Abramovic, M. (2010) Seven Easy Pieces by Marina Abramovic [DVD]. Microcinema International

Adamson, K. (2015) “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”: The gay anthem of the century. Queer Culture Collection, English and Women’s Studies 245: Introduction to Lesbian and Gay Studies

Burton, T. (dir.) (2010) Alice in Wonderland [DVD]. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Durning, J and Waterhouse, E. (2013) 77 Choreographic Proposals: Documentation of the evolving mobilization of the term choreography. International Journal of Performance Arts & Digital Media 9(1) 44-51

Fleming, V. (dir.) (1939) The Wizard of Oz. [DVD]. Loew’s Inc.

Lea, R (2017) Fictional characters make ‘experiential crossings’ into real life, study finds. The Guardian, 14 February. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/14/fictional-characters-make-existential-crossings-into-real-life-study-finds [Accessed on 28/3/2017]

Lepecki, A. (2010) The Body as Archive: Will to Re-Enact and the Afterlives of Dances, Dance Research Journal, 42(2) 28-48

Maloney, A. (2015) Marina Abramovic and the art of female sacrifice.  New York Times, 17 November. Available from: http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/11/17/marina-abramovic-and-the-art-of-female-sacrifice/ [Accessed on 1/5/2017]

Phelan, P. (1993). Unmarked: the politics of performance. London: Routledge, Chapter 7

Pitches, J. and Popat, S. (2011) Performance Perspectives: A Critical Introduction. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Pollard, W. (2005) Marina Abramovic, Seven Easy Pieces. Circa Art Magazine

Powell, B. (2010) Seven Easy Pieces and Performance Document(ation)s. Theatre Annual 63

Princenthal, N. (2006) Back for One Night Only. Art in America 94:2 pp. 90-94

Queerty Staff (2009) Johnny Depp Stars in Alice in Wonderland, the Gayest Film of the Next Decade. Queerty, 16 December. Available from: https://www.queerty.com/johnny-depp-stars-in-alice-in-wonderland-the-gayest-film-of-the-next-decade-20091216 [Accessed on 28/3/2017]

Shalson, L. (2013) Enduring Documents: Re-Documentation in Marina Abramovic’s Seven Easy Pieces. Contemporary Theatre Review, 23(3) 432-441

Schopp, A. (2016) The Gay Great Gatsby: Andrew Holleran’s Dancer from the Dance and the Dismantling of Normative Cultural Frames. Lit: Literature Interpretation Theory, 27(2), 153-171

Semple, R. (2015) Camp Sites: The Wizard of Oz. Gaytimes. 26 September. Available from: http://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/8905/camp-sites-wizard-oz/ [Accessed on 28/3/2017]

Thomas, H. (2003) Reconstructing the Dance: In Search of Authenticity. The Body, Dance and Cultural Theory. New York: Palgrave Macmillan 121-145

Vaclavik, K. (2015) Alice in Wonderland: The making of a style icon. The Independent, 23 March. Available from:http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/alice-in-wonderland-the-making-of-a-style-icon-10128741.html [Accessed on  28/3/2017]

Throughout the process of making this work, elements have changed, both through conscious thought and choice, and also naturally. As the work progresses sometimes some elements no longer work or feel relevant. For example I made a decision to eliminate an element which I had been using in rehearsal on the morning of the performance. I no longer felt that it was relevant or added anything lucrative to the piece.

Overall I am happy with the final decisions I had made surrounding the concept and content of the work. If I were to do it again, I may change some elements. such as giving the audience more freedom to move around the space as I had originally intended. Ultimately I made the decision to have them seated as it gave a clear indication of where I was happy for them to be, and avoided them feeling uncomfortable of where they could stand or how close they could be to the actual performance. However areas could be taped out as almost holding bays that could offer different perspectives for different view points.

