Performing in Space and Place (original) (raw)

2015, Liminalities: A Journal of Performance Studies

A performer walks onto the stage. The lights are so bright that it is difficult to see, but she keeps her eyes open anyway. Looking out into the crowd, she sees no one she recognizes; the faces become homogeneous, blurred by the streaks of light emanating from above. A dividing line is not apparent between their bodies and hers. The stage, as it appears from her perspective, blends into the rows of people. The lines of people are not perfectly straight, nor are there ushers seating people in their assigned seats. There are people that have gathered behind her as well, and she knows this without having to turn around. The people shift slightly in anticipation. The space is full, and as she squints to find the end of the mass of people that surrounds her, no end appears in sight. Despite the enormity of the crowd, she does not feel closed in or claustrophobic by the situation as one might assume. The space still remains open, and the ability for movement is still possible. Making note of the expectant eyes, she begins her performance by moving her body in traditional Indian dance. The blended faces around her cheer, and they encouragingly chant for her to continue. She looks upward during her movement to see that it is not a bright, engineered bulb illuminating her embodiment. It is the sun at the highest point of the day.