A promise that is now fulfilled with "Cloud9," which will be presented at the On.Stage Black Box of the Miami Dade County Auditorium through Sunday, November 19.
"Cloud9," which combines dance and music, continues previous proposals by Brigid Baker Wholeproject, where movement, visual plenitude, and poetry lead the way and project in the dimension of other works that will follow.
But what does the expression "cloud nine" mean in English?
Although its widespread can be traced to the mid-20th Century, its origins date back to the basic classification system in the 19th Century, which defines cumulonimbus (the ninth cloud) as the highest in the sky, hence its connection with real life is at the most prominent point of happiness or satisfaction. Although its more literal translation does not adapt to the dynamics of our language, it is equivalent to "being in the seventh heaven." It should not be confused with "being in the clouds," which does not need an explanation.
Brigid Baker Wholeproject's new dance endeavor has its roots in the human being and his panorama of emotions, in the human and the divine, in deep meditation and movement.
"I was obsessed with what it means to be human, in the soul that longs to be human and to experience itself in human form," says Baker. "I then looked at human beings whose lives reflect and illuminate the path to the levels of love through actions large and small. The infinite soul is filtered as something beautiful and immortal, hence the meaning of what is proposed."
"I follow the thread of previous works like autumn follows summer," Brigid Baker says.
Photo by Justin Trieger
"Simeon ten Holt is a master of the minimalist legacy, but little known in the United States," says Baker. "Durational work (works that transcend the conventional duration of time), especially when the capacity for attention has been usurped, provides valuable guidance for life."
She continues: "Listening, experimenting, feeling small changes that end in big changes, making decisions in a way that follows what just happened before, but remembering everything that was and is currently happening, are tools for navigation on land. I think that in 'Canto Ostinato,' Holt reaches the pinnacle in form and in his unique delivery of tonality that has a particular sensitivity to a type of melody or to our human longing for melody."
Baker says that "Cloud9" is similar to previous works, mainly because it can be identified as her own through the voice it transmits. In this project, the choreographer always looks back to move forward on the path to new forms and propositions.
"I follow the thread of previous works like autumn follows summer," she says. "I explore what lifts the spirit as if following the instructions on a map. And there is nature, of course, complementing the spirit. The shape of 'Cloud9' is infused with the shape of the music. They are interchangeable, I hope. There is a point in the composition where the music stops completely, which took me in an interesting direction. But, as indicated in the musical score, it is also in the work."
One characteristic that distinguishes Simeon ten Holt's "Canto Ostinato" is the freedom it provides its performers, something Baker also endorses in her most recent work.
"Cloud9" is a tribute to the Dutch minimalist musician Simeon ten Holt, specifically to his work "Canto Ostinato."
Photo by Justin Trieger
The choreographer says it requires listening "deeply to others" as well as possessing sensitivity, concentration, and practice.
"These characteristics distinguish the three dancers (Meredith Barton, Isaiah González, and Amy Trieger) who work on 'Cloud9,'" adds Baker. "They are deeply committed artists who understand that responsibility and interpret the composition with refinement. The durational work also asks performers to go beyond where they thought they would go with greater skill and artistry. "I suggest the public arrive early at the theater because the play begins precisely while the spectators take their seats."
"Meadow," the preceding dance work, represents movement, music, and vibration. So what's up with "Cloud9"? Does it take advantage of and mythologize that magic characteristic of Brigid Baker's productions?
"Of course. I think that in 'Cloud9,' we have brought those elements more clearly into a human approach to form, although I don't think it becomes evident until the work is almost finished, because that is how it also happens in life," she says. "It's amazing how surprised we are that life ends when that's the only thing true about life. If not, how will we live it?"
"I never have expectations with a project," admits Baker. "If I did, I wouldn't be able to work. I work daily on this gift given to me, to do everything in the most vulnerable way and with considerable dedication. We are fortunate to live in this blue dot traveling through space, in the heart of love."
"Cloud9" by Brigid Baker Wholeproject, with its innovative music, very personal way of dancing, and deep-rooted concept of humanity, suggests that we can also achieve the happiness of the "seventh heaven" on this planet.
– Jesús Vega, ArtburstMiami.com
Brigid Baker's "Cloud9." 8 p.m. Friday, November 17, through Sunday, November 19, at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, 2901 W. Flagler St., Miami; 305-547-5414; miamidadecountyauditorium.org. Tickets cost $22 via ticketmaster.com.
