Hanging on strapless clouds

Adrien M.
"Convergence 1.0"


Two days before the performance last friday at CCP, I was inviting Maria and Ria, my collaborators, to join me and watch a contemporary circus performance at the CCP. My interest in contemporary circus began after being initiated into the scene during our month-long stay in Avignon last 2003. But it was even more strengthened when I participated in the Cabaret Night of the French Spring in Manila last 2005. During this collaborative endeavor, I was amazed that everybody in the cast were interested in contemporary dance and was incorporating it into their "circus acts." For warm up, we did two hour improvisation jam that progressed into a contact jam. For the first time in my life, I was communicating efficiently and smoothly with total strangers. Our only common ground was our bodies. Seeing that most were much older than I was, I was humbled by the tenacity and openness of their bodies. Like true bohemians, they excuded such free spirit, and "up for anything" attitude towards performance. Never taking themselves too serioulsy yet guarding against mediocrity. I remember one of the more mature juggler in the group who asked me to dance with him onstage. Having first met the day before the show, we worked out a structured improvisation where I would occassionally come in during his 'act.' Until now, I remember his words that I've taken to heart, "make your presence necessary." Those two days last year were one of the most valuable learning experiences in my life. Now, inside my heart I yearn for such an process-oriented, accomodating environment.

Contemporary circus or "new circus" was born twenty years ago and is now seeing a multidisciplinary orientation. By taking up various elements and genres, it blurs the borders between genres of theater, visual arts, video, dance and traditional fields of circus. Most "acts" combine the various elements and strategies of performance and staging, evoking an intelligent and exciting theatricality made accessible through the popularity of circus. Convergence 1.0 gives juggling a new twist by exploring the possibilities of new media to increase or even comment the illusion of magic. The program notes says that the performance showcases the point where fantasy and fantastic reality meet. It's primary goal was to exploit the dialectics between traditional and digital approaches in the fields of juggling, music and lighting. And this Adrien M. successfully accomplished.

Learning that he authored the program used to create the single-channel video installation/projections onstage made perfect sense and demonstrates the link where art and technology can meet. Here was an artist primarily trained in computer engineer who used what he knew as computer programmer to achieve a new theatricality of juggling. Technology in this situation provided a tension that made the whole performance interesting than your usual juggling act. The use of new technology allowed Mondot to propose a wholistic experience, manipulating the sensory perception of real and illusion. It was interesting to witness the alternating points of 'reality' and 'illusion' during the performance through the video projection. At some points, we see Mondot juggling the 'virtual' balls actually balls of light projected in front of the screen as he would do in 'real' life. Just as he catches our attention, he then breaks it by proposing the impossible, balls come flying in one after the other until they fill up the space and crash. Along with it, Mondot drops to the floor and then struggles to rise up again. As soon as he begins, he again takes us into live acoustic experience of 'dancing' combined with juggling. The same approach was taken with the music, as they mixed the live violincello with pre-recorded sounds and cut-ups.

Braving the rains that flooded Manila this weekend to get to CCP was all worth it because of this performance. I was also happy that Maria came with me and she enjoyed it as much as I did. I particularly was very interested in his use of technology in performance and very curious about his process of creation knowing that he also designed the video animation himself.

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i have been swept by th gush of my anger and frustration and wish to move on. this week, report on Summer begins and ends as you wish then on to Gathering moments of betrayal, embodying paranoia and predictions, forecasting a performance...a printed material is not expected to substitute a live performance, a betrayal of some sort...