Freedom isn’t a currency. It can’t be managed, granted, taken away, measured, negotiated, bought, sold, conditioned.
It’s more of a natural ressource. Like air, or water. It belongs to no one, therefore, it is naturally of everyone. Unconditionally.
The reality of human societies though, is the absolute opposite. Freedom is the first element that is treated as currency (explicitly, or in more opaque and covert manners). The first aspect of human existence that is controlled, regulated, taxed, restricted, negotiated, monitored and conditioned. All existing societal systems, have at their core the motivation and drive to turn this natural ressource, into a controlled and manageable currency. Mainly, through fear mongering and the promise of false safety that ensue.
Freedom can’t be the currency in any transactional situation or interaction. It’s a given. It is free and unconditional by nature.
Choreographic settings, systems, processes and works, are a fantastic space to visualize the ways in which humans tend to divert freedom from its essence as a natural free ressource, into a transactional currency.
Every work I’ve made in the past 30 years, couldn’t be bothered with movements (every dance work that does, is stupid), or with story telling (boring), or with concepts (beyond idiotic). I just look at people. Their well-being. What makes them shine, grow, evolve. I look for the thing that makes people smile. Uncontrollably. Feel whole. Understood. Valued. Seen.
Not as a therapeutic strategy, that’s a side effect, but as a way to understand the truth of things, before they got deformed and perverted for different reasons. It doesn’t always work, it sometimes fails miserably, but that’s not the point anyway.
Freedom, remains a primary ingredient in any attempt to figure out the absolute mess human societies are in.
My quest, is to free people. Inside and out.
So I can free myself.
