DANCE:CRAFT – Choreographer Statement by Joe Laughlin

Choreographer Joe Laughlin shares his inspiration & vision behind the creation of DANCE:CRAFT – a synthesis of dance and handcrafted artwork. The world premiere is on stage May 20-22 at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.

I have been thinking about the earth, the environment, the elements, evolution, geography, migration and humans. The tactile sensation of handmade objects juxtaposed with the ephemeral quality of the dancing body triggers a memory experience. Being immersed in an environment and watching the body respond to texture and colour is what anchors us in time and space. We are looking for connections between communities and the natural world, geography and the human family.
Reflecting on the limbic system, molecular memories and the continual erosion occurring in the body, I want the viewer to recognize a connection with ancient materials like water and stone, our relationship with the elements and the shifting landscapes we find ourselves in. This performance provides new ways of looking at craft through dance and reflects a collective creative spirit.
Dance may be carved out of the landscape, movement ebbs and flows, rises and falls, shifting and ever changing, it is cumulative, and a gradual transformation occurs over time. The process for creating a dancer incorporates, fiber, sinew, muscle, bone, water, pressure, agitation and repetition. Craft is a transformative process that incorporates stone, fiber, wood, metal, water, pressure, agitation and repetition. – Joe Laughlin

Learn more & buy tickets here


Preview Performance Excerpts