I believe that the pandemic has taught us all the importance of connection and community, and for me, artistic practice and performance have become a means to connect with the audience. Covid-19 has brought about a fragmented and isolated experience, but in response to this, I believe we need more "touch" and memento mori to recall the beauty of human connections. In my performance and exhibition how are we still alive here? what about there?, spectators leave their traces while witnessing the traces left by other spectators and me. I aim to provide a space and time for audiences to be alone but not lonely, to connect and share their experiences with others. My hope is to create a platform for those like me, who want to connect but may be too shy to start.
While I can't claim this work to be "successful" in the traditional sense, I am proud of what I've achieved. Everyone has a different experience with my work; some resonate more with the topic of suicide, some with political oppression from China, and some with the mesmerizing aerial bungee movement. My goal is for everyone to find some resonance in it, not just to empathize with my story but also to ask more questions about our society and take action together.
The pandemic has certainly disrupted traditional ways of experiencing theater and dance performances, but it has also presented an opportunity for artists to explore new forms of expression and reach wider audiences through digital platforms. As an independent artist, I have learned to embrace the features of the online world and adopt them into my artistic practices. By exploring the characteristics of new media such as integration, interactivity, hypermedia, immersion, and narrativity, there is an opportunity to expand the practice of dance performance and create unique and engaging experiences for audiences.
In conclusion, the pandemic has shaken up our preconceptions of the social world in a drastic way. While it has brought about many challenges, it has also given us an opportunity to rethink how we connect and engage with each other. Going back to the concept of limping, I now know that I am not alone, and there are people who support one another and seek a way to fly. Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience and reflections on the impact of the pandemic on dance performance.
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