Texts used as “Scores” for Phrases of Movement in “Every Breath”
I used the texts, seen below and narrated in the video, to help generate material for this dance. The first, about the virus, is very gestural and was built while we were on zoom for the first two weeks of the semester. The second was created in person and so is a little fuller movement. I don’t expect a viewer to have literal meaning from the movement, but creating the movement from literal texts helps to create an ethos for the piece, and clear associations and metaphors. (from Susan VP Petry)
Covid-19・Vaccine Phrases
From: https://www.scientificamerican.com/interactive/inside-the-coronavirus/
“A SARS-CoV-2 virus particle wafting into a person’s nose or mouth is about 100 nanometers in diameter–visible only with an electron microscope. It is a near sphere of protein inside a fatty membrane that protects a twisting strand of RNA–a molecule that holds the virus’s genetic code.
Proteins called “S” form spikes that extend from the surface and grab onto a human cell, hundreds of times larger, so the particle, or virion, can slip inside; the crown, or corona, appearance gives the virus its name”.
From: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00019-w
“Vaccines teach the body to recognize and destroy disease-causing agents. Typically, weakened pathogens or fragments of the proteins known as antigens, are injected to train the immune system to recognize an invader.
But RNA vaccines carry only the directions for producing these invaders’ proteins.
The aim is that they can slip into a person’s cells and get them to produce the antigens, essentially turning the body into its own inoculation factory”.
Behind the scenes
Class sharing on Friday 4.23.21 at 12:45, 1:10, 1:40 on OSU Oval west end
Lyrics for “Messages” by Bobby McFerrin with Roger Treece
Non est ad astra mollis e terris via
Non est mollis via, no no no
Emitte animo lucem veritatem
Non est mollis via, no no no
Et sicut vita fine ita
cura cura kama cura cura kama
(Translation: from Latin:
There is no easy way from the earth to the stars
There is no easy way, no no no
Send forth the light of the truth of the mind,
There is no easy way, no no no
And so, as the end of life the care of the care
of the care of the care of kama kama)
Padres, madres, old compadres
Speaking on and on
(whispered): Bella Elena, bellis perennis primula too
Yes, I remember, vinca in bloom
and lilac alba opened for you,
rosa canina! Bella, it’s true!
Unsolved problems, small suggestions
Though all the ones they loved are long gone
They keep passing their messages along
cura cura kama cura cura kama cura
Daughter’s lessons, grandson’s questions,
Wishes, prayers and vows
(whispered): Mama, he’s praying to Buddha, Jesus, Allah and you
He tells me now his favorite is Zeus!
He could have learned his Bible from you
For me it’s all a spiritual groove
Meditations, celebrations
Music floating out to starlight
In from starlight, voices fill the air
Songs so lonely, songs so lovely
Songs of pure despair
Spirit of love, come to us
Songs of our Fathers, can you hear them?
Tura lura, Thula Niña, Nana, Tixo, lullaby you away
Mama, oye, come away, hear the waves of love
Laila, nocte, dorme nene,
Papa, oye, hush-a-bye-away
Bey An, oya, fa Nina Nanna
Mama, Tixo, pára coração
Nini cante, komoriuta
Faris Dodo, Ho Nena Ho
Jo Jo Raama, fa Nina Nanna
Papa, oye, hush-a-bye-away
Bey An, oya, fa Nina Nanna
Sometimes we live so deeply unaware
We never hear the voices in the air
As goes the life, so goes the death
With every breath joining in a deeper song
Cura voces, voix de désespoir
Giß acht! Pass auf! Stia attento! (Translation: German: Pay Attention! Watch Out!)
Chui! Muchi! May yo fa lu
Schönheit zerstört, nomine Deo (Translation: German/Latin: Beauty Destroyed, Name of God)
Earth to the stars, songs from all those we
Shared our light with, days and nights with
Gardens blooming, old friends moving on
All those we loved, every day you can listen
And you’ll hear
Padres, madres, old compadres,
Husbands, wives and all taken from us
Can they hear us calling through the air
Songs so lonely, songs so lovely
Songs of pure despair
Spirit of love, come to us
Songs of our Fathers we hear
Voices through darkness and light
Sometimes in sleep or throughout sleepless nights
’til that first hush comes, before the dawn comes
Your sense of peace comes for a moment
In the wuiet hear the stillness
fading shifting lifting stirring breathing ringing
singing into sound
Spirit and song, listen,cantus feret sensa nobis per saecula
Ita que sicut vita ita fine
(Translation: Latin:
… listen, the feeling of singing through us,
In this way may be like the end of life)
Cura voces, cura voces,
Ita fine, cura voces,
Cura voces, canto alto
Sicut vita, ita fine
(Translation: Latin:
Take care of the voices,
the voices of care,
Thus, at the end of, the direction of the voices,
(full) voices, sing,
So at the end)
Every Breath 