Talent reveals itself in raw form

With a single light, a simple stage and a sequence of steps,
artists are revealing stripped performances of raw, handmade
expression.

On Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m., professors, along with graduate and
undergraduate students from the world arts and cultures department
will present their material in “Handmade.” This
informal showcase during the 10th week of every quarter allows
students and faculty to exhibit polished and rough performance
gems.

Victoria Marks, organizer and creator of the event, is a
choreographer for both stage and film, and dancers and dilettantes.
With the plethora of creative classes in the department, Marks saw
a need for a forum to exhibit the complex experiences of the
creative process. In the past, there was only a glimpse of studio
work in a formal environment; there was never a place to share the
creations of students and faculty in the WAC community.

Marks created “Handmade” to allow an opportunity for
the informal display of original work. While studying a technique,
the artist is usually learning a dance and developing the skills to
be able to effectively portray a message or emotion to the
audience.

“The WAC students learn about an idea, and they learn
about finding a way to express it on stage,” Marks said.
“So, it feels like making work is really an integral part of
our department, and we needed an outlet for it where artists could
just show what’s new, raw and hot off the press.”

WAC also has a senior project for which students can undertake
individual research on a specific subject. For students
concentrating in dance, this project takes the form of
choreography. Ally Voye, a fourth-year dance student, will present
her rough senior project in the showcase.

In a choreographing democracy class, Voye learned to be active
in choreography and to confront the audience with a message. This
fusion of choreography and democracy has contributed to her piece,
which makes a dance about making a dance about democracy. The
elements of democracy are presented in a juxtaposition of
protection and insecurity, patriotism and individual power, and
justice and inequality.

“We are bombarded every day with politics, especially in
light of the elections,” Voye said. “Seeing any kind of
art that is politically charged provides a different viewpoint and
commentary on these ideas.”

Marks is not expecting a full house of political commentary and
encourages the artists to release their creativity and emotions in
any form or function. The presentations will have a wide range of
messages manifested in eclectic methods of artistic expression
including choreography, video work, ethnography and spoken
word.

“I suspect that there will be some that are really
responding to democracy and America, but I also think that many
people are moving out, getting new resources for expressing
themselves, so they may not be at a place where they are making
political commentary,” Marks said.

The informal, intimate environment of “Handmade”
contributes to the focus on the artists and their development.
There are neither organized rehearsals nor props, and during the
showcase, there is simply a light on the stage. Students and
faculty present their work and then return to the audience to view
the next performance. As opposed to a big theatrical presentation,
this format allows a very fluid boundary for the art to be viewed
in its raw form.

“The strong point of “˜Handmade’ is that it is
a very “˜works-in-progress’ event,” Voye said.
“As a choreographer, you want to share what you are working
on, and it’s nice when it is informal because you are
comfortable to feel bare.”

The showcase also encourages thoughtful discussion in the form
of feedback. Naturally, feedback is an important part of live
performance when it is finally presented on stage. But feedback is
not at the crux of the event. Marks wanted to have faculty and
students be on the same ground sharing new work. Together, students
and faculty experience the terror of presenting delicate pieces of
art. The artists are at the height of vulnerability in the
articulation of creativity; art materializes and is then revealed
in its raw state.

“I wanted to create that continuum between student-made
work and professional work and to connect our student and
professional artists. I wanted there to be a place that really
celebrates the industriousness of our department. There needs to be
a place where we celebrate, acknowledge and also look seriously at
the art being made.”

Currently, the WAC department is in its temporary building,
Kinross, but will be moving to North Campus next quarter.

“In the ecology of performance, there are all sorts of
platforms for work,” Marks said.

“There’s the really informal one where you get a lot
of feedback, all the way up to the highly produced, highly
publicized. That range is really important for artistic development
because you don’t want to put your raw, brand-new work in a
highly produced, critical atmosphere.”