project image
Ricardo H. Nelson
LIFE AMONG ROCKS

first performed on August 23, 2015
Hayden Lord Park, City, State
performed once in 2015

SHIZU HOMMA

New York, NY

shizuhomma.weebly.com

LIFE AMONG ROCKS
SHIZU HOMMA

I created a twelve-minute, site-specific dance work in silence under the artistic guidance of Joanna Haigood, through the organization Dancing in the Streets (DITS). It was a free performance open to the public on a Sunday afternoon alongside three other choreographers.

Inspired by the permaculture certification intensive I took in July 2015, and the fact that I had been living in temporary homes since 2011, I made a work that dealt with ideas around humans, animals, and the environment. I have been convinced more and more that humans are equal to animals, especially since encountering spiders, bees, a coyote, and a baby wolf in 2014 while renovating and living in another person’s bungalow.

The part of the park I chose to structure my dance around had rocks, a wall, a gate behind the wall, nearby buildings, a climbing structure with bouncy flooring, and several man-made structures. The rocks, walls, and flooring were very hot in the August Bronx sun; rehearsals were in the afternoons as the park was closed mornings and evenings. To try to minimize blistering, I wore gloves during rehearsals and taped up my feet during the performance. Pierreot Carrilero made the costume for the piece, which included sleeves and a hood that recalled themes of civilization, savagery, and animalism.