Walk with ME - Talk with YOU - Archives
The facts
In six months I walked and talked with a total of 28 people from close friends and fellow artists to unusual connections such as a physiotherapist who treats me now and then or some young participants of a dance program we ran at SOZO. Also I waited until I felt I had walked and talked enough before I began to look at possible methods to extract useful and inspiring information for further work. I always spoke first.
Archive 1 - Word Catalogue
The word catalogue is one of the most direct products of the walk and talk sessions. At the end of each mapping and after my guest had left the space, I was able to choose just ONE card which I felt could depict the main focus of what connected me and that particular guest. Then I also chose ONE card which I felt could talk about me in a strong way based on the conversation and exchange just had.
Archive 2. Automatic writing
Using the word catalogue I very much enjoyed a season of producing a series of short poetic texts. I sat down to write in a similar state of mind as if I were to automatically write “what is there” and I include between 1 and 3 of the cards from the word catalogue.
Archive 3. Polyphonic Word Choir
Using the word catalogue and short phrases that could apply to anyone I create a choreography of bodies standing in marked space that move and shift within this boundaries according to the called out words and phrases. I enacted this choir work with groups of movers/dance students who were not those I had walked and talked with.
Visit map of polyphonic choir
Archive 4. Sharing the walk and talk practice with my students
My curiosity reached as far as wanting to observe others pairing up and trying this practice. I integrated the practice into some composition lesson time at SOZO. I asked a class to pair up and we took two lessons to firstly walk and talk and back in the studio to do the meditation part. The next day we continued with the mapping and finally observed each others work and discussed in a reflective way the impact of the practice.
Archive 5. Instant composition
I was not consequent in this but I did record when I felt the urge, after a walk and talk practice and after the mapping, an short instant composition from what I found lingering in my body after the practice. Being in a certain state of mind with certain words and phrases very present after the exchange, gave way to enriched movement material.