Responses Part 1: Aesthetics by Taylor Watts

Based on what you have been seeing, creating and participating in –

What kinds of aesthetic choices are made to link to a particular rooting in values that are held to be true? 

I’d like to talk about a choice we’ve seen throughout our time in Atlanta, and even before in theatre/dance settings; the choice of communicating and doing exercises in a circle. The collaboration between Youth Creates and Moving in the Spirit is an example of this idea. The theme of the five week long Youth Creates program is voice for the voiceless. By having their participants take part in the circle they’re allowing everyone to be heard. Furthermore, the circle format takes away the hierarchical student/teacher relationship as everyone participates in the activities during the circle. Additionally, the circle creates a safe space, where eye contact is often stressed, in which participants check-in, interact and listen to each other. This reflects the value these organizations place in taking the time to hear and understand how other people are doing.

Are their contradictions at times?

Yes contradictions exist. Pulling from the same example used above, while in theory everyone involved in the program should participate in the circle, not everyone does. It was referred to as one of Heidi’s hippie activities by one of the other program directors who has not participated in any of the circle but has sat outside of it and thrown in various comments. Furthermore, sometimes various people in positions of authority, interns, teachers etc, need to step out to take care of some task. While this is ultimately productive to the program it does create a division between the participants and those who have a specific job/role and also participate.

What about in the creation and rehearsal of making work? What kinds of practices in the rehearsal room create their own aesthetic of social engagement? Democratic practice? Other?

Heidi stresses the documentation of ‘Magic Moments’ whether it’s a quote, a picture, or a moment. This creates a space in which awareness and recognition is emphasized. Exercises conducted in the circle, such as when participants are asked to finish a sentence such as “today I expected….and I received….” which makes sure the voice of every person in the circle is heard. In the Moving in the Spirit/Youth Creates program this week the dancers and technicians collaborate at the end of each dance. Generally, the participants learning to tech and the dancers have a chance to share their thoughts and feelings about the dance before the choreographer and/or directors step in to say anything which recognizes the agency of the youth in the program. 

Quotes from the transcript:

“One big tenant for us was about aesthetics was this notion of how can we honor these people’s stories with the same amount of rigor and beauty that we want people to see in our work.” - Nick

“[Aesthetics is] a feeling, it’s an action.” - Nick

“We believe that our values are revealed through our stories, and that those values revealed express or form our aesthetic.  We believe that all aesthetic decisions and values are based in our cultural values, and the experience of the world, and that our experiences, though unique, conform to a set of norms that form the basis of a common community.” - Nick

“And what we’re saying is that diversification in the arts field is about really recognizing all of the voices that already exist that aren’t being recognized.” – Carlton