The Way You Look (at me) Tonight
How do we look at each other? How do our bodies determine the way we perceive the world around us? In “The Way You Look (at me) Tonight”, Claire Cunningham and Jess Curtis take their audience on a sensual journey to reflect these questions via dance, song and biographical narrative.
Based on their experiences with their own bodies, they discuss how and in what way disability, age or gender influence the experience of one another. They immediately put theoretical thought into practice. Thus, for example, they demonstrate Claire Cunningham’s virtuoso dance technique on crutches and Jess Curtis’ struggle with his ageing body. The audience will also be summoned to experiment with their own perception and sensory organs, because everyone can find their own approach to this piece: An audio description makes the movements of a dance duet audible, video images open up different perspectives on the happenings on stage, the conversations will be translated into sign language. Audience and performers become part of a social sculpture that practices a tender form of resistance, because proper perception is an act of love.
Duration: 90 min.
| Sun 17.05. | with German Sign Language |
| Sun 17.05. | with audio description |
Concept, Performance: Jess Curtis, Claire Cunningham; Philosphical consultation: Dr. Alva Noë; Dramaturgy: Luke Pell; Texts: Claire Cunningham, Jess Curtis & Alva Noë; excerpts from “Varieties of Presence” and “What We Know Best” by Alva Noë and Nicole Peisl; Composition: Matthias Herrmann; Video: Yoann Trellu; Set: Michiel Keuper: Set-assistance: Saskia Schoenmaker; Lighting desiga: Chris Copeland: audiodescription: Emma Jane McHenry; Production management: Nadja Dias, Julia Danila, Alec White; Technology: Chris Copeland, Laura Hook.
A co-production by Jess Curtis/Gravity, Claire Cunningham and Tramway Glasgow. Funded by Fonds Darstellende Künste e.V., Kofinanzierungsfonds des Regierenden Bürgermeisters von Berlin – Senatskanzlei/Kulturelle Angelegenheiten, supported by Tanzfabrik Berlin. Funded by The New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with support by The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Kenneth Rainin Foundation, The San Francisco Arts Commission, The Zellerbach Family Foundation, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, California Arts Council and with special support by National Endowment for the Arts. Funded by Unlimited, co-commissioned through Tramway Glasgow as well as supported by The Place London, Norfolk & Norwich Festival and British Council.
