Open Research Europe (Aug 2024)
Living archival practice and the choreographical navigations: Encounters and approaches with other-than-human persons [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 3 approved with reservations]
Abstract
This article delves into the collaborative work of the interspecies dance collective, Mapped to the Closest Address (MaCA), focusing on our living archival practice and exploration of choreography with other-than-human persons. Through encounters with various species and environments, MaCA seeks to shift anthropocentric perspectives, interrogate their orientation towards modernity and coloniality, and question their understanding/administration/entanglement/devotion of, with, and to nature. The collective’s journey, from a digital residency during the COVID-19 pandemic to site research, installations, and performance at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022, is documented and analyzed. The collective’s collaborative process involves relinquishing control to allow for the emergence of disobedient movements and the exploration of choreography from the perspective of other-than-human persons. This includes encounters with kudzu vines and mountains, weaving their movements and patterns into performances and installations. The article discusses the immersive performance “Turn Off the House Lights,” in which MaCA integrates stories from local communities with gestures inspired by the landscape. Through our living archival practice, MaCA aims to transmit a collective memory of interactions among organisms and environments and highlight the interconnectedness of humans and the other creatures of the Earth. The article reflects on the significance of choreography beyond human-centric notions, emphasizing the emergent forms of ecological performance and the dissolution of boundaries between human and non-human realms. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives including dance, visual art, and theatre, MaCA’s work exemplifies a cross-disciplinary approach to expressing the choreography of other-than-human persons. This approach not only presents audiences with immersive experiences but also responds to the future ecosystem through artistic exploration. Ultimately, MaCA’s living archival practices contribute to awareness of the collective lives of other-than-human persons and offer insights into navigating our enmeshment with the natural world.
