TIME-BASED PERFORMANCE PIECE
My time-based piece focuses on how dancing is used as a form of treatment for people who are suffering from mental health. In this body of work you can see individuals in an open space expressing themselves through dance. Mental health is not something that can be seen and it is something that affects all ages and generations. I wanted to emphasise that even in moments where individuals are struggling mentally, there are treatments such as dance that can help the mind and bring positivity back into their everyday lives. Dancing is a form of expression for many, especially those dealing with mental health as it allows them to feel safe and reassured that they can let go, be themselves and achieve goals. It further stimulates the mind as they remember / memorise and execute dance routines.
In this piece I wanted it to be a representation of someone dealing with mental health and using dance therapy as treatment. The audience is following the progression and journey of the main protagonist as they connect and express themselves with other individuals. I wanted to further convey how mental health not only impacts on the lives of the sufferer but also on their family. You can see the relationship and connection the dancers have together in each piece of footage. It shows how the main protagonist is expressing themselves to the other members and how the other participants are starting to feel empathy as they begin to feel what she is feeling.
This is a short clip of the performance being displayed in a studio space. I used two projections to showcase the performance at a large scale. In this piece there was no music / sound being played over the performance.