A Page Out of Order - Hold the Clock Jordan

On Tuesday April 20th, as part of the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival, I performed in a show titled "A Page Out of Order - Hold the Clock Jordan" choreographed by conceptual artist Yoshiko Chuma. My involvement started as a simple offer from Ryuji Yamaguchi, the director of dance at King's, asking if I would like to participate. I liked the idea of performing in a foreign country for a well-known Manhattan artist so I said yes. The cast consisted of dancers from Ramallah, Japan, and Amman and rehearsals were conducted in a mix of Arabic, Japanese, and English. It was amazing to see the effects of working and performing together: cultural and linguistic differences are transcended in the face of a common pursuit and passion.

Yoshiko made the rehearsal process a learning experience rather than just a time to learn choreography. She emphasized the physics of movement and treated dance as both an intellectual and physical activity. Yoshiko's notes were invaluable because I began to see dance as a combination of talent and strategy. It is reassuring to be reminded that movement isn't about luck. People can do five consecutive turns or stay suspended in a leap through the air because of calculated choices made by their mind and body. In the end, the hour and a half performance was a small portion of the experience - it was the time spent rehearsing that taught me the most.

-Kat