Bodies of Nature Creative Process Blog

Nature Doesn’t Need People, People Need Nature

Bodies of Nature is a 10-minute immersive dance performance that brings environmental protection and nature conservation awareness. We use the media of dance and spoken word to explore the relationship between human actions, nature and how they are interconnected. The 10-minute dance performance is both improvised and choreographed.

The work is inspired by the "Nature is Speaking" film series by Conservation International, which gives nature a voice. Like their goal, "To reframe why conservation is important and reinforce a simple message - Nature doesn't need people. People need nature." Our goal is to explore and research how each part of nature exists - independently and collectively. We hope to inspire people to take action towards preserving nature and appreciating the gifts it brings to us. The parts of nature that we will be dancing are Soil by Safa Ali Mudei, Flower by Kin Nguien, Forest by Aj Velasco, Water by Matthew Morales, Coral by Ian Simon, and Mother Nature by the entire cast.

Each dancer was tasked to select a part of nature that interested them and were encouraged to research and explore their monologue with their various background training in, but not limited to: hip-hop, popping, contemporary, house, and breakdance. All dancers have been working independently and collaboratively with our dramaturg, Karen Kaeja, to explore our improvisation and interpretation of each part of nature. Many attempts of our improvisation have brought exciting questions and observations to each dancer about:

  • How it moves

  • How it feels

  • What it does 

  • Where it exits

  • Our motivation

  • its effect on us: physical and psychological

Bodies of Nature continues to grow in its works in progress. We hope to create an immersive experience for audience members to move through the space during the performance as they wish, bringing different perspectives and illustrating that we - human beings - are sharing the space with nature.

- KINAJ

Resources:

Nature is Speaking - http://www.conservation.org/nature-is-speaking

Nature Conservancy Canada - http://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/

Government of Canada: Our Environment - http://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment.html

National Ocean Service - Http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocea/earthday.html

Conservation International - http://www.conservation.org

PROSPECTS: an evening of dance and discussion presents

Bodies of Nature


Choreographed and performed by KINAJ
Friday, June 3rd, 2022
7:30PM | Door at 7pm
Burlington Student Theatre
2131 Prospect St, Burlington ON
$25 | PWYC
GET TICKETS HERE!

Aeris Körper