Between control and uncertainty by Marta Wörner Sarabia

"Between control and uncertainty" is a practice-led research that combines the kinetic study of the body as a structure and the implementation of media and expanded choreography tools to de-pattern the conventional relationship between body and space in performative environments. Moreover, on a meta-level, the investigation reflects on the tension between control and uncertainty in the act of research itself. With the firm belief that the body has inherent philosophical and epistemological knowledge which can be activated by experiencing and observing movement, I embraced the challenge to name and contextualize that knowledge. This inquiry started from my fascination for the kinetics of the body and its ability to reorganize itself in comparison with other micro and macro structures that do not move that way, such a, for example, the microstructures of materials like metal, rocks or the macrostructures built by the geography of the city and the Port of Rotterdam. The interdisciplinary research addresses the dichotomy structure-destructure and its application and affections to the body. In this sense, the research proposes a tool for de-patterning the habitual relationship between the body of the performer and the external space and offers to the audience a door for de-patterning their relationship with performative spaces. The research has been framed under the inspirational umbrella of the idea of performing the Deleuzian concept of “becoming”, (deriving from the Latin verb “devenire” which means “coming down, falling in, arriving to”). The physical inquiry is focused on the action of “falling in”, "devenire". The exploration led to an articulated and defined set of physical and interdisciplinary exercises that are the core of the dance practice ‘falling in’. In concordance with the practice, the findings of this research can be seen as ways of controlling and ways of facilitating, allowing, provoking uncertainty within the choreographic practice-led research frame. This research artistically materialized in the performance Falling in. Notes on body space and matter premiered in 2019.

The perspective of a visual artist.

An evening sharing my research with Hans Schuttenbeld

The video document at the right side of this text shows the experience of sharing my research with Hans Schuttenbeld, visual artist. The experience took place in his studio in Rotterdam on the 26th of March of 2019. The modality I chose for sharing my research was an interactive exposition in which I could display trough the studio space some selected documentation as well as the instructions for three physical exercises. Hans was informed to navigate freely through the interface of the computer, which was guiding him to perform different actions inside the studio space.

During the session, I was present as an assistant for one of the physical exercises and as a documenter of the activity.

After the sharing moment, Hans asked me some questions that came up during the activity. To access our conversation, one can click the following audio document:

The interaction gave insights on the modality of dissemination of my research and raised my awareness on the relevance of the research outside of the choreographic field.

Tip

Tip