Mallory Markham and Madeline Matuska. Photo by Rob Best.

From Blog Director Jill Randall:

Lately, I have been thinking about dance writing and dance publicity. How do we share/invite/entice/preview a work for our potential audience members? Along with San Francisco Bay Area artists Tanya Chianese and Heather Arnett, we are playing with this idea for the 7 days leading up to their show, Nevertheless, at CounterPulse from April 19-22. This is an incredible collaboration between the ka·nei·see | collective and Cat Call Choir. (Get your tickets here.)

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A question for Tanya Chianese and Heather Arnett:

Why live art, now?

Tanya Chianese: In an age where online media shows us disturbing and other material in quick scroll-through moments, it can be easy to become numb to these images. However, when faced with said incidents in real life their emotional impact affects us drastically. Specific to the content of this show, it is easy to understand that no one enjoys a stranger grazing their boob on purpose, or whispering “I see that ass! Keep walking in front of me girl!”, but it is a lot different to witness it happen. We can choose to look away on social media or on the bus, but sitting in a theater one has to come to terms with what is happening. Also, there is something special about women sexually harassing women; it gives the conversation a new perspective.

Heather Arnett: Why live art, now? It seems to me that questions about live art, vs. whatever we call not live art, often focus solely on the experience of audiences. I find the experience of our performers to be just as interesting and essential to this work. Past and current choir members report: “It was empowering to sing the harassment back to my harassers;” “I can’t believe how many other women feel exactly the way I do;” and “the snarkiness of the songs makes me feel like I am fighting back." Based on this type of feedback from both performers and audience members, I believe that while continuously performing the work is hard due to its emotional weight, it is in fact the repetitive performance that reshapes one’s relationship to being harassed.

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ka·nei·see | collective and Cat Call Choir

Nevertheless

• April 19, 2018 at 8pm
• April 20, 2018 at 8pm
• April 21, 2018 at 8pm
• April 22, 2018 at 5pm

Tickets: $20-$35 (Purchase tickets here.)

CounterPulse

80 Turk Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

​Performers: Heather Arnett, Mika Banks, Blair Bodie, Chelsea Brown, Rosanna Chiu, Clarissa Dyas, Mercilee Jenkins, Mallory Markham, Madeline Matuska, Rebecca Morris, Celine Alwyn Parker, Bhumi Patel, Emma Salmon, Vera Schwegler, Ali Toia

Lighting Designer: Linda Baumgardner

​Costume Designer: Carol Salmon

kaneisee.org

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