follows these questions back to an essential examination of power. "As the saying goes, 'If you don't have a seat at the table, you're probably on the menu,'" notes Slater. Drawing a cue from this culinary metaphor, Slater's development of the piece centers around the image of a dinner party. "If a rectangular table instantiates a 'power' seat at either end, how can we build in greater equity?"
'Outrage Machine,' which premiered in 2018, asks, "What if - rather than ginning up the 'outrage machine' for clicks - technology could be used as a tool to moderate perspectives?" Company members Harris and Hien Huynh perform a duet against a backdrop of live motion capture and interactive visual effects, the high-tech artistry of software engineer, creative technologist and neuroscientist John Fesenko. An added layer are the respective backgrounds of the two performers. While Huynh's family was fleeing Vietnam in the 1970s, Harris's father was an American soldier stationed in the country. "What's the possibility for conciliation in this time of heightened identity politics?" asks the work.