A long time ago in a land far far away, TPT spent a mostly fun summer and wee bit of the fall snorting cocaine. It was pretty fun in a short term rush sort of a way, but I was forever the obnoxious hyper girl made even more hyper urging my fellow partiers to get up. Let’s all dance. Let’s walk around the block. Let’s get in the car and drive real fast. Let’s GO. Suffice it to say I loved the go. It felt fantastic. When combined with an addictive genetic make up, coke is a nasty little drug and I had to bid it adieu but I am grateful to it. It’s quite relieving to know that a craving or a yearning or a searching can actually be identified and have its bell rung even if just for a little while.

I grew up a little and began to recognize that the craving was more than go. I did some thinking and reading and understood of course that I, like everyone, yearned to occasionally jump out of my self. But what really felt amazing was a joining of the self with another even if only for a moment. I know you think TPT is being hippy dippy but trust me, this is what we are all searching for-religion, drink, drug, bungee jumping, heli- skiing, meditation, those whirling dervish guys- it’s all aiming here.

Imagine my delight then to discover that watching a super energetic dance performance could ring this bell for me. And although it happened only a few times, like any good addictive personality, I was all over this. Crave that bell ring. Ring it. Please. But wouldn’t you know, there were too many attempted ringings and it got harder and harder to ring. What the fuck? Was my soul habituated? No no no, what I was craving was a more sophisticated rush. I needed the right stimulation to get there. (hey TPT is 40 she is at her peak- she is not talking about sex. yet)

So, now here I am thinking about the components of successful movement based work so I can more intelligently get my fix. I use this euphemism, movement based work, because some, while seeking their own rush, screech to a halt and slam into reverse when they bring their assumptions of various disciplines with them to the theater. So let’s use MBW as a calming euphemism as we continue to poke around the blurring lines between the disciplines of dance (everyone jump around), theater (mommy I’m scared), performance art (lovely time for a nap), experimental music (occasionally causes permanent damage) and spectacle (circus animals!).
All would be much more enjoyable if these lines were blurred unintentionally. But I’m not sure many artists are working with out an underlying intent relating to structure that isn’t completely manifest in the finished work. ITPTHO, artists working at the most sophisticated level are able to rise above their intent.

Performance of course differs from strict visual art in that the performance artist includes the viewer aka audience in the artistic equation. Painters can toil away their life in a basement and die with an unseen treasure trove. Same with poets bless their hearts. Unlike performers, they don’t require viewers to complete their work. Thus shall we say a successful MBW, in addition to its content, which we all hope is sufficiently interesting, must also deal supremely with a set of core instincts the audience brings to the project. To create a transcendent piece or even just moments with in the piece, the artist must on some level recognize these components and deal with them or not- which of course is still dealing with them. The audience on the other hand gets to just sit there and let it wash over them. If the artist wants us to work, she needs to push the right buttons. As I tell my first husband, nodding off is a legitimate reaction to performance based work.

So what are these components that are now preludes to our successful bell ringing? Survey says
#1. Beauty. We unconsciously seek it be it via the eye or via the ear. Ooh, the stage is bathed in red. Those tutus are so white and fluffy. And yes we know that its opposite can be surprisingly beautiful.
#2. Emotional and Kinesthetic Sympathy. We are wired to feel for and with the beings on stage. If we don’t, we feel like sociopaths and that is disturbing-and I don’t mean interesting disturbing. The kinesthetic urge should be what makes us all rush to see each dance performance but it doesn’t does it? Most of us get this primitive fix via watching sports. My particular vice is NCAA football. Nevertheless, it’s a powerful tool.
#3. Sex. Yes please. It’s everywhere now because it’s always there. It can be quite overpowering- use sparingly. ring a ding ding. ding dong which brings us to
#4. Intellect. Must everything always be about sex? Might we move up the hierarchy beyond reproduction? What is beyond beauty? God- I’m thinking about the transcendence of beauty. I’m a fucking genius. Premature ding! I always find it a special treat to have my intellect triggered after the piece please.

TPT told you it was a non original list. But, aren’t we always surprised when an artist is just rubbing rubbing rubbing on that one spot and you are all like- it’s numb sister please do move on.

Of course now we see a MBW is at its best when all these instincts are sufficiently attended to so that our self is free FREE to sneak out and join the artist’s. Take me on your ride let’s go go go. Plain and simple right?

Are you yearning for a bit more? This discussion has hopped over the most basic of all the components we bring to the theatre. I’ll write an answer and you supply the question. Culture is the highest expression of civilization. Culture is our highest expression of our civilization. In some way, I suppose it should be added to our list. But don’t we deserve to give ourselves the gift of forgetting about it and our list and letting our bells be rung by surprise? It’s much more fun that way isn’t it? Simon Cowlie or whatever is leaving American Idol- so quickly after Paula Abdul’s exit. I do wonder how I know this- I have never watched American Idol nor read Star People et al? Maybe it's because Paula has rung our collective bell twice, and Simon, to the extent of my knowledge has only rung once. Simon’s a loser. He’s the mean one. Hey, where is that present I’m giving myself? Is it hidden it so that I can go and search for it like in a scavenger hunt? I’ll go and look for it as long as someone wraps it up real pretty.