Dance + OWS and The 99%

While my husband, Darryl Hell, was actively involved with teach-ins at Zuccotti “Liberty” Park, I was observing the occupation, trying to figure out a way that aside from donating money, I can be part of the change efforts. How much risk am I willing to embrace? How willing am I to be a part of the effort and take on any positivity, ridicule, hostility and consequences that might result from it? Am I willing to be arrested, physically attacked and like Rachel Corrie die for a cause?

 It was a relief when a friend and choreographer Andrea Haenggi contacted me and asked if I was interested in participating in a Human River movement score in support of OWS. Andrea had coordinated a Human River improvisation in Lagos, Nigeria to raise awareness of water issues and wanted to bring that same concept to OWS. We brainstormed and tweaked the score to fit the OWS movement. What struck me when I had gone to the occupation was seeing a person with a dollar bills across their mouth and another with a bill over their eyes. The metaphor of being blinded or silenced by money (greed) resonated with me and I suggested we have a dollar bill across our mouths. Andrea suggested elaborating on several of the gestures that were being used in the General Assembly to communicate agreement or dissent. The structure was simple. Follow each other in a line, everyone wear white, whomever was in front would initiate a movement that would be echoed by the group. The person in front leading the group would continually change. Andrea and I contacted about 100 dancers and choreographers, inviting them to join us on October 16 in a movement score at Liberty Park in support of OWS. Paloma McGregor (a dynamic choreographer and dancer who dances with Urban Bush Women and Liz Lehrman) was the only person who showed up…

The improvisation was a strong and emotional experience. It felt good to stop reflecting, observing and contribute as a dancer/choreographer to the effort to create change and more equality in America. The next day several people told me we were in the Daily News Paper, in addition to the Stephen Colbert Report and The Daily Show as one of the crazies at OWS…