At the end of the performance, I asked the audience to write their thoughts on the work and what they felt lies beyond. Below are some of the responses:

There were a variety of responses, some focusing more on the specifics of the performance, and others on the more abstract ideas, looking deeper into the meaning. It was interesting to be able to read these thoughts as it gave me, as a performer, more incite to what my audience was thinking and feeling.

In the above images you can see two of the different silk holds that will be included within the final performance. Both require strength and endurance in order to remain for an extended period of time. I have chosen these positions as they can hold and portray different meanings. For example the hold in picture 1 has been likened to both a flower waiting to bloom and a butterfly cocoon.

In viewing my work throughout its creation and rehearsal, people have tried to pin a certain meaning onto what they are seeing. For example my Father pushed for the meaning to be my journey through training as a dancer, or training academically. He wanted to make his view of the concept apparent to everyone. However I feel that there are so many other concepts of meanings that are wrapped up within the work that I do not want to limit the reading to one interpretation. Because I am interested in how people read the work, I am going to leave posters with questions on within the space. Next to these questions will be post it notes. This way, viewers can write down their thoughts and feelings while watching the work. Sharing their views and interpretations with others who may choose to watch.

Although I am not a political person by choice, much of the work that I have created can have political applications. For example, as I have spoken about in previous posts, the fact that I am dressed as the characters of Alice and Dorothy can be linked to the struggles of the Gay community as the two characters are major icons with these people. I never intentionally begin to give my work political underpinnings, however in today’s culture, I feel it makes the work all the more important and gives viewers something familiar that they can resonate with.

Much of my creation happens when I am least expecting it. If I try and force an idea to come out, I find that I hit a wall. However when I am thinking of something else, for example when driving, or I am relaxed and just about to fall asleep, my brain conjures up an idea which makes me wonder if something is possible. I then take these subconscious thoughts to the next rehearsal and begin to make them into a reality or scrap them if they do not work.

In regards to the audience, I want to be able to connect with them. In today’s society we mainly connect through technology, there is a lack of face to face human interaction.Therefore in order to gain a connection with my audience, they need to feel comfortable. I like the idea of the questions around the room because it is another way to connect and interact in a way which may be more comfortable for them than simple eye contact. Audience’s can be unpredictable. I have no idea how many people will attend, if any! I do not know how they will react or how willing they will be to interact. In some respects, I feel it is important that the audience understands the meaning behind the work, however as I iterated earlier, I also want to give them the freedom to read the work in their own way. I want to know what is on the other side for them.

“According [to the artist, the piece’s title. Entering the Other Side, refers to the fact that after revisiting the past in the previous six performances, she now occupied the present moment and looked toward the future” (Princenthal, 2006).

Entering into the future

Entering into change

Entering into progress

Entering into life

Entering into the afterlife

“Abramovic looked like a doll decorating the pinnacle of an enormous birthday cake” (Princenthal, 2006)

Perfection

Idolisation

Childlike

Beauty

Iconic

Due to logistical issues, I am considering changing my performance and the apparatus used within it. Although using the silks has been an idea I wished to use from the beginning, issues with access to space and ensuring the right people are available have made me less confident in risking the aerial concept.

Therefore I began to create a plan B for my concept. In her original performance of Entering the Other Side, Marina Abramovic stood on a ladder for the entirety of her 7 hour performance. The ladder can be seen as a means to get to the other side, or to reach a different point. In discussing my ideas, it was suggested that the steps can represent different points within your life, different ages or different stages of achievement. Therefore I chose to use the ladder as my basis to try and reach the other side.

I still wish to use the concept linked to Dorothy and Alice (Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland). From these characters the concepts of trying to reach equal rights could be deduced, if the characters are seen as the gay icons they are often depicted as. Or it could be trying to reach perfection, these characters are like dolls, with perfect looks who achieve happiness by the end of their stories.

As there are so many different readings that can be taken from this, I thought of leaving questions in the space and post it notes. This way the audience can react to what they are seeing and leave feedback. Therefore they are actively involved within the piece and have to engage with what they are seeing in order to respond to the questions.