Photo by Paula Court
Inspired by conceptual artist Dan Graham’s 1984 film Rock My Religion, which connects the ecstatic dances of groups like the Shakers with rock and roll, X channels raw attitude and rapturous energy. Its dancers boldly generate a dynamic physical force field, merging form and frenzy into communal catharsis. With sound effects designed by Martin Kersels.
Dan Graham’s Rock My Religion will screen at 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 12 as part of the Food for the Arts series.
“X took the path to salvation—or wholeness…through the most expansive, encompassing corporeal available: the antithesis of stripped-down, discipline-oriented approaches like yoga...[it] hangs in my mind’s eye now as a swagger, rough around the edges and wandering all over. Really it was a sprawling mess, like the Velvet Underground frenzy “Sister Ray” that is distortion and repetition and improvisation and chaotic simultaneous riffs. Rhythms formed and dissipated.” — Mary Love Hodges, The Brooklyn Rail
About the Artist
Melinda Ring explores a very liberal definition of choreography, creating dances, performance pieces, videos, and installation. Her work has been supported by several residencies and grants; most recently, her company, Special Projects, was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts Build Stability grant (2010). She is the curator for Danspace Project’s Spring 2011 Platform, Susan Rethorst: Retro(intro)spective.