on curation; the 52nd Choreographers' Evening

In the run up to the premiere of the 2024 Choreographers’ Evening, guest curator jess pretty reflects on their approach to this annual tradition of showcasing local dance.

when i think of the evening, i think of gathering, reflection, connection and liberation. i ask, who are we in relationship to each other (like for real), and how do we navigate space together? can we reimagine our relationship to place and performance as a way of reorienting towards change?

my curatorial companion is lite existentialism

why am i here?
why are you here?
what is the intention of gathering?
what does one night of showing 5-7 minutes of material at the Walker Art Center actually do for participating artists?

what am i asking people to show up for?
what does this opportunity mean for these artists?
what is the work of the evening?
does the scale of the ask meet the resources provided?

what can be learned from gathering together?
to witness (a) movement,
and to be witnessed in moving moments?

the work of the evening is in the risk of being seen
of vulnerability
of choosing the encounter
of facing truths
of responding to the aliveness that only the present moment can create

lead us not into stagnation

if the theater is the home and the show is the dinner party and the stage is the kitchen table, where you at? what you doin?

how do you take space
….and where?

i want to create an environment that feels pleasurable
i want people to soften towards each other
i want call and response
i want people to be moved
i want people to engage in active dialogue
i want clarity around boundaries, so there can be playfulness
i want it to feel like folks passing each other in the hallway
or scooching past each other in the kitchen

what is the tapestry of the interior?
where do people come together?
where do people find space?

what happens when Kayla, Vy, Ella, Jinza, Gabe, Davente, Maggie, Nick, Laura, Leslie, Tamin, Juliet, Rachel, Dane, Tumelo and Morgan come over to jess’ for dinner – in the McGuire Theater?

who arrives on time and helps the host finish setting up
who has the existential breakdown in the powder room
who’s sneaking a drink at the bar cart
who makes the toast that brings the room to quiet
who put the Luther record on?
where are the sound of children’s feet running across the floor
who’s taking solace upstairs in an old bedroom?
when do folks take fresh air in the backyard

will the old swingset hold my weight?▪︎

Experience the 2024 Choreographers’ Evening for yourself on Saturday, Nov 30, 2024. Learn more and get tickets here.