Title of Abstract
42-42-564
Session Title
Performances
Faculty Mentor
Kelly Ozust, M.F.A
College
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Department
Theatre & Dance
Abstract
Death is an inevitable circumstance in everyone’s life. It comes earlier than some people expect, or later in life than some could want. No one knows where we truly go when we pass away. Some examples of the afterlife could be heaven, hell, purgatory, reincarnation, or a black nothingness. To some people, this creates a major anxiety that stems from an uncertainty of where humans end up in the afterlife. Using the medium of dance, my choreographic research is inspired by my Introduction to World Religions class and my personal fear of death. This piece is meant to showcase the spectrum between heaven and hell, as I find it unsettling to not know what awaits me when my time comes. The dancers are to be in a form of purgatory, a no man's land between heaven and hell. They travel across the spectrum to the “fiery depths” of hell and to the “pearly gates” of heaven to see where they end up. I explore dance elements of heaviness and staccato movement to communicate the idea of hell. To address the other side of the spectrum, I explore brisk and lighter movements to communicate the feeling of heaven. This work centers around creating an unsettling environment with separate individuals unaware of their situation.
Previously Presented/Performed?
Winthrop University Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors, Rock Hill, SC, April 2023.
Type of Presentation
Performance of my creative work
Start Date
15-4-2023 12:00 PM
42-42-564
Death is an inevitable circumstance in everyone’s life. It comes earlier than some people expect, or later in life than some could want. No one knows where we truly go when we pass away. Some examples of the afterlife could be heaven, hell, purgatory, reincarnation, or a black nothingness. To some people, this creates a major anxiety that stems from an uncertainty of where humans end up in the afterlife. Using the medium of dance, my choreographic research is inspired by my Introduction to World Religions class and my personal fear of death. This piece is meant to showcase the spectrum between heaven and hell, as I find it unsettling to not know what awaits me when my time comes. The dancers are to be in a form of purgatory, a no man's land between heaven and hell. They travel across the spectrum to the “fiery depths” of hell and to the “pearly gates” of heaven to see where they end up. I explore dance elements of heaviness and staccato movement to communicate the idea of hell. To address the other side of the spectrum, I explore brisk and lighter movements to communicate the feeling of heaven. This work centers around creating an unsettling environment with separate individuals unaware of their situation.
