In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, Valerie Green discusses their show Rite.
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| Photo by Hope Youngblood Heck. |
What can you tell me in your words about your show?
I think the dance is different from most of the dance that is out there and is exciting to have an all-male cast of six. The work itself is a ritual and ceremony, the experience of going into trance through movement as a community to process what holds us back in life, our struggles, our wounds, or even our trauma, all of which are held in the body. The men arrive as individuals, from their different points, paths, and aspects of life, masks, and defenses, to embark on the journey together. In the performance, they each have their moments of being stuck and moments of pushing through it, and the community drives the dance forward. Ultimately, they find themselves in a place of exhaustion and surrender. From this place there is the ability to see each other truly as they are, without hiding behind themselves/their masks. Seeing and being seen. It is a vulnerable moment and experience for each of them. From here they continue on from this fresh place of openness, being and consciousness. There is a culminating surprise at the end, that I don’t want to spoil here, you will need to experience it for yourself!
Where did the inspiration for this piece come from?
The inspiration for RITE came from my subconscious, I did not start this process with an idea, I just started moving on my own in my studio Green Space in NYC. Taking myself into deep embodied processes of experiencing movement, my own trance dance. A collection of movements emerged, and it was well into the process, bringing in dancers, deciding it needed to be for all men, and working quite a while until I understood what I had made. Which in general is why way I work, the movement tells me what it wants to say, I learn from it, it has its own voice. I channel it from collective unconsciousness, and in due time it becomes clear what is emerging and what the message is that I am supposed to share.
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| Photo by Hope Youngblood Heck |
How have you approached developing the show?
To continue off the last question, in time I understood I had created a ritual and a ceremony through movement. I have been interested in the use of rituals and have traveled around the world exploring other cultures, their music, customs, and traditional dances. I am also a somatic therapist and am fascinated by trauma, how we hold it in the body and how we can heal it. This requires tapping into the unconscious and unburying the unknown, dislodging it from the body to be processed. These psychological emotional explorations also entered our rehearsal process, being inside ourselves, to be fully embodied in the work, our intention, and in our connection with one another. Somehow, I blended all my current interests into RITE, and when I had clarity on what I made, the finishing touches were added to bring the ceremony full circle, from entrance to exit, and ultimately building to the moment of including everyone in the space.
How would you describe the style of the show?
It is a contemporary dance, that is also very theatrical at the same time. The dance material itself does not look like any codified form, as most of the movement was resourced from a deep place within me, and is oddly, idiosyncratically and strangely beautiful.
There are unexpected twists and turns that will land the audience, physically and emotionally, in places they didn’t expect.
Can you describe the show in 3 words?
Evocative, Exhilarating, Cathartic
Can you tell me an interesting fact about the show?Mainly the work is inspired by personal subconscious experiences of psychedelic plant medicine journeys of ayahuasca, yopo, DMT among others. As well as non-western cultures ceremonial and ritual use of trance and alternative states of consciousness for
healing and exorcism.
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| Photo Hope Youngblood Heck |
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe?
I am personally not performing in the dance. But can share the importance of entering the space of the dance, being grounded, self-reflective, centered, and focusing on intention. While that is the need for each performance. The cast has not experienced this long of a run with this work; the biggest factor will be keeping the dance fresh and real for them each time. Which circles back to the above nightly intention. This is very physically demanding work, the dancers will need to take care of their bodies, to support themselves and each other. I think it will be an exciting experience for them to take the vulnerable nature of this work into a daily experience; it is my wish for them to keep journeying to deep places of their internal terrains. The opportunity is a gift.
Away from your show, what are you most looking forward to about being in Edinburgh?
I am looking forward to the Fringe sponsored events to network and meet other artists and industry professionals. As well as the city itself, the fringe vibe, the crazy excitement of it all. And of course, getting to see work coming from all over the world! I am sure it will be inspiring in so many ways; my dancers and I can’t wait!
What is one hidden gem in Edinburgh that everyone should visit?
It will be my first time there, as well as my cast, so I hope someone tells us what hidden gem we should see😊
Are there any other shows at the Fringe you’d like to recommend?
I would generally recommend seeing things that may be different than what one normally might see, to take a risk, and try something new and definitely see as much DANCE as you can!
What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you?
I think what was impactful was being taken to the theater in downtown Cleveland, from the suburbs, to see things at a young age by my mother, that always felt special and exciting. As an adult when I moved to NYC 30 years ago, I found the productions at La Mama, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Next Wave festival to always be impactful. Two very different venues but amazing, powerful, and inspiring work in scale and artistry. It made me feel that anything and everything is possible through art.
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show?
I hope the work inspires self-reflection, insight, and curiosity to look within themselves on what they might be carrying that is no longer serving them or holding them back. Past audiences felt cleansed and uplifted after seeing the show. As if something shifted or cleared energetically after witnessing the dancers' powerful experiences for themselves. One audience member shared this - “the invitation to surrender, it felt like the intervention I didn't know I needed. “
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| Photo by Hope Youngblood Heck |
Where and when can people see your show?
RITE will be performed at C Arts, Aurora as part of their curated program from 13 August to 24 August (not 18) at 19:50.
Tickets can be purchased here https://res.cthearts.com/event/34:4983/
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