AOA Season 5 Ep 3
Molly: Hello and welcome to a podcast about creating experimental art in trauma-informed and sustainable ways that support artists, our communities and the organization as a whole. I'm your host, Molly, and you're listening to Any Other Anythings.
Molly: In this season, we are focused on the latest project being produced by Grey Box Collective. It is titled Positive Ruminations. So this is an event that will feature four new works and each episode of this season of Any Other Anythings will feature conversations from the creative teams developing the new work, and we are really focusing on capturing the process and sharing out the things we find interesting along the way. Hope that you enjoy the season of Any Other Anythings.
Molly: So up first we have EMP_T_Y. So Romeo and Lauren will be discussing what has been developed so far in the performance in the new work of EMP_T_Y. And a reminder, That EMP_T_Y is looking at compassion fatigue, empathy fatigue, if you want to call it that. And just like, how are we constantly inundated with news. All right. So enjoy their conversation
Romeo: My name is Romeo.
Lauren: My name is Lauren.
Molly: I guess technically it's our second rehearsal, but whatever, talk about like what we've done and also a little bit more about what we can speak on our process.
Lauren: We started the day with a little movement warmup and then created some nuggets of movement using five to three gestures, incorporated some props, before shaking off the cobwebs on our first get togethers, I guess that we created, ultimately.
Romeo: In our piece EMP_T_Y, which is about, like, compassion fatigue about not being able to escape like, like, that is, and what that kind of, what kind of impact that has on a person, just more about, it's everyday life, and you can't escape it, and more, like, what that is.
Molly: So, let's talk about some of the things that were created today. I like some of the stickiness, the stickiness being what we're holding on to, from last time. Or what we feel, like, is, has sticking power, I guess. It's a little, so often in device work, like, we get rid of, like, 80 percent of what we need.
Lauren: One of my top favorites stickies of the day was this little nugget we made called Charleston Cups where Romeo and I move in tandem sometimes together and sometimes in opposition, but we're attached to each other by one Charleston Cup from this like very impactful step that we take together. We also kept, like, the reading of, like, the bad news while I'm trying to, like, kind of keep up with it.
Romeo: I really, that's, like, just very relatable to what it's like living in 2024. The, the inability to escape kind of thing.
Molly: Also, naming that this piece was originally started. We explored in 2019, the late 2018s, pre 2020 and it still feels like we're in development in the same space. Do either of you want to talk a little bit about that impulse to be like, yeah, but we won't have technology even though that's how we're getting our info.
Romeo: I like the, the use of the cups. And like, it reminds me of like when you're like the little kid and you've got like the two cups on the string, like, talking in front of the playground, and then we talked about having, like, a soundscape for coping mechanisms, that you can have with all the bad news happening every day. And so like, the bottles, or like, like a drink hitting ice, and stuff like that. So like, the cup is like, I feel like, a really good representation of, you know, like, what it's like to grow up nowadays, too, where like, it's all fun and games until it's just not anymore.
Lauren: In the audio for the show, we're also looking at exploring having notification sounds. So, what is it to hear all of that technology, but never see it within the show? And that's something we're interested in playing with in the performance.
Molly: So, in this moment, are there any other anythings?
Romeo: Right before we're about to end, you talked about, like, I have, like, break dancing background and using that to either like escape all the newspaper or kind of like keep it contained. I think it's going to be really cool to like figure out what that looks like. Especially because that's specifically like my home and all that stuff. And kind of using the two to like push the idea forward.
Lauren: Definitely like, bouncing off of the breaking background. My go to styles and like backgrounds of movement are not that. So seeing the opposition together on stage, and like how those different forms can like complement each other. It's something that, like, really excites me about working with people who are all over incentive, compound play.
Romeo: I think compassion fatigue is, like, a, something that's a lot more talked about now. And so, I think we're in a place where we can kind of acknowledge that, you know, the world is really terrible. I think society itself is in that, like, okay, what do we do? Acknowledge that we all feel this way. We acknowledge that all these bad things are happening. Now what? So, maybe, think about that as we, like, finish up the piece. Okay, what next kind of thing I think could be really interesting to see in a movement way. What do we do next? What do we do with compassion fatigue if you feel it?
Lauren: The hope is the audience finds a moment to look closer. When you're looking for peace or beauty in something to, like, get smaller or to look closer at something rather than on a more broad scale. So I hope the audience is able to, like, join the lesson learned in the moment of, like, what is it to cherish just one little moment in time when everything, and especially happiness, is so elusive to us. Love this for us.
Molly: Yes. It might have been intentional. But I think about like the compassion fatigue or just the like onslaught of media that we will have. Guessing it will culminate roughly the same time that this piece premieres.
Molly: Hey, listener. Thank you so much for taking the time and energy to check out another episode of any other anything's greatly appreciate your presence. Be sure to check out the show notes for links to find out more about this podcast, the speakers and Grey Box Collective. You can also go to greyboxcollective.com/podcasts for a full transcript of this episode. Thank you again for listening. Thank you again for being here. Greatly appreciate it. Take care of yourselves and each other.
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