Spontaneity- Movement/ Improvisation/ Text

A weekend in the studio.

I am realising a lot about the way I make work, the way I compose and the strategies which work best for me. I am also  beginning to recognize a 'dramatic' element in the way I perform. I am not regarding this as a negative point and plan to play on my dramatic performance skills to enhance future performances.

Do you know I am loud, my french teacher used to say "Kirsty you are like a Light-house." I think she actually meant fog-horn but had not quite mastered the English language.

I have a tendency to over-think when I am attempting to make material, usually resulting in poor material, which I am soon bored of and wanting to disregard. Automatic/ Improvisation techniques are providing me with what I consider suitable matererial for development. I speak of suitable material as texts and movement sequences that continue to excite me outside of the studio space.

This weekend I have been working collaboaratively with artists Moji, Holly and Beth. Developing automatic writing alongside movement sequences.

Take several action words to develop a movement sequence.


Knotting. Crumpling. Forgiving. Arguing. Persevering. Zooming. Paddling. Breaking. Neglecting. Leaving.

The following is developed with the choreography of Meg Stuart in mind. This particular style of minimalist choreography attempts to structure language through movement based sequences. The Solo guitarist singing alongside the movement sequences in 'Damaged Goods - Maybe Forever.' (2007) is considerably useful in relation to my staging of
1) 'Running Bear Loves Little White Dove' on a kareoke machine.
2) 'The Stories of Willie Wankie Woo Woo' on tape recording.

Backward fast, left arm signal wave. FSR - BSR. -  Right leg wrap round left leg, arms stretch to touch floor (balance lost) BSR. -   Sprint fast diagonally, chest jump up. BSR - FSL. - Bang hard attempting a conversation with the floor, monkey like. FSL - Fall to CS. - Attempt floor star sideways. Stand turn to side, lift left leg, point foot, place to floor, lift right leg, point foot, place to floor, repeat. CS. stand, mimic 'oar sequence.'

Finally a text.
Based on automatic writing sequences in relation to the movement.

She reversing like a ticking clock, explosion - tick, tock, tick tock.Vines entwining with a defiant struggle against the bottom. Pulling she down. She pulling... Free. She banging, like an ape, melodic, rhythmic. She exercising. She's daily routine. Scared to dip a toe in the fish tank fight strongly defiantly.