I have been a traveler since my early twenties. I was the first in my family to leave the state of California. I moved to Seattle to pursue dance. I studied in Salt Lake City. I took a teaching job in Wichita, Kansas. I moved to Canada to work at the University. I was invited to go to Poland, first as a “cultural specialist” and choreographer for Fulbright Scholar and UCLA professor, Michael Hackett, then as a Fulbright Scholar myself. Through our duet career, Mochniej and I have moved from country to country, challenging ourselves to see our work and ourselves through these changing lenses. Trying to understand my ‘place’ and my ‘self ‘while moving through and becoming absorbed by these places has been a thread throughout my whole adult life. The feeling of being ‘displaced’, of what is lost, what is missed, as well as what is discovered, and the question of what my bones are crying out for is another part of this.
For this reason, the suitcase became an important prop in the development of this new work. I also wanted to collaborate with other artists who know or feel this concept of “place” and how the land shapes you and your values or way of seeing. As well, I wanted to find a connection with other Canadian artists who have traveled to find a new home or have experienced this longing for their ‘place’.
After many long conversations with Wojtek, I’m reaching out, starting conversations with these artists. I look forward to their insights and to sharing with these creative spirits!