Well. Hello there. We are Tia Kushniruk and Jenna Berlyn, respectively. Here are our intentions of play and research.
What is beauty in such an ugly, ugly, world? Is it hiding? Has it been hidden? Have YOU been keeping it from us? Have WE been denying its existence? Because of what? Ignorance? Naivety? Perhaps self-loathing and shame? Beauty is objective. It is placed upon objects to distill a sense of an unchanging infinity. But, beauty itself is contextually different for everyone of every class, race, sex, time period etc. So, how do we define it and why do we, as humans and particularly as artists, crave it?
Now, moving onwards and upwards into the deep abyss of the night, we found ourselves musing this sentiment – what is beauty, when everything, every single thing that we have been taught, shown, to have perceived as beautiful, has been curated by those with regard to perpetuating and validating normalcy. What are our preconceived notions in dance, of beauty. Of opulence. Of privilege. Of ugliness. Of real dance. Of performance. Of t e c h n i q u e. Of ritual. Of drama. Of reality or realness or real life living? And how do we, being privileged enough to study dance and participate in it, take a good step back and examine the value and worth of what is truly beautiful to us, and to try to explain why it is so.
We love live theatre. It’s something powerfully moving, and powerfully reflective at the right place and the right time. We believe it is high time to continue to challenge the status quo that we have readily accepted and have been spoon-fed. We want to tell and participate in stories that reflect the world around us, and the world we want to live in. And we aren’t saying we will get it right. In fact, we are certain we will fail. But, the point of the matter is that the exploration has started, and will continue. This is just a continuation of this ever-evolving, morphing, transformative process of curiosity.
A nagging itch to scratch, and lick, and heal.
My name is Tia Ashley Kushniruk and I am a dance-theatre artist born in Edmonton, trained in Edmonton and Toronto, and now working in Vancouver. I have applied to Danceweb 3 times, and have never gotten in. I have overdeveloped thumb muscles from years of playing video games. I love Stories: inuashnar1.tumblr.com
Jenna Berlyn is a contemporary dance artist based in Vancouver, BC, although she just spent 5 months in the Okanagan on her family’s farm. She is excited to be once again dancing, thinking and dreaming with her friends and mentors through films, performances and practices: jennaberlyn.wixsite.com
