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“The strongest comment was the participation of a fifth of the audience. To have our group triple in size creating a meaningful, movement choir filling the lawn overlooking the river was so fulfilling.” Martha Eddy, Choreographer, NYC
Water Locale
Hudson River Park just north of Chelsea Piers
Audience Site
Hudson River Park just north of Chelsea Piers
http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/explore/pier63.html
History
The Hudson River has a rich history described in many forms. Its history of use by Europeans began 401 years ago. The Clearwater Revival has led its clean-up with Pete Seeger at the Helm. Being at this site was a reminder of the mightiness of the river and how to care for her; it helped convey messages of careful sewage flow, the use of boats and the status of fishing, and the impact of the changes of the tides. It also related to the rest of New York State, discovering the source of our potable water, the condition of the aquaducts, and the dangers of hydro-fracking. Dancing in this place communicated the potency of our life choices every time we drink, bathe, flush or drop something in the gutter. By encouraging participating in educational exchange, dance art-making, or participatory action, we asked our audience and dancers to help by being our guides and our human forces caring for safe water.
The Choreographers
Martha Eddy has organized the event and choreographed our version of the Global Water Movement Choir (together with the GWD steering committee). Additional choreography is shared by Lori Bellilove, Olga El, Valerie Green, Elena Lopez Sans, Pamela Sue Mann with Donna Lewis, Juri Nishio, and others, plus dozens of wonderful New York dancers (such as soloist Sydney Schiff). Surrounding the performance will be Poetry by Carola Burroughs and Dances of Universal Peace.
The Music
Varied and evolving human and water and live and recorded music
The Performance
We gathered in a natural amphitheater in Hudson River Park with the NYC skyline behind us and the Hudson River in front of us. Our opening Ritual was a call to dance and many of our audience swayed and danced to the first song. We gathered attention from all around with our improvisation based on the dimensional scale. This was the message:
“Rising Up to Call Upon and Thank the Rain
Sinking Down with the Droplets becoming Water Sources
Moving Across like Rivers
Opening Out as if the Bays and Oceans
Reaching Back to our Ancestors for Wisdom
Proceeding Forward into the Future – promising to Nurture to our Waterways”
Next, Lori Bellilove offered two dances from her repetoire of Isadora Duncan dances. Juri Nishio did a water dance.
Olga El depicted a creature coated with oil Valerie Green’s Dance Splash involved 6 dancers using buckets of water in a multitude of clever ways. Afterwards, our Global Dance was done twice The first round involved 12 dancers who had rehearsed the dance numerous times. The second round invited the audience in – people of diverse ages (1 – 70) jumped in!
We ended the second round with a Closing Ritual using the music and movement motif offered by GWD. Elena Lopez Sans closed the event with a meditative solo with attentive people encircling her.
Directions to Site Location
Walk West on 23rd to River. Then toward 24th Streets and the Hudson River. The event was in the Park before the Pier.