Conceived, choreographed and directed by Bill T. Jones, the program notes state: “At the heart of Still/Here are the “Survival Workshops: Talking and Moving about Life and Death.” The first was conducted in November 1992, in Austin, Texas, as an experiment to see what, if anything, could be collected from the experiences of people living with life-threatening illnesses that would inform a dance/theater work.” As it turns out, quite a lot. A great deal of the gestures, and one assumes, mannerisms of the people interviewed have made it into the choreography of the piece setting the stage with personalities long gone but still present with powerful messages of what living means. Much of the movement is beautiful with gorgeous passages of partnering between two and three people in complicated lift scenarios. They rely on one another and are relied upon in return.
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company – “Still/Here” – Photo by Jason Williams.
The program notes continue: “The participants’ generosity of spirit and willingness to express their experience both with words and gestures was both exhilarating and terrible. They are the essence of Still/Here: their gestures inform the choreography, their words the lyrics, their images the stage”. There are sections and solos where the performer echoes and interacts with the participant on screen who is moving or talking about their experience. All of it intimate and caring, underlining the humanity in dying.
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company – “Still/Here” – Photo by Jason Williams.
The first half of the piece is costumed in lovely white flowing pants, button down white shirts, tank tops, skirts, leotards all rendering the cast as everyday people. The opening is a variety of gestural movement coupled with text declaring the city where the interviews took place and the name of the interviewed person. It is a fascinating and informative introduction to the participants in the survival workshops. We are drawn into their characters and their words, thoughts and revelations. It is a realization that we all one day must die and yet how we fill our lives with the business of the day-to-day in order to not think of it, not be obsessed by it, or to deny it entirely. It is a somber and far-reaching project through movement that unveils layers of thought, realization and fear at every turn. The second half of the piece is in red costumes displaying a vibrant counterpoint to what went before. Lighting by Robert Wierzel was gorgeous and brought out the weight of the material produced. Through downspots and side lighting in ambers with overhead blues the hue of the skin tones with the costumes focused our attention and did not let go. There were also three screens well utilized for video projection which complimented the performers in real-time.
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company – “Still/Here” – Photo by Jason Williams.
1992 came on the heels of the AIDS epidemic where so many, especially in the field of the Arts, succumbed. It is only fitting that a work of this scope and breadth emerged from that awful time. Although AIDS is not the only life ending disease represented as Cancer is also front and center. The piece never degenerates into maudlin despair but manages to focus on the participants lives that remain to be lived. It is not over until it is over, and we all would do well to remember that. Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company has gone into what could have been a minefield of emotional angst and found a great deal of positivity and strength in these people facing the inevitable. Setting their words to music as lyrics and their gestures as movement credits them with the astounding clarity and poetry in which they are living the remainder of their lives. It is not only a fitting tribute to the courage in these people, but also a testament that we all possess the capability to face our time and end here in full awareness of our fragility and temporary status.
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company – “Still/Here” – Photo by Jason Williams.
I also want to point out how excellent the performers were in their interpretation and delivery of the words and gestures of these participants. There was a greater goal than simply dancing well with great technique and emotion. They understood that they all were in service to the stories they were telling and not the other way around. It was fantastic to see the performers lose themselves in order to illuminate others who have come before, everyday people facing difficult end-of-life experiences. This company was well chosen and they delivered a heightened theatrical experience. They were: Barrington Hinds, Jada Jenai, Shane Larson, Danielle Marshall, Jacoby Pruitt, Babou Sannah, Hannah Seiden, Mak Thornquest, Wyeth Walker, and Rosa Allegra Wolf. Bill T. Jones joined the bows as creator/director. Congratulations to all on a superbly rendered performance.
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company – “Still/Here” – Photo by Jason Williams.
Here also are the participants whose wealth of experience and insight made the show – Shannon Baker, Valeria Banks, Adi Bemark, Devon Blakely, Ellen Bragal, Luana Branscom, Robert S. Brooks, Lisa Brunel, Antonia Burke, Tana Christie, Donald Corman, Jason Creager, Margaret Crosson, Chris, Marilyn De Groot, Kimmesha Doe, Sessum Dunn, Tamika Dunmeyer, Sunny Dupree Esq., Cindy Dyas, Mary Eskridge, Sheila Feinkopf, Maxine Flynn, Christopher Fonns, David Garay, Michele K. Gill, Bonnie Godbey, Jake Goeller, Gloria Goldhuber, Floyd Goode, Tammy Griffey, Jennifer Hagerty, Jay Hanson, Arthur Hardy, Beverly Hazelmeyer, Edith B. Herrold, Elizabeth J. Higgins, Rebecca Hoffman, B. Michael Hunter, Alvario Ilgia, Paco A. Infante, Hope Jinishian, Laura K, John, Gary L. Jordan, Najah Joseph, Ron Kephort, Nicholas Lahadge, Scott A. Lehman, Thomas Lambert, Carol MacVey, Arnie Malmom, Stephen M. Marcello, Jaclyn Mellinger, Doug Miklos, Michael Milligan, Maxine Obrecht, Andrea E. Reimer, Scott H. Richardson, Ray Ricketts, Juan Rivera, Sam Rivera, Anna Rivers, Carolyn Rosner, Martin Rozenman, Assotto Saint, Leo Salera, Alberto Sandoval, Barbara Schrading, Pamela Simpson, Tawnni Simpson, Faye Simmons, Musette Sirmons, Javier Soles, Mae-Shen Tan, Cathy Tubb, James Turcotte, Frank Lincoln Viner, Jean Wassell, Ruth Wasterman, Suzy Watson, Christopher Wey, Karen Gerald Wheaton, Bobby Williams, David Wolfe, Keith M. Woods.
This is their show, their experiences gratefully passed down to us in this form to educate, inform and uplift.
For more information about the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, please visit their website.
For more information about CAP UCLA, please visit their website.
Written by Brian Fretté for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company – “Still/Here” – Photo by Jason Williams.
