The following three exercises form a remote choreography. Each exercise demonstrates a particular mode of being-in-institution. The exercises are to be activated by small, initiated members of the audience (demonstrators) immediately following the concluding the last speaker’s remarks at a conference (i.e. following a panel discussion or lecture).
When the speaker officially concludes the demonstrators immediately begin the GESTURES from a seated position.
CHAIR, CHAIR
CURTAIN
HOLE
SPEAKERS (SHHH! SHHH! SHHH!)
PROJECTOR (CLICK!)
CRAP
The demonstrators, seated in various points in the audience, move along the rows of chairs towards the exit. CHAIR, CHAIR demonstrates moving from one seat to the next, by placing hands on the seat in front; in CURTAIN the demonstrator stands, lunges left, with left arm extended, right arm in an extended wave-like motion; for HOLE, the demonstrator turns to face the back of the room, both hands are placed on the abdomen in a circle, gaze in to the floor; SPEAKERS is made by leaning forward, hands by the mouth. Repeat SHHH! SHHH! SHHH!; in PROJECTOR both arms reach over head and she twists back-and-forth in the torso, and makes a loud CLICK! noise with the tongue; CRAP collapses on the chair, arms bent, legs and torso curl up in a crumpled mess. Repeat as many cycles necessary for each demonstrator to exit. This concludes the exercise.
When the conference officially concludes for the day the demonstrators immediately begin the CHANTING GAME.
For this exercise the demonstrators stand and call out to each other. The demonstrators call out any chant except their own. The chants come from a previous exercise. EXAMPLES:
Silver
Everything will be okay.
Boom!
What is to be done?
What would she say?
When someone calls the chant belonging to player 1, she answers with a chant belonging to another player. This continues with players responding when they hear their chant by calling out someone else’s. MOVEMENT: When the chant called out belongs to the person closest to the front of the room, the group rotates clockwise. Each demonstrator takes the spot of the person to her left. When the movement is complete, the chanting resumes. The demonstrators choose when they want to leave the game, and the number of ORPHAN chants grows. Anyone can call an ORPHAN chant, which is met by silence until a player calls another chant belonging to someone still in the game. The last player stays for as long as they wish, chanting. The exercise concludes when the last player leaves.
When the conference officially concludes the demonstrators EXIT by moving through the gesture choreography in UNISON.
The demonstration moves slowly and stays close together, possibly touching, at times facing each other, interlocking, and facing different directions. The exercise concludes when the last demonstrator crosses the threshold.
Note for Demonstrators: The feelings and perceptions passed between the demonstrators may reveal hidden truths.