Keynote

Friday, March 14, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Multipurpose Area at the Liu Institute

Political Body Spaces in Performances of William Forsythe

In his new pieces “Three Atmospheric Studies”, “Human Writes” and “Heterotopia”, contemporary dance choreographer William Forsythe presents the body as subverted and destabilized. The idea of “human rights”, to protect the individual body within the political space of law, includes the distortion and displacement of the body as well. How can performance re-write these violent acts against the individuals and cultural identities? Forsythe’s strategy includes the observer (beholder) within the process of “writing” human rights and opens the performance up to the engagement and cooperation of performers and audience.

*with support by the UBC President's Advisory Committee on Lectures