Paxton’s Post-Modern Movement
by Erin Duffee Slovenian dancer Jurij Konjar performs Steve Paxton's Bound in FlynnSpace on Thursday, November 6 at 7: 30 pm. Get tickets at www.flynntix.org. This Thursday evening, Steve Paxton and Jurij Konar will present a re-staging of Bound, a solo dance originally choreographed and performed by Paxton in 1983. The piece combines improvisation with set dance sequences, performed within a theatrical framework. “Bound,” is an exploration of the dancing body and the cultural perspectives that strive to define it. The desire to transcend the confines of artifice in performance has been a long-running theme of Paxton’s work. For those who are unfamiliar with him, this performance will be an excellent introduction. Steve Paxton was a pioneer of the post-modern dance movement of the 1970s. As both a solo artist and a founding member of Judson Dance Theater in NYC, Paxton explored the dimensions of experimental movement and performance with great dedication. His interest in the principles of physics and motion inspired much of his early work, including the development of Contact Improvisation. Contact Improvisation is a “movement dialogue” between two or more people, initiated by a shared point of contact, which traverses the body, leading to various exchanges of weight. The expression of this form can be quite subtle or rigorously acrobatic depending on the dancers involved. Paxton’s interest in every day movement mechanics also generated a new appreciation for “pedestrian” influence in modern dance choreography. His movement vocabulary often included fragments of natural, every day movement and the popularity of his work opened up a world of possibilities for dancers and choreographers at the individual level. Paxton’s contributions to the development of modern dance are immensely significant and the opportunity to see his work in a theater as intimate as the FlynnSpace is very unique. For more information regarding Paxton and his past works, visit the Flynn’s Amy E. Tarrant Gallery before the show, where you can view a photo installation of his work at Bennington College and enjoy a pre-show talk with local choreographer Polly Motley, and Steve Paxton himself (Thursday, November 6 at 6 pm).