While sitting by the Pacific Ocean two years ago, Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 Anya Saugstad got the inspiration to pen a lengthy poem revolving around a sense of urgency to act on climate change and protect the Earth含羞草研究社檚 oceans.
In that poem, she wrote the words 含羞草研究社渙cean roaring,含羞草研究社� which would later serve as the title of her contemporary dance project: a live, site-specific dance and violin piece. It was first performed later that year at Kitsilano Beach and was featured as a film in the 2020 Vines Art Festival.
The 20-minute performance had only been performed on the shores of the Pacific Ocean until recently, but Saugstad and the six other women in the ensemble collaborated with the Rotary Centre for the Arts and used Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 Tugboat Bay Beach as their stage on Aug. 5 and 6.
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含羞草研究社淚 wanted to draw attention to the ocean, as this scarce and vital resource,含羞草研究社� said Saugstad, a graduate of Simon Fraser University and the architect behind the piece含羞草研究社檚 choreography.
含羞草研究社淚 wanted to make a work that dueted with the ocean so that people could sit down for 20 or 30 minutes and watch not only us performing but also see the site and the environment.含羞草研究社�
Ocean Roaring features Saugstad and five artists perform a contemporary dance routine by the ocean 含羞草研究社� in Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 case Okanagan Lake 含羞草研究社� while Cindy Kao steers the group with her violin.
含羞草研究社淭here was also this feeling of urgency 含羞草研究社� being a woman who含羞草研究社檚 expected to be polite, in control, moving my body in a very certain way,含羞草研究社� said Saugstad. 含羞草研究社淚 wanted the power of the ocean, the power of womanhood and our bodies 含羞草研究社� that duality worked really nicely for me in my mind.含羞草研究社�
To be as environmentally conscious as possible, Saugstad employed live music for the piece, while the costumes worn are thrifted or are second-hand.
The term roaring, she said, speaks to the waves, as well as the women expressing themselves through dance.
含羞草研究社淚t feels like we含羞草研究社檙e roaring the whole time, trying to get something out and say something with our bodies,含羞草研究社� she said.
aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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