DanSers

Alexander Andison, Thalia Crymble, Scott Fowler, Surimu Fukushi, Nicole Ishimaru, Kele Roberson, Yukino Takaura

Alexander Andison ABOUT La Ruta:

“Here we are at the end. We have arrived at the final destination. I had to pull over a few times to get reoriented. I can’t remember the last time I was here, but I think it was late autumn. All I have left is a collection of blurred memories that keep flashing by. They move at 120 km/h. Some really took place, and others are dreams dressing up as fact. Are they lies? I left my wallet in the glove compartment. I hope it is still there in the morning. There is a photo that I keep inside that reminds me of where I am from.”

DANsERS

Alexander Andison, Fay van Baar, Anna Bekirova, Jon Bond, Conner Bormann, Pamela Campos, Emmitt Cawley, Matthew Foley, Scott Fowler, Surimu Fukushi, Barry Gans, Nicole Ishimaru, Chuck Jones, Madoka Kariya, Genevieve O’Keeffe, Luca Tessarini, Theophilus Veselý, Nicole Ward, Sophie Whittome, Rui-Ting Yu, Zenon Zubyk

A note from Simon and Crystal

We would like to express our gratitude to the performers of NDT for their essential creative contributions to this work. We’ve been profoundly moved by their insights and ingenuity, their tireless commitment and trust. These incredible dancers are the lifeblood of our creation. They have given us much joy and a deep desire to keep excavating, uncovering, discovering and imagining what is possible.

Genevieve O’Keeffe ABOUT Figures in Extinction [2.0]:

“After experiencing Simon and Crystal’s first chapter of Figures in Extinction [1.0], I was left feeling deeply grateful and moved at these artist’s willingness to explore the most complex and confronting of problems.

Entering this creation of Figures in Extinction [2.0] I couldn’t imagine where we might begin. What is the first step in unpacking the human experience?

As dancers movement is a language deeply familiar, in many ways we are more comfortable with the abstract rather than the explicit.

While researching with Simon we were challenged to clearly define our intention. To know what we are saying not just sense it. I am not showing you water, I am water!

I was so excited by this opportunity to reframe my experience as a performer and not rely on the skills which are known. I am not showing you human, I am human!

The honouring of some sort of core truth felt integral to this process, perhaps anchoring this large team of collaborators.”

Emmitt cawley ABOUT Figures in Extinction [2.0]:

“The human species is constantly evolving, seeking constant renewal, reinvention, and redefinition. This constant progress leads to a loss of connection with nature and humility to coexist. Simon McBurney and Crystal Pite work now on the second iteration of their three part collaboration, Figures in Extinction [2.0] – but then we come to the humans, which aims to challenge the contemporary structure of human identity and ego. The creation invites a process of reshuffling contemporary barriers and focusing on our similarities as living organisms, rather than defining ourselves in relation to nature… we are a part of it. Our narrative has become one of isolated fixations within our own perspective. We continue further down the patt, blind to our present circumstances. Can we take this work and provide a symbolic mirror or reflection to us and the world we inhabit? Can we see how our similarities, simply as living organisms, greatly outweigh our so-called defining and “empowering” identifiers? We are not at the top of some hierarchical structure that man created… we are dust. Once born from the earth and destined to return: life and death, giving and taking. All things return home, all things return to the source.”