for this is so

This work delves into the complexities of language in all forms; to the music and sounds of Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Gertrude Stein. Utilizing Stein’s post-structuralist notion of breaking traditional linguistic structures, this work looks at how this decomposition of language can be applied to movement.  Through the four dancers, the piece plays with the concept of how meaning can be found in words, even when their usage strays from conventionality. It is clear through Stein’s writing that she does not think within the confines our society has given everything, including art. She takes our learned notion of sentence structure, word order, repetition, poetic structure, and our intrinsic nature of everything needing to make structural sense to us, and throws it away. Stein’s writing shows that new meaning can be derived from words when they are taken out of traditional context, and molded into ones that stretch our imaginations. 

for this is so plays specifically with how language and the structure of it breaking down can be translated into movement. When hearing her recite the poem, the repetition, circular nature of it, and the seemingly lack of any meaning, can make it seem maddening. However, within this loss of “conventional” structure comes a new one. Though the words no longer hold meaning within their traditional sense, they now find meaning within rhythm and manipulation. Stein’s bold breaking of the structure we are all comfortable with is what inspired the breaking of dance’s conventional structural storyline, within for this is so. It asks the question, why do we need to be satisfied by the traditional structure of movement or language in order for it to hold meaning? And what about structure that has been ingrained in us by society makes us so comfortable that we are scared to break it?

 As the work progressed, it began to grow from the concept of language, to look more broadly at art as a whole. It began to question whether or not art needs to mean something in order for it to reach those that interact with it; and if art owes it to us to satisfy what we think we need from it. Playing with rhythm, gesture, musicality, and individual performance, for this is so explores a lot about human nature’s need for the structure we are accustomed to, to feel comfortable in our consumption of art. It begs the question, why do we need art to follow the layout that we are so accustomed to? What is it about certain works of art that make us so uncomfortable? Art imitates life, and this discomfort due to lack of accustomed structure is something that the world is dealing with at this very moment. for this is so does not pretend to solve this feeling of confusion and lack of direction in this breaking of structure, but rather, it acknowledges and lives within it.  Much like we need to do in this time of extreme uncertainty, finding surrender in the in-betweens of life.