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While here, disappearance of gestures

22 young dancers = 22 gestures. Add exchanging and learning from one another and the sum is a fabric of a 10-minute work entitled While here, disappearance of gestures.

My whole 1st week in Salerno, Italy concentrated on a choreographic workshop held at Scuola di danza for 22 dance students from different towns of the Campania region. Through exploration of rhythm, space, energy and texture, each dancer provided a singular motion that led them to choreographic works fragmented into solos, duet, trio, quartet, quintet and the whole ensemble.

What a treat to work with 22 dancers and move them in space!

Disappearance of gestures stemmed from my observation of communal gathering. As Italians flock, their bodies in motion hover every corner of the historic centre and fill the streets each night. Witness a buzzing, curious, observing, celebratory and intimate but often leisurely living for that moment: "La dolce vita."

I ponder the difference that we North Americans lack such tradition. For the Italians, being out and about and manouvering oneself and another's business are but rituals that enrich and fill the void of isolation.

My 2nd week was spent teaching master classes for advanced and intermediates for 44 dance students in the town of Batipaglia.

Italy, as always, represents an age of ultimate beauty, intoxicating and admirable! (Beginning with oranges and lemon trees in the month of April if it's in the southern region.)

And damn, my palate is refreshed with that special brew tea of licorice, mint and rosemary from the Garden of Minerva. How to handle the right amount of gelati, al dente pasta and good pizza! Or a sweet savouring of rum pictache baba napoli.

Back in Vancouver, I write in the sunny, pinkish height of SAKURA, cherry blossoms. Ah, finally! Close to a week since my return, I barely recover from the 9-hour time difference- jet lag.

Ready to fly away again to Ottawa for BC Scene.